2019年CRI China's hybrid rice yields hope for Madagascar farmers

 

An increasing number of farmers in Madagascar are growing hybrid¹ rice from China.

The high-yield crops are helping² the island country to fight against food shortages and battle poverty.

Hu Yuefang has been promoting China's hybrid rice in Madagascar for over ten years. The Chinese agricultural expert has been to almost all of the rice production areas on the island over the years, demonstrating to local farmers the traits of hybrid rice, such as high productivity and local adaptability³, as well as resistance against worms and diseases.

"In order to acquaint farmers with the advantages of hybrid rice, we have to grow it locally and demonstrate it to them. After seeing the advantages of the hybrid rice by themselves, they will accept it, buy the seeds and grow it," Hu says.

Different from many other African countries which mainly grow maize⁴ and cassava, rice is the staple⁵ food of Madagascar and is cultivated all over the island. However, the degeneration of local rice varieties has resulted in years of low yield. Average local production is about 3 tons per hectare and the island country is facing a severe food shortage of 200,000 tons annually⁶.

Since being introduced to Madagascar in 2007, hybrid rice has been steadily⁷ contributing to increasing the overall food production in the country.

Hybrid rice cultivation⁸ has reached over 30,000 hectares with a yield of more than 8 tons per hectare so far.

Yuan's International Agricultural Development Co from Hunan Province, the birthplace of China's hybrid rice, has been engaged in the promotion⁹ of hybrid rice in Madagascar for over ten years.

Li Yanping is in charge of the company's hybrid rice project in Madagascar and suggests hybrid rice has quite a promising¹⁰ future in the country.

"We can say that the whole industry chain of hybrid rice in Madagascar is well developed. We are breeding locally. We are growing the seeds and selling the seeds to the local market. We provide high-yield demonstrations¹¹ and training classes. Over 100 people are trained every year. And the hybrid rice cultivation area are growing with the expansion of 2 thousand to 3 thousand hectares per year," Li says.

Mamisoa Ramananjanahary is the national coordinator¹² of the South-South Cooperation Project at the Ministry¹³ of Agriculture, Livestock¹⁴ and Fisheries.

He says hybrid rice is playing a big role in increasing rice yield and ensuring food security.

He notes that the government is committed to further expanding the hybrid rice cultivation scale.

"The government of Madagascar is planning to become self-sufficient in grain by 2020. It also aims to become able to export food to other countries by 2025. The cultivation of hybrid rice is helping the government to realize the development goals. We want to enhance our cooperation with China, further expand the growing areas of hybrid rice and increase our food production. By this means, more people can benefit from it," Ramananjanahary says.

China has also set up a hybrid rice research center in Madagascar to contribute to poverty alleviation¹⁵ and food security in Africa.

1 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 adaptability   

n.适应性

参考例句：

• It has a wide range of adaptability.它的应用性广。

4 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

5 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

7 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

8 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

9 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

10 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

11 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

12 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

13 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

14 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

15 alleviation   

n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物

参考例句：

• These were the circumstances and the hopes which gradually brought alleviation to Sir Thomas's pain. 这些情况及其希望逐渐缓解了托马斯爵士的痛苦。
• The cost reduction achieved in this way will benefit patients and the society in burden alleviation. 集中招标采购降低的采购成本要让利于患者，减轻社会负担。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语