Construction of the China-Zambia 100,000-mu Agricultural Standardization Cooperation Demonstration Zone Successfully Completed

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 11, the construction of the China-Zambia 100,000-mu Agricultural Standardization Cooperation Demonstration Zone was recently successfully completed, having passed acceptance inspection jointly organized by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture, the Zambian Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Zambia Bureau of Standards.

In October 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation organized the China National Institute of Standardization and relevant enterprises to build an agricultural standardization cooperation demonstration zone in Zambia focusing on wheat, maize, and other crops. To date, the construction of an 80,000-mu standardized core demonstration base has been completed, with a radiating and driving area of 20,000 mu. A total of 289 Chinese standards have been systematically transformed into 53 demonstration zone enterprise standards and 5 sets of good practice manuals, covering all production stages of wheat, maize, chili peppers, and marigolds. An official from the Zambia Bureau of Standards commented that this standards system "was not copied from textbooks, but grew inch by inch from Zambian soil."

The yield and quality of related agricultural products have been comprehensively improved. Chili pepper yield per mu increased from 250 kg to 400 kg, a growth of 60%, with enhanced quality stability; the premium-grade rate rose from 80%–85% to 90%; and core indicators such as pungency, moisture content, and pesticide residues all meet EU market requirements, with a 100% qualification rate for products exported to Europe. Wheat yield per mu increased from 250 kg to 450–470 kg, with the potential to exceed 700–750 kg per mu in the future; the standardized planting area expanded from 8,000 mu to 34,000 mu, with an annual output of 15,000 tons. Maize yield per mu increased from 300 kg to over 400 kg. Marigold yield per mu increased from 1 ton to 2.2–2.5 tons, achieving a doubling of per-unit yield.

Economic benefits have improved significantly. Dried chili pepper products sold to the EU market increased from 10,000 tons in 2024 to 14,500 tons in 2025, with annual export value reaching USD 10 million–14 million. Production efficiency has improved markedly, with the level of mechanization gradually increasing; daily harvesting efficiency for chili peppers and marigolds increased by 12% and 8% respectively, and the commercialization rate of agricultural products reached 96%. A cumulative total of over 10,000 jobs have been provided, with 270 long-term Zambian employees. Over 1,500 local agricultural technicians and farmers have been trained cumulatively, and 50 standardization technical professionals have been cultivated.

The construction of the China-Zambia Agricultural Standardization Cooperation Demonstration Zone is an important practice of the two countries using "standards connectivity" to promote "people-to-people bonds." In less than two years, the two sides completed the entire process from introducing the concept of standardization to producing results, providing a replicable and sustainable "Zambia model" for the promotion of China's agricultural standardization experience in Africa, and vividly demonstrating the "small yet beautiful, beneficial to people's livelihood" model of China-Africa cooperation.