Rising with rice

By Derrick Silimina

As the sun rises over the rice paddies of Mahitsy, Ramos Rakotorinina breathes in the cool morning air, watching the emerald green shoots of Chinese hybrid rice sway softly in the breeze. 

“Our farmland barely produced enough to feed us before we started cultivating hybrid rice. Today, not only do we eat from our harvest, but we also sell the surplus,” Rakotorinina told ChinAfrica. 

The town of Mahitsy, situated 27 km northwest of Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, once struggled with food insecurity, but is now thriving. 

This transformation was made possible by the establishment of the Chinese Hybrid Rice High-Yield Demonstration Base, which has played a key role in boosting local agricultural productivity. This development exemplifies China’s strategic involvement in enhancing agricultural output across the continent. 

Rakotorinina, a beneficiary of the Chinese rice farming model, is optimistic about another bumper harvest this season. He notes that the positive changes are evident in the joyful sounds of children’s laughter echoing through the rice fields. 

“This reflects not only an improvement in our living conditions, but also a boost to our overall well-being. It’s a clear sign of the positive impact the Chinese rice farming model has had on our community.” 

With Madagascar facing rising climate challenges, agricultural experts and farmers alike recognise the crucial role that the adoption of Chinese hybrid rice can play in fostering inclusive growth. This method not only enhances food security, but also supports sustainable farming practices and empowers rural communities. 

  

Photo taken on 26 March shows a hybrid rice demonstration centre launched by China in Mahitsy, Madagascar (XINHUA)

Higher productivity 

Since its launch in 2007, the project has significantly increased hybrid rice cultivation, expanding to 90,000 hectares with yields averaging 7.5 tonnes per hectare - two to three times higher than local varieties, according to the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. 

The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that Madagascar’s rice production meets approximately 85 percent of its milled rice consumption, with the cereal cultivated on over 1.6 million hectares yielding more than 3.8 million tonnes annually. 

Drawing inspiration from the use of climate-resilient rice varieties by the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yuan’s High-Tech Seed company is supporting Malagasy farmers by providing inputs on credit and offering expert technical guidance. This continuous effort is vital in encouraging the adoption of climate-resilient rice varieties and improving market access for farmers across Madagascar. 

Tatiana Andriamialy, one of the 1,000 beneficiaries of these inputs and technical services, has not only transformed her own life, but also sowed hope and resilience on her farmland. Her journey is a powerful reminder that with the right resources and an unshakable spirit, even the toughest climates can be conquered. 

“With credit, I was able to acquire new drought-tolerant and flood-resistant rice seeds. Additionally, technical guidance from Yuan’s High-Tech Seed agronomists helped to improve my agricultural practices, including new planting techniques, efficient water management, and organic pest control,” Andriamialy said. 

The combined approach of financial support (credit) and technical guidance plays a crucial role in empowering farmers like her as it helps them to adopt resilient crop varieties and implement improved agricultural practices, ultimately boosting their resilience to climate change and raising productivity. 

For Andriamialy, her thriving fields represent more than just agricultural success; they embody renewed hope, community well-being, and a brighter future. This optimistic outlook stems from the adoption of Chinese sustainable farming practices, which have played a key role in promoting environmental sustainability and delivering socio-economic benefits to the community. 

The involvement of Chinese agronomist Hu Yuefang and fellow experts in Madagascar, through the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Yuan’s High-Tech Seed company, underscores their commitment to improving food security through the introduction of high-yield hybrid varieties, promotion of modern farming techniques, and farmer training.  

These initiatives have played a crucial role in advancing Madagascar’s agricultural development and food self-sufficiency, despite the island’s diverse and challenging terrain, which includes rainforests, swamps, semi-arid zones and volcanic soils, presenting significant obstacles to agricultural productivity and innovation. 

“After years of trials, we have developed five high-yielding varieties that are well-suited to local conditions and resistant to drought, floods, and lodging, thereby enhancing the resilience and productivity of local agriculture,” Hu recently said. 

  

Knowledge transfer 

Hu noted that a more challenging task was convincing farmers to adopt these ‘foreign’ seeds, underscoring the importance of building trust and demonstrating the tangible benefits of the new varieties within the local farming community. 

To address the issue, Hu and his colleagues began to hold regular training sessions at the Centre for Professional Training in Agriculture in Mahitsy. During these sessions, they train local technicians, who in turn pass on their expertise to other farmers, thereby expanding the reach and impact of their training efforts. 

The Chinese experts have since conducted hundreds of training sessions, directly reaching over 2,000 individuals and indirectly benefitting thousands more through their knowledge dissemination efforts. 

“We’re working to build a national training platform to spread hybrid rice technologies even further,” Hu said.  

In Anosiarivo located 490 km from Antananarivo, Roselyn Nantenaina observes the enhanced traits of a new rice variety, including stronger stalks and plumper grains. 

These improvements represent hope and the promise of a more prosperous agricultural future, especially as farmers contend with the limitations and drawbacks of traditional rice cultivation. 

At the edge of the vast rice paddies, Nantenaina strolls through the rows, her fingers softly grazing the heavy, bowed heads of rice. 

“This year, the harvest will be abundant - far beyond what I ever imagined. It is a testament to my hard work, and a gift from the new life brought by the Chinese collaboration,” she said. Her voice filled with gratitude. 

For the farmers of Mahitsy and Anosiarivo, the Chinese hybrid rice project is more than just a source of food; it represents hope and a pathway to better livelihoods. It embodies their aspirations for their children’s well-being, improved housing, and a brighter future, showing how agricultural initiatives can foster wider socio-economic growth in rural communities. 

Arguably, the Chinese Hybrid Rice High-Yield Demonstration Base has not only yielded a bountiful harvest; it has sown the seeds of a new beginning in Madagascar. 

For this reason, the Malagasy government has highlighted the importance of China’s contributions to improving agricultural productivity in Madagascar, noting that the Chinese agricultural expertise is pivotal in advancing Madagascar’s agricultural sector. 

According to Michel Anondraka, a director general at Madagascar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, hybrid rice is a high-yield variety, and increasing its cultivation is crucial for achieving rice self-sufficiency in Madagascar. 

“We express our gratitude to the Chinese government for this collaboration in hybrid rice, through the dispatch of experts who share their wealth of knowledge with us,” Anondraka said. 

Moved by the benefits, local farmers have affectionately named the Chinese hybrid rice project “Tsarabe” - meaning “the best thing” in Malagasy. This nickname reflects the farmers’ growing optimism and their increasing embrace of Chinese agricultural innovation, recognising its transformative impact on their lives.

Emerging opportunities in the mining industry

By Derrick Silimina

Braving the sweltering afternoon heat, Joseph Mbomena skillfully engages the gears of the giant dump truck atop the FQM Trident’s Enterprise Nickel Mine in Kalumbila District of North-Western Province.

Mbomena, aged 35, is a trained local dump truck operator working at Mineral Link, a Zambian-owned company renowned for its expertise in bulk road-based logistics. He operates at FQM Trident’s Enterprise Nickel Mine, which is a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals (FQM). 

“I am super excited to be among the few young local people trained by Mineral Link to operate their heavy-duty trucks here at the mine site. This opportunity has really transformed my livelihood,” he said.

Mbomena, a local resident of Kisasa area, stressed that his remarkable personal growth and ambition initially started while working as a cook at Allterrain Services (ATS) Group, a key contractor providing catering services at FQM Trident mine. 

Aspired to one day work for the mine, he later transitioned to become a qualified dump truck operator at Mineral Link, illustrating his progression within the mining industry and inspiring other youth to pursue diverse career opportunities in this sector.

Mbomena is among other young people's stories that exemplifies the emerging opportunities within the mining industry as their experiences serve as an inspiration to their community, encouraging peers to explore careers beyond traditional roles and highlighting the potential for youth to engage in dynamic, modern sectors. 

“I am very grateful to FQM Trident for having engaged my employers - Mineral Link, a viable mine initiative that has benefited us local people through skills development and job creation.”

The Zambian government recently enacted the Local Content Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 68, targeting the mining sector to boost the participation of local SMEs. Signed into law in October 2025, this SI requires mining companies to allocate a designated percentage of their procurement activities to Zambian-owned businesses, thereby fostering local enterprise growth and broader involvement of local SMEs within the mining industry.

Mineral Link Limited, a prominent Zambian-owned company, is considered a major success story in local business empowerment. This success is attributed to its strategic partnership with FQM Trident, which encompasses the Sentinel and Enterprise mines in Kalumbila, ultimately strengthening its position within the industry.

“We first got introduced at FQM Trident in 2022 as a service provider with one bulldozer. Through-out the years, the mining firm has groomed us into being one of their support contractors here at their mine pit,” said Mineral Link Operations Director Melvin Karabassis. 

Established in 2001, Karabassis hinted that his firm has built a reputation for its expertise in bulk road-based logistics, primarily involving the transportation of large volumes of ore, copper concentrates, and heavy materials. 

He added that over the past four years, the company has transitioned from being solely a service provider to being considered for major projects, including the Kansanshi S3 project and ore haulage at the Enterprise mine site in Kalumbila district.

Mineral Link Limited specializes in providing comprehensive solutions for the mining and infrastructure sectors with its core services encompass maintaining and hiring out a fleet of major capital equipment, such as Articulated Dump Trucks (ADTs), Front-end Loaders, Bulldozers, and Excavators, to mines and contractors. Additionally, the company acts as a mining supplier of various goods and backup services necessary for uninterrupted mine operations. It also offers essential services including civil engineering, road construction, de-silting, and comprehensive mining support.

“We’ve got an agreement with Trident Foundation to ensure that a lot of our locals get equal opportunities as well to participate in some of the mining activities. We have an apprentice programme especially on our ADTs side of business where we take seven students every three months from the Mbole Training Institute and those that excel get full-time employment,” Karabassis said.

Karabassis is optimistic that FQM Trident continues to reaffirm its commitment to promoting local business empowerment. As a result, Mineral Link has grown to become a key player in the Zambian mining supply chain, contributing to local employment and capacity building - a significant milestone in the ongoing drive to build sustainable local capacity within the mining logistics sector.

Mineral Link Site Manager Samuel Mpempulwa has praised FQM Trident for their purposeful efforts to develop local mine contractors and suppliers adding that the approach has a multiplier effect, benefiting not only the involved companies but also the surrounding communities.

“Our operational plan is both efficient and ambitious. We mobilise around 25 tipper trucks to handle 100 percent of ore movement volumes to reach full operational capacity. This fleet will operate at an optimal utilisation rate of 85 percent, supported by a highly trained local workforce,” Mpempulwa said.

He disclosed that since its inception with only 25 employees, Mineral Link has now employed over 70 local drivers, including tipper drivers, loader operators, dozer operators, excavator operators, as well as maintenance and supervisory staff.

Mpempulwa further allayed the notion that Zambian contractors lack the capacity to execute quality services and meet the demand expected in the mining supply chain.

“We have a belief and motto that Zambians can do it too and as much as we keep challenging the status quo. We are here to change the narrative on Zambian contractors and their capabilities. We urge other corporate organizations to emulate what FQM Trident is doing to harness local talent just like the way they have done to Mineral Link.”

In this context, FQM Trident Superintendent of Commercial Contracts Thomas Lungu emphasized that the partnership between the mining company and Minerallink is centered on skills transfer, workforce development, and job creation. This collaboration aims to source locally produced goods and services, improve community engagement, and upskill local workers through initiatives such as the Mbole Trades School.

“For FQM Trident and Mineral Link or any other vendor, there is a knowledge transfer, there's a skills transfer that obviously FQM benefits from at a group level, but is able to bring to contractors as well at a local level. And we also have active community based employment initiatives through the Trident Foundation limited and all that feeds into this partnership at a wider level,” Lungu stated.

He demonstrated that Mineral Link, through its unique subcontractors, is also benefiting from the partnership, an approach that enables them to reach a broader audience than FQM Trident could achieve alone, resulting in a multiplier effect that extends significantly to local vendors and the community at large.

Lungu emphasized that, given Zambia's status as a predominantly mining-driven economy, the unique partnership between FQM Trident and Mineral Link will play a significant role in facilitating skills transfer, workforce development, and job creation, a collaboration expected to have a positive impact on local employment and capacity building within the industry.

“We are basically moving a service that we've previously done ourselves and giving that to a local contractor without any change in scope, basically moving our own people and our own feet to do something that is closer to our business.”