Sustainable Development and Rural Revitalization Take Centre Stage as Four Antiguans Attend China Seminar by Camellia Wallace Tonge
Four Antiguans and Barbudans are among international participants attending a seminar in China on sustainable agricultural development and rural revitalization, where discussions range from modern farming methods and grain storage to the development of rural industries.
Hyacinth Baynes, Adrian Bowen, Kersan Casimir and Tanesha McKenzie-James are taking part in the Seminar on Agricultural Sustainable Development and Rural Revitalization for Belt and Road Countries, organized by China’s National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Centre (NATESC). Running from October 22 to November 11, 2026, the programme brings together participants from several countries to learn about China’s agricultural systems and rural development experience.
A significant part of the training looks at how improved techniques and standards can strengthen agricultural production. Participants are receiving instruction in seed production, improved variety breeding and precision farming, including the use of satellite positioning, sensors and geographic information systems to guide planting, irrigation, fertilization and crop protection.
The programme also addresses what happens after crops are harvested. Sessions cover grain loss reduction, the proper management of storage facilities, cold chain logistics and product traceability. Participants are also learning about the processing and marketing of grain by-products.
Practical visits form another part of the seminar, with the itinerary taking participants to Nanjing in Jiangsu Province and Kunming in Yunnan Province. They are scheduled to visit digital farms, intelligent greenhouses, ecological agriculture demonstration bases and agricultural processing parks. The programme also includes visits to biological control laboratories, agricultural waste treatment plants, rural e-commerce service centers and agricultural technology enterprises. The visits are intended to give participants a closer look at China’s use of technology in agriculture and its approaches to rural industry and local development.
The technical sessions are being led by specialists from NATESC, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China Agricultural University, and the agricultural science academies of Yunnan and Jiangsu. Representatives of agricultural technology companies and local extension agencies are also contributing their expertise.
NATESC operates under China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Its work includes the introduction, testing and promotion of crop varieties and agricultural technologies, crop pest monitoring, seed and fertilizer quality supervision, and support for agricultural standards.
The center has a long record of international agricultural training. Between 2002 and 2025, it conducted more than 90 seminars and training courses, involving approximately 2,000 participants from over 70 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.
Participants are also being introduced to China’s history, culture and national conditions as part of the wider programme, which is scheduled to conclude on November 11, 2026.
