Hubei Daily News (Reporters Han Xiaoling, Jiang Shenglai, Lei Can, Xiong Ziyun, Huang Jialiang) – On November 20th, as one of the special events of the 2025 China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum, the "Belt and Road" Oilseed Science and Technology Innovation and Industrial Cooperation Development Forum was held in Wuhan. Senior government officials and experts from Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tanzania, Afghanistan, and other countries, as well as more than 150 guests from major domestic oilseed research teams targeting Africa, attended the forum. Three China-Africa oilseed science and technology industry cooperation agreements were signed on-site. In 2024, the total value of agricultural products imported and exported between China and Africa exceeded 70 billion yuan for the first time. Sesame imports reached approximately 10.9 billion yuan, accounting for nearly 16% of the total, making it a crucial pillar of China-Africa agricultural trade. Hubei Province is a major oilseed producing region in my country. In 2024, Hubei planted 1,796,000 hectares of oilseed crops, including rapeseed, peanuts, soybeans, and sesame. Rapeseed and sesame planting areas ranked third and second in the country, respectively, and total oilseed output ranked third nationwide. Hubei is also a province strong in oilseed science and technology. The Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, located in Wuhan, is the only national-level oilseed research institution in China. Three of the six academicians in the field of soybean oilseeds in China work in Hubei, and a number of excellent seed and trading companies have a strong foundation for cooperation with Africa. Hubei Province's robust oilseed industry base and technological advantages create favorable conditions for actively integrating into the overall framework of China-Africa agricultural modernization cooperation. Forum scene This forum focuses on Sino-African cooperation in oilseed science and technology, and conducts in-depth discussions on several aspects, including efficient edible oil production, improvement of peanut, soybean, and sesame planting technology and industrial cooperation, to jointly explore new paths for scientific and technological cooperation and coordinated development. The forum was jointly organized by the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Agricultural Information Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the International Institute for Tropical and Semi-Arid Crops, Zhongken Jinxiu Huanong (Wuhan) Technology Co., Ltd., and the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center. During the conference, the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hubei Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import and Export Group Co., Ltd., Zhongken Jinxiu Huanong Wuhan Technology Co., Ltd., and the Vegetable Research Institute of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences signed three cooperation agreements with Nigeria's Yunxian Trading Co., Ltd., Ahmadubelo University of Nigeria, Yuan's (Madagascar) Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Bayero University of Nigeria, and Tissem Silette University of Algeria. The Chinese side will cooperate with Nigeria, Madagascar, and Algeria in areas such as sesame breeding and industrialization development, high-protein legume variety selection and demonstration promotion, oilseed variety improvement, joint research on oilseed crops, and talent training. According to reports, the forum aims to implement the relevant requirements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) regarding strengthening cooperation across the entire food crop industry chain and breeding cooperation for oil crops such as sesame, and to inject new ideas, new methods and new impetus into promoting agricultural talent training, technology transfer and industrial integration between China and Africa. Hubei Daily News (Reporters Han Xiaoling, Jiang Shenglai, Lei Can, Xiong Ziyun, Huang Jialiang) – On November 20th, as one of the special events of the 2025 China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum, the "Belt and Road" Oilseed Science and Technology Innovation and Industrial Cooperation Development Forum was held in Wuhan. Senior government officials and experts from Algeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tanzania, Afghanistan, and other countries, as well as more than 150 guests from major domestic oilseed research teams targeting Africa, attended the forum. Three China-Africa oilseed science and technology industry cooperation agreements were signed on-site. In 2024, the total value of agricultural products imported and exported between China and Africa exceeded 70 billion yuan for the first time. Sesame imports reached approximately 10.9 billion yuan, accounting for nearly 16% of the total, making it a crucial pillar of China-Africa agricultural trade. Hubei Province is a major oilseed producing region in my country. In 2024, Hubei planted 1,796,000 hectares of oilseed crops, including rapeseed, peanuts, soybeans, and sesame. Rapeseed and sesame planting areas ranked third and second in the country, respectively, and total oilseed output ranked third nationwide. Hubei is also a province strong in oilseed science and technology. The Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, located in Wuhan, is the only national-level oilseed research institution in China. Three of the six academicians in the field of soybean oilseeds in China work in Hubei, and a number of excellent seed and trading companies have a strong foundation for cooperation with Africa. Hubei Province's robust oilseed industry base and technological advantages create favorable conditions for actively integrating into the overall framework of China-Africa agricultural modernization cooperation. Forum scene This forum focuses on Sino-African cooperation in oilseed science and technology, and conducts in-depth discussions on several aspects, including efficient edible oil production, improvement of peanut, soybean, and sesame planting technology and industrial cooperation, to jointly explore new paths for scientific and technological cooperation and coordinated development. The forum was jointly organized by the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Agricultural Information Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the International Institute for Tropical and Semi-Arid Crops, Zhongken Jinxiu Huanong (Wuhan) Technology Co., Ltd., and the China-Africa Innovation Cooperation Center. During the conference, the Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hubei Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import and Export Group Co., Ltd., Zhongken Jinxiu Huanong Wuhan Technology Co., Ltd., and the Vegetable Research Institute of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences signed three cooperation agreements with Nigeria's Yunxian Trading Co., Ltd., Ahmadubelo University of Nigeria, Yuan's (Madagascar) Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., Bayero University of Nigeria, and Tissem Silette University of Algeria. The Chinese side will cooperate with Nigeria, Madagascar, and Algeria in areas such as sesame breeding and industrialization development, high-protein legume variety selection and demonstration promotion, oilseed variety improvement, joint research on oilseed crops, and talent training. According to reports, the forum aims to implement the relevant requirements of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) regarding strengthening cooperation across the entire food crop industry chain and breeding cooperation for oil crops such as sesame, and to inject new ideas, new methods and new impetus into promoting agricultural talent training, technology transfer and industrial integration between China and Africa. Wang Jinju, a second-level inspector of the Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology, delivered a speech at the forum.