General

From promoting the development of smart agriculture and e-commerce trade in African countries to participating in digital talent training in Africa, the connotation of China Africa digital economic cooperation has been continuously enriched, benefiting the vast majority of African people.

Import and export data shows that in recent years, China has actively helped African countries bridge the "digital divide" and promoted fruitful results in China Africa's digital economic cooperation. From promoting the development of smart agriculture and e-commerce trade in African countries to participating in digital talent training in Africa, the connotation of China Africa digital economic cooperation has been continuously enriched, benefiting the vast majority of African people.

Bringing hope for a bumper harvest to local farmers

Import and export data shows that Zambia is about to enter the dry season in May, and the 2023 Agricultural Technology Exhibition is being held in Chisamba Town, 50 kilometers north of the capital Lusaka. Under the blue sky and white clouds, colorful flags are displayed on the vast farm, and the booth is full of agricultural materials and machinery, attracting many visitors to come for consultation and negotiation. The newly added drone exhibition area this year is packed with people, and Maurice Kazonbe is conducting a drone demonstration. He skillfully controlled the drone to hover, hover, and return, attracting cheers from visitors and taking photos with his phone.

Kazongbe is the chief drone pilot of Sunshine Agriculture (Zambia) Investment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Sunshine Agriculture Company"). He controls a Jifei drone from China, with a maximum payload of 48 kilograms and a battery life of about 9 minutes each, covering a maximum of 2.2 hectares of farmland. This drone can be directly controlled through a mobile phone and can fly autonomously after setting the altitude and plot shape. Sunshine Agriculture Company launched drone business in Zambia more than 5 years ago. Currently, it has established a service fleet consisting of 3 pilots, 8 ground personnel, and 22 drones, with a monthly operating area of nearly 2000 hectares.

According to import and export data, the commercial agricultural drone industry is currently rapidly developing in Zambia. Chinese drone products stand out with their performance advantages and have won the favor of many local farmers. The Ivogrin Farm, located 30 kilometers west of Lusaka, has been collaborating with Sunshine Agriculture since 2018. The farm manager, Mohammed Pato, recalled that at first he hesitated and conducted experiments in the wheat field. The results showed that the coverage of drone spraying drugs was wider and more uniform, and the wheat harvest was nearly 7% higher than using tractors to spray drugs. China's drone technology is really amazing! "Said Pato.

According to Mvya Chicrova, an official of the Lusaka Air Traffic Control Bureau, Chinese companies have helped Zambian farmers improve their agricultural technology and crop yields by using equipment such as drones. At the same time, Chinese enterprises have also provided digital technology training and employment opportunities for Zambian youth. Chicrova hopes that more Chinese companies will introduce Chinese technology to Zambia, injecting more impetus into the local economic and social development.

With the support of the China-Africa Development Fund, UAV technology from China has now been introduced to many African countries. Over the rice paddies in Mozambique, sugarcane fields in South Africa, and vegetable gardens in Ghana, Chinese drones from brands such as DJI and Jifei are all bringing hope for a bumper harvest to local farmers.

E-commerce platforms serving African consumers

In the southwestern town of Neli in Kenya, Mulari received goods purchased from the Central African cross-border e-commerce platform Kilimall. I have been shopping online on this platform for 3 years, and now I buy a lot of things from Kilimall, including shoes, phone accessories, and kitchen utensils at home. "Mullery said as he eagerly opened the package." There are a variety of products here, with good quality and fast delivery speed. With just one finger at home, I can enjoy such a great shopping experience. I am very happy

Kilimall, an e-commerce platform under Changsha Feituo Information Technology Co., Ltd., was established in 2014 and currently operates e-commerce businesses in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria. According to platform brand director Liao Zhengrong, Kilimall has established an overseas warehouse of over 10000 square meters in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. The self built logistics system can achieve the fastest delivery of goods on the same day, and the independently developed online payment system supports multi-channel transactions in multiple currencies. In November last year, the monthly activity of platform mobile applications in Kenya exceeded one million, and the download volume rose to the first place.

At present, Kilimall has a total of over 300 employees in Kenya, with foreign employees accounting for over 70%. I have been working here for two years and have had a stable income. My life has greatly improved! "Judy, a 25-year-old girl from Nairobi, is a customer service specialist. Through various training programs regularly organized by the company, her business skills have been greatly improved and her income level has also significantly improved. Like Judy, delivery worker Ovino is also grateful for the job opportunities offered by the platform. "As a father of five, this job has given me enough financial resources to support my family

Kilimall has also opened over 1000 offline branches in Kenya that integrate logistics self pickup and product display, solving the "last mile" logistics problem while bringing tens of thousands of local job positions. In Tana River County in southeastern Kenya, Paul runs a store that covers two nearby blocks. "Every day, people come to my place to pick up packages. During the shopping season, the number of packages received here is two or three times higher than usual

It is reported that Kilimall is planning to open sites and conduct business in more countries in Africa, and to build new overseas warehouses in Tanzania and Uganda. In the future, in addition to selling Chinese products to Africa, the platform will also sell aloe vera gum and red wine from South Africa, high-quality coffee and handicrafts from Ethiopia and Kenya, and dried mangoes from Uganda to China to meet the needs of both parties' people.

Online shopping platforms allow consumers to easily compare product prices, making it easier to find high-quality, cost-effective products. At the same time, the platform has also opened up new channels for local enterprises to increase revenue. "Kilimall supplier manager Musiyoka said that China's successful experience in the e-commerce field provides useful reference for Africa and facilitates the lives of the general public. I believe that e-commerce models such as online shopping will continue to be promoted in many African countries, providing convenience for more African consumers and businesses.

Cultivating urgently needed digital talents for Africa's development

My dream is to become the best network engineer in Uganda, and Huawei Information and Communication Technology (ICT) College has taken me one step closer to this dream. "Dorin, a senior majoring in communication technology at Uganda Institute of Technology, said that the courses at ICT College are all free, and teachers not only teach theoretical knowledge but also practical experience. The skills learned here give her confidence in her future career development.

According to import and export data, the ICT college jointly built by Huawei and Ugandan universities has introduced advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and big data into university classrooms. The college also provides free assessment and certification channels for participating students, and issues qualification certificates to students who pass the assessment. At present, the college trains over 2000 technical talents for Uganda every year, with over half of the students passing the assessment and certification.

When you walk into a local technology company and find out that the engineer is a former student of yours, it's really a sense of achievement. "Olinga became a full-time teacher at the ICT Academy after attending the training and obtaining the qualification certificate in 2018. He stated that information and communication technology is crucial for the future of a country, and more and more fields require support from related technologies

Uganda's Minister of Higher Education, Muingo, has stated that the skills taught by Chinese teachers are closely related to the country's socio-economic development agenda, providing an important platform for young people in the country to enhance their digital skills. Uganda's Minister of Education and Sports, Janet, thanked China for cultivating information and communication technology talents for Uganda and hoped that participating students could use their knowledge and skills to contribute to Uganda's development.

Import and export data shows that in March of this year, Huawei also launched the "Digital Truck" project in Uganda. The project transforms container trucks into mobile digital classrooms, equipped with smart devices such as laptops, LED screens, smartphones, routers, etc. within a 12 meter container, allowing students to learn and master digital skills on board. The 'digital truck' uses solar power supply and can teach even in remote areas where electricity is scarce. This project can help residents in underdeveloped areas have the opportunity to access and receive digital skills training, improve their survival skills, and help them make their due contributions to society, "said Gao Fei, General Manager of Huawei Uganda Co., Ltd.