Rich in Land and Soul
Life is a process of self-improvement. Africa, despite its truly challenging conditions, is a place where our value of life can be better realized.
Hu Huojin, a Chinese agricultural expert in Ethiopia
Luo Xueyi explains the method of rice cultivation to local techniciansThe arrival of Chinese agricultural experts, Hu Huojin and Luo Xueyi, was a saving grace for Werer in the town of Amibara in northeast Ethiopia’s Afar Region, 277 km from the capital of Addis Ababa. In less than a year, the Werer area has been transformed by the diversification of its irrigation fields, increased drainage channels, and paddy rice cultivation.
With annual average temperatures of 27.6 degrees Celsius and an annual rainfall of 570 mm, high temperatures combined with low precipitation has restricted the agricultural development in the area. However, Awash River, the longest and largest inland river in Ethiopia, passes through Werer and is accessible all year round. The river is a resource for the local community, providing feed for livestock and produces suitable conditions for rice cultivation.
“When we arrived here in May last year, we found that if the local natural conditions could be fully made use of, it is a feasible place for rice planting,” Hu told ChinAfrica. “Previously, without irrigation facilities, rice used to be cultivated only on dry fields which totally relied on rainfall, resulting in low production.”
In Werer, rice is only planted once a year during its rainy season. Other factors including ineffective use of the area’s natural climate, sunlight and water resources have also led to slow progress in rice cultivation. “If we can change the dry land into paddy field, the rice production here would be significantly improved,” Hu said.
Dry land to paddy field
Hu is a 56-year-old agricultural expert from Nanchang City Bureau of Agriculture and Husbandry, in southeast China’s Jiangxi Province. His companion, 54-year-old Luo Xueyi, is an agricultural expert from Hengnan County Bureau of Agriculture in central-south Hunan Province. This is the fourth time the experts partnered together with the project of agricultural aid to Africa organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of China.
In May 2016, Hu and Luo were assigned to the Werer Agricultural Research Center which focuses on finding irrigation solutions in water shortage areas. Working with local agricultural experts, they wrote a proposal to the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia, suggesting the establishment of a demonstration project on productive paddy rice cultivation in Werer. One month later, the proposal was authorized and Werer was designated as an experimental demonstration base for paddy rice cultivation.
In late December, Hu and Luo began the first phase of their work, including digging, partitioning and ridging. As the initial preparation works came to completion the duo were confronted by a malfunction in the waterworks. Without a direct water supply, the experts were forced to return to their residence in Addis Ababa to look for help from other Chinese agricultural experts, and all work on the base came to a halt.
On January 25 this year, Luo and Hu had a solution and returned to Werer to restart the work of the experimental demonstration base. With the help and support of peer experts, the ridging, leveling, system construction, water testing and reinforcements were finished in 24 days.
“Strictly speaking, there were no paddy fields before we came here, because there was a lack of available irrigation facilities,” Hu said. The key factor for rice cultivation is the management of water and fertilizer. “For this reason, the irrigation and drainage of the paddy fields must be achieved to reach a water-balance state at all times,” he added.
On February 19, the dry land to paddy field project was complete. “After numerous failures, we finally solved the water supply problem, and planted rice on the demonstration base using our cultivation techniques. In Werer, we have shown the locals our best experience for growing rice,” Hu said.
“At least 12 tons of rice per hectare at the demonstration base are expected to be harvested this year, four times that of before. And rice can be planted three times a year because the local soil, climate, and water resources are good. If our technology is applied to the entire region, Ethiopia’s food problem can be resolved,” Hu said.
On February 12, Desta Bonjo, Director of the Werer Agricultural Research Center, visited the demonstration base and expressed his excitement over the results. “We had no idea of how to construct an irrigation system and plant rice on paddy field before the work of the Chinese experts. We will continue to diligently learn and look after the base for a long time,” he said.
Hu Huojin teaches local farmers to improve the irrigation facilities COURTESY PHOTOSWork-life balance
Apart from Ethiopia, Hu has worked as an agricultural expert in Nigeria and Mali in 2004 and 2011. He said he would like to further develop a career in Africa, but he also feels guilty for spending too much time away from his family.
“Whenever the Ministry of Agriculture has some projects in Africa, I always have the enthusiasm to take part in, but I also feel sorry for the insufficient companionship I have with my family,” Hu said. “Life is a process of self-improvement. Africa, despite its truly challenging conditions, is a place where our value of life can be better realized.”
Life in Ethiopia for Hu and Luo is very simple. They leave their homes early in the morning and return late in the evening. They spend most of their time in the fields, which can result in multiple injuries to the arms and legs. Wild animals are also known to frequent the house from time to time to take food, sometimes resulting in damage to property. Despite these challenges, they never gave up and remain resolute in their determination and decision to stay.
“Luo and I were born in the 1960s, a time when our country experienced a shortage of food. When we came to Africa, we looked to the past to inspire us to help local people avoid the hardships we have experienced,” said Hu.
In October 2012, when Hu first traveled to Ethiopia, he published the book Resources and Utilization of Bamboo, on the title page of which he wrote: “I would like to dedicate this book to my mother, who taught me to give respectfully with both hands.” According to Hu, he was not providing aid to Africa, but joining in partnership with his African brothers and sisters for a brighter future.
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