On August 5th and 6th, Earle Courtenay Rattray, Chef of Cabinet to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, and Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the UN and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary conducted an on-site inspection of the African Training Workshop on JUNCAO Technology and attended its closing ceremony in Rwanda. The workshop, held from July 31st to August 6th, was co-organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), Rwanda and the China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology. The closing ceremony was also attended by Dr. Ildephonse Musafiri, Minister of MINAGRI and Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry. Professor Lin Zhanxi, Chief Scientist at the China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China, joined the delegation activities.
The UN High-Level Delegation Visits China-Rwanda Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center (C-RATDC).
The delegation, along with the African representatives, visited C-RATDC managed by FAFU, the JUNCAO Animal Husbandry Site in the Southern Province, the JUNCAO Mushroom Cultivation Demonstration Site in Muhanga, and JUNCAO-based enterprises in Kigali. They also observed the production and processing of the whole JUNCAO industrial chain in C-RATDC, a long-term provider of seeds, fungal strains, technical training and on-site expert guidance for Rwandan JUNCAO producers.
The Delegation Visits JUNCAO Youth Entrepreneurship Demonstration Site in Kiwumu Village, Muhanga District.
The Delegation Visits Schools Founded by JUNCAO-based Enterprises in the Suburbs of Kigali.
On the afternoon of August 6th, the closing ceremony was held at the Kigali Conference Center with more than 100 attendees including representatives from Rwandan governmental departments, UN agencies in Rwanda, R&D institutions and the private sector.
Speech by Mr. Earle Courtenay Rattray
In his speech, Mr. Earle Courtenay Rattray stated that the UN Peace and Development Fund for JUNCAO Technology Project has far exceeded his expectations. He noted that with its substantial economic benefits and widespread social impacts, the UN will continue to support the project to reach more people.
Speech by Mr. Li Junhua
Mr. Li Junhua chaired the closing ceremony and addressed the participants, highlighting the significant potential of JUCAO technology in simultaneously advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals. To date, over 3,600 participants from more than 50 countries have benefited from a variety of capacity-building projects and witnessed the positive changes and impacts brought about by the technology.
Speech by Ambassador Fu Cong
Mr. Fu Cong emphasized in his speech that JUNCAO technology is not only a successful practice of China’s poverty alleviation efforts, but also a microcosm of the Chinese people’s resilience, self-reliance and pursuit of a better life. It can precisely address the needs of the most impoverished, which embodies the UN’s commitment to ‘leaving no one behind’ and exemplifies the essence of humanitarian care. Professor Lin Zhanxi, with his outstanding contributions, has earned the deep affection of local communities and stands as an exemplary global grassroots ambassador.
Speech by Mr. Lin Zhanxi
He introduced that JUNCAO technology can efficiently utilize natural resources such as light, heat, water and soil, which is particularly crucial for the development of landlocked countries like Rwanda. The UN JUNCAO Project has provided a platform for countries to exchange and share development experiences. Thanks to the project, Rwanda has witnessed numerous success stories of young and women entrepreneurs, with many farmers’ household incomes more than doubling. The promotion of JUNCAO technology has extended to educational institutes at all levels, including primary schools, secondary schools, and universities. Additionally, trainees and international students who received training at FAFU were actively advancing the dissemination of JUNCAO technology and contributing to poverty alleviation and sustainable development in developing countries.
Speech by Mr. Ildephonse Musafiri
He pointed out that choosing JUNCAO technology, as a cutting-edge development path, and collaborating with like-minded collaborators have greatly strengthened Rwanda’s agricultural competitiveness in Africa. This will contribute to Rwanda’s achievement of its ‘Vision 2050’. Going forward, Rwanda will continue to expand its mushroom and livestock production, and the government will increase support for small and medium-sized enterprises to achieve large-scale mushroom cultivation and processing. He expressed his hope that the trainees from various African countries will extend the benefits of JUNCAO technology to a wider population.
Group photo of the closing ceremony
Lastly, Professor Gurama, Deputy Vice-chancellor at Federal University of Kashere in Gombe State, Nigeria, Ms. Hilda, Chief Agricultural Specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture, Zimbabwe, and Dr. Avery, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, presented the experiences, achievements, challenges, and future development plans related to the implementation of JUNCAO technology in their respective countries.
During the workshop, over 70 representatives from government departments, universities, enterprises and NGOs from countries including Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Rwanda attended the technical training at C-RATDC in the Southern Province of Rwanda.
Correspondant/Photogragher: China National Engineering Research Center of JUNCAO Technology
Translators: Lu Hanyang, International College
Huang Peifang, International College
