China signs complementary agreement (Phase II) with Sierra Leone for Rice Growing Demonstration Project (linked to #62528

On January 22, 2008, the Chinese embassy in Sierra Leone signed a complementary agreement (Phase II) with the Sierra Leonean government, represented by its Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, to implement the Rice Growing Demonstration Project. The project will be carried out by the Department of Agriculture of Hubei Province which will provide technologies to grow hybrid rice that was first cultivated in China. According to a report from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN, the introduction of a Chinese hybrid rice variety, along with the use of animal waste as fertilizer improved rice yield from 0.9 to 4.1 tonnes/ha as part of the Chinese government's cooperation with the FAO in the South-South Cooperation project. This is the second phase of the agreement signed in 2006 (#62528).

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