BEIJING, Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A collaboration spanning more than 16,000 kilometers and 15 years—including 38 research and field visits—has taken a team from Lanzhou University, led by Professor Xiong Youcai, from China’s Loess Plateau to agricultural regions of East Africa. The effort has focused on sharing dryland farming techniques initially pioneered in China and adapting them to local conditions.
Mulch film technology, originally developed on China’s Loess Plateau, has been adapted, refined, and reused over more than a decade to address chronic drought conditions in parts of East Africa. According to project data, crop yields for staple foods have increased by as much as 120%, helping convert previously low-productivity red soil into arable farmland.
Fields have been cultivated and technical expertise exchanged. From land preparation and site planning for local production facilities to on-site farmer training and classroom instruction, the team’s work has followed a consistent approach: collaborative problem-solving aimed at improving food production and livelihoods.
As Mandarin meets Swahili, agricultural practices intersect and long-term partnerships have formed. The mulch film program operates within the framework of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, connecting Chinese research institutions with East African farmers and universities through applied agricultural cooperation focused on crop productivity and drought resilience.
Drawing on agronomic research, long-term field experience, and the hardy poplar tree long used in dryland farming as a windbreak and soil stabilizer, this cross-regional exchange highlights a shared objective: improving food security and reducing poverty in environmentally vulnerable areas across two major agricultural plateaus.
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