Chinese tomato grafting technology raises yields

By Derrick Silimina

As Joel Kirui transplanted tomato seedlings on his 1-hectare farmland in Nakuru County, 160 km northwest of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, he recalled how proceeds from his small-scale farming helped to fund his education. 

“Through the sale of tomatoes produced in my field, I managed to pursue my studies,” Kirui told ChinAfrica. “I could earn enough cash every three months after sales, which enabled me to pay tuition fees for my three-year course.” 

The production of tomatoes is critical in Kenya, where each household consumes the vegetable in at least two meals every day, according to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). Tomato consumption in the country is forecast to reach 632,000 tonnes by 2026, an increase of 8.4 percent from 2021’s figure of 583,000 tonnes. In 2021, the country ranked 34th in the world for tomato production, figures from the Kenya Tomato Industry Outlook 2022-2026 show. 

However, pests and diseases associated with climate change have wreaked havoc on tomato production in the East African country. According to KALRO, even 500,000 tomato farmers in Kenya could not meet the local demand due to pests and diseases causing low yields, which still stand at 8.8 tonnes (against a potential of 20 tonnes) per acre. This has forced the East African country to bridge the shortfall with imports from Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia. Tomato prices double whenever there is a pest or disease outbreak. 

“Production of tomatoes is largely constrained by pests and diseases, the high cost of certified seeds, limited skills on seed establishment, and low technology adoption rates among the smallholder farmers who are the majority of producers,” said Lusike Wasilwa, KALRO director of crop systems. 

“I was distressed after the invasion by pests decimated almost 50 percent of my plants. My hopes to complete my studies were dashed!” Kirui, a teacher by profession, lamented. His tomato field was not spared as the notorious pest Tuta absoluta, also known as the “tomato leaf miner,” devastated tomato crops in the country. 

Horticulturists say Tuta absoluta, a pest that damages tomato plants, potatoes, eggplants and green peppers, is mostly resistant to insecticides. It originated in South America and has been spreading in African countries of late. 

Innovative solution 

A Chinese innovative technology called “tomato grafting” has emerged as a saviour amid the intensifying attacks of pests. It was introduced by Egerton University based in Kenya’s Nakuru County in partnership with Nanjing Agricultural University of China. 

The Confucius Institute at Egerton University invited the first batch of agricultural experts from Nanjing Agricultural University to Kenya to provide training on tomato grafting. 

The introduction of Chinese technology is enhancing crop yields and improving livelihoods. More than 4,000 local farmers have been trained in using tomato grafting technology for greenhouse farming, and a reliable company has been identified to supply the grafted tomato seedlings. 

“The grafted seedlings help farmers to realise a 50 percent increase in their yields, something they could not achieve previously when they were using traditional farming methods,” said Liu Yutao, director of the Confucius Institute at Egerton University. 

Liu explained that tomato grafting technology has the advantage of better growth, higher yield, early maturity, and a longer duration of tomato production. 

According to the Confucius Institute, the state-of-the-art technology was introduced to scale up local small-scale farmers’ productivity as part of a project funded by the China-International Fund for Agricultural Development South-South and Triangular Cooperation Facility.  

Sources from the institute show that plans are underway to expand the technology to other regions in Kenya in order to improve food security. “We are also eyeing innovations in the tomato value chain to empower more rural youth and women as a way of creating a decent household income,” Liu added.

Bumper harvests 

Smallholder farmers in parts of Nakuru County have reported a bumper harvest after adopting grafting technology and have described the innovative idea as a game-changer due to its ability to raise yields of the traditional varieties. 

Angela Kimani, one of the beneficiaries and among those trained in greenhouse farming with tomato grafting technology, is optimistic that her tomato field will be saved again so that she can cash in on the high demand and higher prices of the commodity.      

Maria Wangari, a small-scale tomato farmer in Kirinyaga County, said that since 2001, when she started growing tomatoes, her biggest challenges have always been pests and diseases, and post-harvest losses. 

“With the arrival of Chinese know-how, we have been trained in key skills, tools, and knowledge which have led to increased yield in my field and reduced post-harvest losses,” Wangari said. 

Zimbabwe's Mandarin Road to Success

By Derrick Silimina

Tears of joy streamed down Taurai Tawanda’s face upon learning that she had been awarded a scholarship under the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship Programme for academic excellence. 

“I am grateful to the authorities who have made it possible for me to hone my skills in teaching the Chinese language, especially as our language consultancy firm is about to introduce Chinese to our learners,” Tawanda told ChinAfrica. 

She said the scholarship is a game-changer in her teaching career, as it will help to broaden and enrich her job prospects, particularly among key Chinese companies based in Zimbabwe. 

As a qualified linguistics teacher in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, the 30-year-old is proud to have unlocked a treasure trove of opportunities in Chinese cultural, academic, and professional fields. “This opportunity is timely for me to perfect my Chinese teaching skills. My dream is to study this field at an advanced level so that I can become an international interpreter.” 

Breaking the barriers 

China has become Zimbabwe’s largest foreign investor, with significant investments in mining, mineral processing, construction, and manufacturing, according to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency. 

Data from the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe shows that over 100,000 locals are employed by Chinese businesses operating in the country. 

For this reason, the role of the Confucius Institute in providing Chinese language instruction at various educational levels has become increasingly vital. Knowledge of the Chinese language is enabling Zimbabweans to secure jobs and business opportunities, illustrating the practical socio-economic impact of this learning. 

“I would like to congratulate the 52 scholarship recipients and encourage them to embrace the opportunities that come with studying the Chinese language and culture. Their efforts will contribute to Zimbabwe’s modernisation and further solidify the partnership with China,” said Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding during the 2024 China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship Awarding Ceremony, held on 21 January at the Chinese Embassy in Harare. 

Zhou stressed the need to strengthen diplomatic and educational ties between China and Zimbabwe, noting that the upcoming 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations shows China’s commitment to enhancing people-to-people exchanges and supporting Zimbabwe’s educational development. 

The Chinese envoy noted that, in a bid to promote Chinese language learning in Zimbabwe, the University of Zimbabwe became one of the first higher education institutions in Africa to host a Confucius Institute in 2006. 

“To date, over 16,000 students have attended Chinese language classes. Each year, several students receive scholarships to further their studies in China.” 

Diverse opportunities 

Pursuing a career in the Chinese language opens up diverse opportunities in international business, translation, interpretation, education, government relations, cultural consulting, journalism, and tourism, particularly due to China’s growing global economic influence. 

Speaking at the same event, Simelisizwe Sibanda, deputy minister of higher and tertiary education, innovation, science and technology development, expressed gratitude for China’s continued support in human resource development. 

Thomas Utete, Zimbabwe’s permanent secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, added that the initiative has come at an opportune time as the government is implementing various strategies to improve employment levels and enhance living standards. 

“This initiative demonstrates the commitment of the private sector, particularly the Chinese business community, in complementing the government’s efforts to create job opportunities and enhance human capital development for our citizens,” said Utete, adding that it strengthens bilateral relations. 

Meanwhile, Laston Mukaro from the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe emphasised the institute’s dedication to promoting Chinese language education and enhancing opportunities for Zimbabwean youth. 

The 52 scholars who received scholarships under the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship Programme for academic excellence were drawn from the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe, Chinese language teaching schools affiliated with the university, and other Chinese language institutions across Zimbabwe. 

The scholarship programme embodies China’s vision of fostering a community of shared dreams, aspirations, and prosperity, said Mukaro. By mastering Chinese, students are not only enhancing their communication skills, but also positioning themselves for success in a globalised world where China plays a major role in commerce, technology, and culture. 

Launched in 2020 by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe in collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe, the scholarship supports Zimbabwean students in completing their studies. 

Albert Moyo, 35, is among the scholars who have expressed commitment to mastering the Chinese language and serving as a cultural ambassador to strengthen Zimbabwe-China relations. 

“Essentially, any role where fluency in Chinese is valuable for interacting with Chinese companies, individuals, or markets excites me. I want to bring back the knowledge I acquired in China and use it here,” he told ChinAfrica. 

Lusaka’s Home of Hope

By Derrick Silimina

One morning in early 2003, Missionaries of Africa Br. Jacek Rakowski felt overwhelmed after he found a young boy lying down along one of the sprawling shopping corridors of Zambia's capital.

Rakowski, now the director of St. Lawrence Home of Hope, had been in Zambia less than a week and was disturbed because he had never seen homeless children in his home country, Poland.

"I didn't know what to do next, but after I went back to my community, my conscience troubled me," he told Global Sisters Report.

The following day, Rakowski found the same boy lying in the same spot. Moved with compassion, he realized something was wrong and bought him a meal despite the language barrier. Despite his missionary calling, dealing with street children was never part of his plans.

"I took him by hand, and I went to an eatery along Lusaka's main Cairo road and bought him some hamburgers, and we parted," he said.

The Missionaries of Africa, an international missionary society of priests and brothers, established St. Lawrence Home of Hope in 1998 for neglected, traumatized and abused children who require care, protection and therapeutic intervention.

In collaboration with the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods, the sisters of the Little Servants of Mary Immaculate have also been helping children at the facility to escape neglect, homelessness, physical and sexual abuse, and drug addiction.

"We want to withdraw them from the street before the trauma happens because kids reach a point of no return if they stay too long on the street. If left unchecked, it damages their psyche, body and identity, and later drug addiction kicks in," Rakowski said.

Just like other vulnerable kids who crowd Zambia's street corners for handouts, Amos Zulu (not his real name) was filled with fear. One frigid night, he lay awake on his thin sponge mattress wondering how to relocate to another township from Lusaka's notorious slum of Chibolya, a renowned hub for drug trafficking, alcohol abuse and burglary, among other illicit activities, where even the police do not dare to tread.

"I fled from my uncle's house at the age of 12 after I endured physical and mental abuse. I then joined a gang of drug dealers in our neighborhood to earn a living," Zulu told GSR.

Zulu, 15, eluded police arrest and realized how dangerous drug dealing was. The fierce anti-drug security crack squad made him quit drug trafficking and go to St. Lawrence Home of Hope.

"I feel safe and liberated now after I came here through the child protection unit. With the sisters' therapeutic interventions and support from [the] management of this facility, I now live my life anew."

The Missionaries of Africa began the center as a "Street Children Project" but later renamed it a "Children-in-Street Situation."

"Once you are labeled as a street kid, it doesn't matter how much you have changed, how good a person you are, or how many diplomas you have, as that name will follow you for the rest of your life," Rakowski explained. 

The residential home for boys offers children a new start ​and reintegrates them into their families, homes and society while helping them regain their childhood, confidence and dreams.

"We undertake various counseling activities at this facility to help the boys understand who they are, where they come from and help them become resilient despite what they face in life," said Sr. Catherine Mpolokoso of the Little Servants of Mary Immaculate.

Mpolokoso, the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods project coordinator, added that staff at the facility have benefited from capacity building through training to enable them to undertake their humanitarian work.

She explained that her congregation's charism, "To reach out to the vulnerable, the children and those who are rejected by the society in ensuring that human dignity is upheld," is paramount to uplifting the lives of humanity.

Mpolokoso said that the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods has been pivotal in addressing challenges faced by vulnerable children at the facility through the Catholic Care for Children in Zambia program. The program focuses on child neglect and poverty and has managed more than 40 child care facilities since 2017, including St. Lawrence House of Hope.

"We emphasize providing spiritual and emotional support tailored to each child's dignity. We actively work to trace families, communicate with them, and facilitate reintegration if suitable," she said. 

Some boys resist the educational opportunities provided and return to the streets. Those who stay often progress to secondary and tertiary education, demonstrating the program's long-term potential for positively influencing their lives.

"I help them to be resilient and understand that their circumstances are not permanent because any life crisis can be rectified," Mpolokoso concluded.

Rakowski said the organization often reaches out to kids separated from their families. They also participate in a juvenile diversion program [for] kids who committed crimes and went to court.

"The court sentences them to be here for therapy because [the] government recognizes that juveniles who come in conflict with the law need help and not punishment," he said.

The facility receives an average of 10 children per month, and more than 1,200 children have passed through it since its inception. As of January, 64 children have been reunited with their families.

Chinese healthcare in Mashonaland

By Derrick Silimina

Gertrude Nyathi walks calmly into Zimbabwe’s Mahusekwa Hospital for antenatal care in Mashonaland, where she is expected to give birth in the next five months. 

In a country where medical facilities are obsolete, patients flock to seek medical care at the Chinese-aided hospital, seen by many as a game changer in Marondera district.  

“Before this hospital was built, pregnant women had to travel long distances to go to Harare for antenatal services and some even gave birth on the way. The Mahusekwa Hospital has brought great relief to locals,” Nyathi told ChinAfrica. 

The facility, also known as the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital, stands as a testament to the growing ties between the two countries. The $6-million hospital in Mashonaland was commissioned in 2013 and was built under a Chinese aid project to help Zimbabwe to provide quality health services in rural areas.  

The state-of-the-art medical facility features departments such as dental, paediatrics, radiology, physiotherapy, maternity, operation theatre, and mortuary, and serves a population of over 130,000, including people living as far as Harare, located some 100 km away. It has significantly improved health care delivery in the broader Marondera rural district. The hospital receives over 400 patients a week. It has about 170 staff, including medical doctors, as well as modern equipment.  

Relief for patients  

Patients receiving treatment for different illnesses have praised the hospital. “I am so thankful to the surgeons for operating on my son,” said Mercy Kudzanai, a mother of two.  

“My second-born child is now four, but I recall how traumatised I was seeing my son in the operation theatre. I am grateful to the medical staff at the Mahusekwa Hospital for their dedication.”  

A Marondera-based primary school teacher recounted how she recently survived a protracted urinary infection thanks to the swift intervention she got from urologists at the hospital. 

“This facility has competent health workers; my condition might have worsened had it not been for the quality treatment I got here,” Tinashe Tichavangana told ChinAfrica. 

Tichavangana has since been recommending her colleagues with any illness to seek medical attention locally, and said those who have followed her advice have reported good results. The hospital is certainly saving lives, according to Given Tonderai, an accountant in eastern Harare. 

He travelled to Mashonaland for treatment of his chronic headache and said it was worth the trip.  

Alfred Hlophe, a truck driver based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland region, is also impressed with quality medical attention at the hospital for his backache, which almost rendered him jobless. 

“Due to my long-distance driving, I used to have a constant backache,” Hlophe said. “This affected my work until a colleague advised me to seek medical attention at the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital and I have now recovered.” 

The modern medical facility was built under a Chinese-aid project to provide quality health services in the countryside, where 70 percent of the population resides.

Vital support 

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently thanked China for its selfless assistance, emphasising the important role played by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiatives in Zimbabwe’s infrastructure construction. 

Mnangagwa affirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. 

China and Zimbabwe share a long history of cooperation in the health sector. Since 1985, China has sent 21 medical teams to the Southern African country. 

In 2022, China also handed over a pharmaceutical warehouse to the Zimbabwean government to boost the country’s drug storage capacity and enhance its health care system. 

China’s continued assistance in key infrastructural projects has delivered fruitful results, and bilateral cooperation has fostered common development and prosperity for all.  

According to a recent joint study by ICAP Global Health and Tsinghua University, China has invested over $750 million in health-related activities and projects in 51 African countries. 

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said that in recent years, China and Zimbabwe have achieved remarkable results in the field of health cooperation.  

“The Chinese medical team in Zimbabwe, the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital, the National Drug Warehouse in Zimbabwe, and the Bright Journey cataract treatment project have become the outstanding business cards of the friendship between the two countries,”  Zhou said recently when he paid a courtesy call on Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora in Harare. 

Speaking at the same event, Mombeshora spoke highly of the friendship between the two countries. 

“We sincerely thank the Chinese government for its long-term selfless help and valuable support for Zimbabwe’s health care development. We look forward to further deepening exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in the field of health,” Mombeshora stated.

Smart agriculture amid scorching drought

By Derrick Silimina

In the parched terrain of Magoye in Zambia's Mazabuka District, about 150 km south of the capital Lusaka, Dixon Lungu braves the blistering afternoon heat as he waters his scorched maize crop.

As the days turn into weeks without rain, Lungu understands the importance of the rainy season better than most. Every drop of water is precious on his 1-hectare farmland, where he grows maize.

"It's been over a month without rain after the planting season, so the effect on the maize field is very bad. We're just praying to God for rainfall so we can have something to eat," he told Global Sisters Report. 

He expressed concern that if the dry spell continues to hit Zambia's staple food and cash crop, the government will have no choice but to source food aid to feed its citizenry as the once lush fields of the Magoye area lie barren, a vivid reminder of the effects of climate change. 

Despite last year's drought, Lungu harvested about 13 bags of maize, each weighing 50 kilograms. 

"Looking at my current withered maize field, I doubt I will get even 10 bags this year," he said.

The Emerging Farmers Initiative (EFI), established in 2019 by the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit, offers a way out of poverty for local youth and at-risk families. The project combines academic education with eco-friendly integrated farming skills and entrepreneurship literacy for young people and established small-holder farmers at the New James Corboy S.J. Secondary School under the Monze Diocese. 

"For over 10 years now, the southern part of Zambia has been hit by drought. Even when the rest of the country receives rain, this region suffers droughts the most. So it dawned on us that climate change has become real for us," Sr. Juunza Mwangani told GSR. 

In response to the effects of climate change, Mwangani, who is the project manager of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, recognized the opportunity among the people of southern Zambia, who are farmers by nature. 

"Our calling now is to journey with our people, to face how we will survive the effects of climate change. We are also called to work with the people in their culture and in their way of life," Mwangani said.

She said that since 2022, the smart agriculture training hub has produced more than 100 graduates in fisheries, gardening, piggery and poultry for egg and meat production. The facility is equipped with a feed production unit and a drip irrigation system, all integrated to ensure the efficient use of water resources, which is crucial in Mazabuka's arid climate.

Regardless of their academic background, young people are equipped with hands-on training in eco-friendly agriculture, enabling them to create sustainable livelihoods among their communities for generations to come.

While other teenagers are attracted to early marriages after dropping out of school and seeking odd jobs in the Nakambala Sugar Estate, Jenipher Habeenzu is excited about pursuing a lifelong agriculture skill that will one day usher her into agribusiness.

Habeenzu, 23, is among 50 young people currently enrolled in the general agricultural course at the New James Corboy S.J. Secondary School production unit.

"I have learned quite a lot during my six-month course here. I understand how vital it is to take agricultural production as a business," Habeenzu said. 

Mwangani said local women have not been left behind. The Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit have taught the project to the Handmaids of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and the Religious Sisters of Charity.

She said that local beneficiary women are encouraged to work with crops and livestock so that when the crop fails, their livestock can thrive and raise household income.

"Each of the five congregations has called on 15 more women to work with. Each woman is to mentor two other women in integrated agriculture for the initiative to have a ripple effect," Mwangani said. 

She said they started with one congregation, then expanded from four to 75 women, and doubled because their emphasis is on food security, an issue women struggle greatly with.

"I have learned quite a lot during my six-month course here. I understand how vital it is to take agricultural production as a business," Habeenzu said.

Mwangani said local women have not been left behind. The Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit have taught the project to the Handmaids of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and the Religious Sisters of Charity.

She said that local beneficiary women are encouraged to work with crops and livestock so that when the crop fails, their livestock can thrive and raise household income.

"Each of the five congregations has called on 15 more women to work with. Each woman is to mentor two other women in integrated agriculture for the initiative to have a ripple effect," Mwangani said.

She said they started with one congregation, then expanded from four to 75 women, and doubled because their emphasis is on food security, an issue women struggle greatly with.

On the brink of starvation, Eucaria Hamaundu, a peasant farmer in the Magoye area, reminisced about the drought during the 2023-24 farming season that hit the southern African country, leaving millions in need of lifesaving assistance.

"Many thanks to the sisters for building local women's capacity in integrated farming and eco-friendly agricultural practices. I was empowered in March 2024 with five goats, which have since reproduced to 15," said the 60-year-old, one of the local beneficiaries of the project. 

Charity Hamukulule, another beneficiary, is aware of the looming drought due to the effects of climate change, which will likely induce a food crisis in her community.

Hamukulule, 50, from the Magoye area, works tirelessly as the breadwinner of her female-headed household, supporting a family of 10 through subsistence agriculture.

"The sisters' EFI project is an eye-opener. Instead of relying on rain-fed crop production, I diversified into poultry production and horticulture. I can now afford to feed and take care of my children's educational needs," she added.

Last summer's blistering El Niño ravaged Zambia, impacting both the country's food and energy security. Weather experts have anticipated that the subsequent likelihood of La Niña in 2024-25 — a weather phenomenon that brings wetter and cooler summers to southern Africa — is now low, a development that could lead to crop failure and food insecurity.

Mazabuka District veterinary officer Irvin Mweetwa acknowledged that the sisters' eco-friendly and integrated agricultural project is a life-changer in the district.

"Our collaboration with the sisters is a success thus far. This project aligns with government policy of addressing youth unemployment and engaging local women to embrace innovative agricultural practices to boost their household income amid the effects of climate change."