On the 21st, November, Prof. Lise Korsten, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and an AAS Fellow, visited the Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (OCRI-CAAS) and held discussions with OCRI-CAAS leaders and experts on pathways to deepen China–Africa cooperation in oil crops science and technology.  

During the visit, Prof. Korsten toured the innovation teams for sesame and specialty oil crops, groundnut (peanut), and southern soybean, as well as the Quality Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center for Oil Crops and Products, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and the MARA Oil Crops Processing Pilot Workshop. She learned about OCRI-CAAS research progress and achievements in variety breeding, quality and safety, and processing and utilization, and exchanged views with OCRI-CAAS scientists in a dedicated seminar.  

Prof. Korsten noted that OCRI-CAAS’s scientific capacity and accumulated expertise provide valuable reference for Africa’s oil crops sector, particularly its experience in improving yield and quality, which aligns closely with Africa’s agricultural needs. She added that while Africa is rich in oil crop resources, their development remains insufficient, and expressed the expectation of using the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance (CAASTIA) as a platform to deepen cooperation with OCRI-CAAS in areas including varietal improvement of sesame, groundnut, and legumes, technology extension, and talent development, so that China’s advanced oil-crop science and technology can contribute to Africa’s development.