[2022-03-01] Chinese advice helps start São Toméan drive to fight poverty

Source: Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao)

Chinese agricultural technicians have helped start a pilot scheme to reduce poverty in the Lobata district of São Tomé and Príncipe, the RSTP website reports.

The São Toméan website says the technicians, together with the São Toméan Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, based the pilot scheme on a model developed in China.

The intention is to replicate the scheme as part of a wider programme of development assistance to rural households, the report says.

It quotes Chinese Ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe Xu Yingzhen as saying the purpose is to enhance the productive capacity and improve the quality of life of the beneficiaries.

China is willing to increase exchanges and cooperate more with São Tomé and Príncipe to help reduce poverty and support development there, the RSTP website quotes Ms Xu as saying.