Completed Development AidData Chinese Aid

Chinese Government provides $30 million grant for Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center Project (Linked to Record ID#20463)

$30M USD

Funder	China Ministry of Commerce
Recipient Organization	Government of Zimbabwe
Country	Zimbabwe
Start Date	Jan 01, 2009
End Date	Jan 06, 2033
Duration	8,771 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`20216`

Grant Description

On 1 July, 2008, the Chinese Government and the Government of Zimbabwe signed a protocol agreement related to an Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center Project.

Then, on 19 April, 2009, the Chinese Government and the Government of Zimbabwe signed an $30 million USD grant agreement to support this project.

The purpose of this project was to establish an Agricultural Technological Demonstration Center (ATDC) at Gwebi Agricultural College, which is located 27 km outside Harare.

It was envisaged that the ATDC would focus on, among other activities, pilot demonstration, including the experimental cultivation of nearly 20 kinds of local maize seeds in cooperation with local seed companies, the experimental cultivation of a dozen varieties of potatoes jointly with domestic potato research institutes, and the promotion of diced potato cultivation technology.

It was also envisaged that the ATDC would be run by the Chinese Government for three years before being handed over to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Agriculture and absorbed as one of its centers of research excellence.

MAE Northern Company and the Research Institute of China Agricultural Mechanization were the contractors responsible for project implementation. On 22 October, 2009, a foundation-laying ceremony for the ATDC took place. On 15 October, 2012, the ATDC was officially inaugurated. The Chinese project title is 中国援津农业技术示范中心.

The linked Record ID#20463 captures the dispatch of 10 Chinese experts to train Zimbabwean workers at the Agricultural Technological Demonstration Center (ATDC) at Gwebi Agricultural College.

📋 Staff Comments

One source identifies the value of the grant commitment as RMB 40 million; however, this is the estimate cost for Chinese-funded agricultural demonstration centers in Africa (See: Chinese agriculture technology demonstration centres in Southern Africa: the new business of development). Another source identifies the value of the grant commitment as RMB 50 million (See: The Dragon's Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa).

📚 Sources & References

Country
China Sign U.S.$42m Loan Facility
Chinese Firm Mulls US$500m Investment
Agriculture Demonstration Centre Nears Completion
Work On Gwebi Technology Centre Begins
China opens first agricultural technology training course in Zimbabwe
Sino-Africa Agricultural Cooperation Experience Sharing
援津巴布韦农业技术示范中心举行形式开工仪式
China seeks agric cooperation with Zim
Chinese demonstration centre partners Gwebi College
Science
Technology, and the Politics of Knowledge: The Case of China’s Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centers in Africa
中国援津农业技术示范中心举行开工仪式
驻津巴布韦大使忻顺康视察中国援建的农业示范中心
中国援津农业技术示范中心举行开工仪式
驻津巴布韦大使袁南生代表中国政府签署关于援津农业技术示范中心议定书
陈宁参赞调研援津农业技术示范中心
毕美家率团访问津巴布韦
津巴布韦高官盛赞中国援津农业技术示范中心
黄屏大使考察中国援津农业技术示范中心
黄屏大使考察中国援津农业技术示范中心
中国农业示范中心将在津巴布韦生根发芽
中国援津巴布韦农业技术示范中心举行开工仪式
Chinese agriculture technology demonstration centres in Southern Africa: the new business of development
The Dragon's Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=XNEWS00020110915e79f007hh&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020080223e42n0008d&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020080512e45c000pb&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=BBCAPP0020070419e34j0010b&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020110214e72e000ba&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020100720e67k0012y&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=XNEWS00020100719e67j006k5&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020091023e5an0008y&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=, http://global.factiva.com/aa/?ref=AFNWS00020090427e54r000sb&pp=1&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=
Effective Support for Agricultural Development
China-Africa agricultural co-operation: Mutual benefits or self-interest?
China's plan helps Zimbabwean farmers lift themselves out of poverty and become rich To celebrate the party's centennial anniversary, 100 stories of aid to foreign countries will be told Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.

All Grantees

Government of Zimbabwe

Interested in applying for this grant?

Complete our application form to express your interest and we'll guide you through the process.

Apply for This Grant