Chinese Government provides $8 million grant for Chipoka Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center (Linked to Record ID#58118 and #64051)

Project narrative

On October 20, 2011, the Chinese Government signed three economic and technical cooperation agreements (ETCAs) with the Government of Malawi. The agreements included assistance for a Malawi agricultural demonstration center, grant assistance, and an interest-free loan. Then, on June 12, 2012, an agreement for the construction of the Chipoka Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center in Malawi. A feasibility study took place between March 28 and April 7 of 2011. The groundbreaking ceremony for the demonstration center was on July 16, 2012. The project was completed in August 2015. The center sits on 50 hectares of land provided by the Malawi government. It consists of three classrooms, a demonstration area and living quarters. Three Chinese agricultural experts operate the center, which has 20 local workers. According to the Government of Malawi, the Chinese Government provided an $8 million grant for this project. The demonstration center is operated by China-Malawi Cotton Co, a subsidiary of China-Africa Cotton Development Ltd, a Hong Kong-registered company. The enterprise is a joint venture with the China-Africa Development Fund, Qingdao Ruichang Cotton Industrial Co and Qingdao Huifu Textile Co.