Abdul Alli with Knowledge Bylanes, Pakistan
The First China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, with the theme of “Win-win Cooperation for China-Africa Economic and Trade Partnership,” opened in Changsha, Hunan Province on June 27. More than 10,000 guests from 53 African countries gathered in Changsha to discuss the China-Africa cooperation and development, with the focus on trade and investment promotion, agricultural technology and infrastructure and other key areas, based on a series of activities that will be launched. Mr. Jimmy Pan, Vice President of Zoomlion Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd (the Agro Business Unit of Zoomlion Group), made a speech at the Seminar on China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation and Development, which attracted wide attention.
Agriculture is an important field in the China-Africa cooperation. In 2018, China’s imports from Africa increased by 32%, 22% of them is agriculture goods. However, the agricultural mechanization level in Africa is not high, which make the crop productivity low, therefore there is a great potential for agricultural mechanization cooperation between China and Africa by maximizing the use of machines. A number of great Chinese enterprises in agricultural technology and plantation field, as well as the agricultural machinery enterprises, like Zoomlion plane, strive to tap the segmented fields in Africa in the process of agricultural modernization. For the promotion of agricultural mechanization cooperation with African countries, Zoomlion has formed a long-term strategy to share in African agriculture modernization under the principal of win-win situation. The same day of the exhibition, Zoomlion signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tractors & Engineering Company, which is No.1 trading company for Agriculture Equipment in Egypt, to help agriculture field develop in Egypt.
At the Seminar on China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation and Development, Mr. Jimmy Pan said that Zoomlion sincerely hopes to promote the agricultural mechanization cooperation with African countries. To solve the problems which the African countries face, including the low agricultural mechanization level as well as the problems in the technology, finance and talent, Zoomlion has given the proper solutions as Zoomlion is willing to customize agricultural machines to be suitable for local needs in African countries by using the strength of Zoomlion R&D. Also, Zoomlion is willing to provide consulting services and technical supports to the agricultural mechanization and the technological solutions for local enterprises. Zoomlion is willing to play an important role in providing African countries to finance the whole process of mechanization, and to solve the shortage of funds. Zoomlion is willing to help African countries to create modern agricultural planting mode and to cultivate local agricultural mechanization talent. Zoomlion is willing to become a cooperative partner of African countries in their agricultural equipment localization.
Mr. Jimmy Pan introduce that Zoomlion is the agricultural equipment manufacturer with machines that are suitable for different crops in different agricultural production process. He said that Zoomlion works as an overall solution provider of agricultural mechanization, its R&D has a unique Excellency; we can customize and develop agricultural equipment suitable for local requirements and will provide consulting services and technical supports for the agriculture modernization.
It is said that Zoomlion entered the African market in 2011, and making a gradual success through customizing and developing agricultural machines, which are suitable for local needs. Also, it has provided relevant support for the technology solutions to local agricultural mechanization. As a result, it leads to customer satisfaction and helps us to win good market comments. Now Zoomlion has successfully opened the markets in Kenya, Tunisia, Nigeria and Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia, etc., and has sold nearly 3,000 sets of agricultural equipment.
Funds are critical issues for African countries in the improvement of their agricultural mechanization. To tackle this problem, Mr. Jimmy Pan said that since Zoomlion has maintained a good long-term cooperative relationship with banks and financial institutions in China, it can help African countries to get the Chinese-aid funds from these banks in China, and to establish the barter trading business mode. Pan added that his company is willing to play an important role as a bridge in the financing for the whole-process agricultural mechanization in African countries.
In respect of cultivation of agricultural mechanization talent in Africa, Zoomlion plans to set up some pilot projects in Africa, and cooperate with local governments and plantations to set up some modern agricultural cooperation demonstration zones. During the process, it will employ advanced agricultural equipment as well as mechanical cultivation and management methods, which are closely combined with the agronomic requirements with a view to creating an efficient, high-yield and high-quality planting mode in line with the conditions of African countries. Based on these zones, it will assist to cultivate agricultural mechanization talent for the African countries.
In addition, Zoomlion started to execute the plan of building 10 manufacturing bases abroad. Considering the huge market potential in Africa, Zoomlion is planning to select good African countries with good industrial foundation to localize parts of the production and improve the supplying ability of agricultural equipment.
Zoomlion’s Africa Plan has been strongly received and supported by the attending representatives from all fields of the society. Some industry experts express that there is a broad prospect for the China-African agricultural cooperation. The all-round Africa cooperation Plan designed by Zoomlion can improve the agricultural mechanization rate and solve the technical, financial and talent problems, as well as to cultivate local agricultural mechanization talent and localize the manufacturing and supply of agricultural machines in African countries. These actions have highlighted Zoomlion’s fulfillment of its mission and responsibilities as an international corporate citizen, and will push the China-Africa agricultural cooperation into a new stage.
