From July 10 to 12, 2023, supported by Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), China Rural Technology Development Center (CRTDC) and South African Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) successfully  co-organized the China-South Africa Training Workshop on Poverty Alleviation Through Science and Technology in Pretoria.

Mr. Li Zhigang, minister of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Ms. Wang Rongfang, Deputy director general of the International Cooperation Department of MOST, Ms. Zhang Songmei, Deputy director general of CRTDC, and Dr. Mmboneni Muofhe, Deputy direct general of DSI, Dr. Palesa Sekhejane, Acting director of Africa Institute of South Africa within HSRC attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks.

Mr. Li Zhigang said, the first goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to eradicate all forms of poverty. China has historically eradicated absolute poverty in 2020, making huge contribution to the cause of poverty alleviation for mankind. Science and technology is a powerful weapon to tackle the problem of poverty. China is willing to share with South Africa its experience in poverty alleviation through science and technology, and inject new connotations into the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and South Africa.

Ms. Wang Rongfang said, South Africa is a priority country for China to carry out the special cooperation action of "Belt and Road" science and technology poverty alleviation, and hoped that the two sides will use this workshop as a starting point to make science and technology poverty alleviation another highlight of China-South Africa scientific and technological cooperation.

Ms. Zhang Songmei said, CRTDC is honored to cooperate with South Africa to organize this workshop, and is willing to closely communicate and cooperate with HSRC to promote the implementation of China-South Africa science and technology poverty alleviation cooperation projects.

Mr. Muofhe said, he appreciates Chinese Embassy’s contribution to the workshop and is glad to see that China-South Africa scientific and technological cooperation has had new connotations. South Africa is willing to learn from China's experience in poverty alleviation through science and technology. He hoped that trainees of the workshop could utilize the acquired knowledge to South African agricultural production and contribute to solving South Africa’s poverty problem.

Ms. Palesa said, it is a privilege for HSRC to collaborate with China to organize this workshop. HSRC hopes to play a leading and bridging role in South Africa in learning China’s experiences in poverty reduction through science and technology, and promote poverty alleviation in South Africa.

The training workshop was held in a hybrid form combining online and offline. More than 70 South African trainees including government officials, experts, scholars, representatives from industry association and agricultural enterprises attended the workshop offline and more than 100 people attended online. Experts from agricultural technology institutions, universities, industry associations, and enterprises from both China and South Africa gave more than 30 lectures which covered a variety of topics, including China's science and technology poverty reduction policy, China's science and technology commissioner system, China's dry farming technologies, China and South Africa's science and technology poverty alleviation cases, South Africa's smart agriculture, South Africa's technology promotion system and South Africa’s deep processing of agricultural products, etc. South African trainees expressed their gratitude to the Chinese government for supporting the workshop, as well as their willingness to apply the learned experience and technologies to rural areas.