Africa-China Agricultural Cooperation and the Promises of Modernization

Drawing on an analysis of documents defining the orientations of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) during the period 2000−2024, this chapter aims to explore changes in narrations and practices of China’s agricultural politics in Africa. The analysis reveals a continuity of China’s involvement in African agriculture through the support of Chinese companies through public private partnerships, their involvement in trade and export policies, and, more recently, through an emphasis on technological modernization, which implies a (Chinese) ‘green’ technology transfer in agriculture. However, the chapter also brings to light persistent silences in the FOCAC documents, particularly the marginalization of women, social movements, grassroots organizations, and their proposals for alternative agricultural practices. By examining these exclusions, the chapter underscores the need to critically interrogate whose voices and priorities shape the agenda of Africa-China agricultural cooperation.