The Chinese government has provided different assortments of agricultural equipment to the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, as part of China’s efforts to support Ethiopia’s largely agrarian economy.

The latest batch of agricultural equipment donated by the Chinese government are vital in the East African country’s aspiration to transform its agriculture sector, Ethiopia’s state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported Tuesday.

Among the agricultural equipment donated by the Chinese government include tractors, sowing and soil-tilling machines, rice and wheat thresher machines, cottonseed removing machine and generators, it reported.

“The agricultural implements are vital to modernize and improve the productivity of the agricultural sector.” FBC quoted officials from the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture as saying.

The Chinese government last Friday donated some 136 items of different agricultural equipment to Ethiopia.

Tan Jian, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, said China’s support to Ethiopia’s agricultural modernization drive is part of the wider development cooperation between the two countries, Tan said.

“Under the framework of South-South Cooperation, and driven by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, we will redouble our efforts to advance our agricultural cooperation.” said Tan.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, Oumer Hussien, said that China is serving as an inspiration for Ethiopia’s poverty alleviation efforts.

In addition to equipment assistance, China is also Ethiopia’s major partner in terms of modernizing Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, mainly through technical support and vocational training.

According to figures from the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, about 465 Chinese professors and senior experts have been sent to Ethiopia during the past 19 years, who have helped develop new crop varieties and transfer technology and skill to the locals.

With the Chinese experts, more than 200 Chinese advanced and practical technologies have been transferred, and 13 textbooks have been published. In addition, China has helped in the training of more than 6,500 Ethiopian instructors and development agents as well as 55,000 students in the country.

The support also helped more than 200 Ethiopia college leaders and instructors to obtain short and long-term training opportunities in China.