LensToLens | Rwandan peppers connect Rwandan farmers with consumers in China

BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- At the ongoing 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held in Changsha of Hunan, a chili sauce product, made from Rwandan peppers, has received great consumer attention for its strong flavor. The rise of the chili sauce is a clear sign of a growing bond between African farms and Chinese consumers.

Dating back to the 1st China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in 2019, enterprises in Hunan made a preliminary agreement with their Rwandan counterparts to purchase dried peppers, following an export application of dried peppers from Rwanda to China. In August 2021, Rwanda exported dried peppers to Hunan for the first time and became the first African country exporting dried peppers to China.

In 2024, Gashora Farm, which is headquartered in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, partnered with HAIC -- Hunan Modern Agriculture International Development Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Hunan Cereals, Oils & Foodstuffs Import & Export Group (Hunan COF) -- to launch the Rwanda-Hunan Chili Pepper Industry Demonstration Project. Rwanda's favorable climate, affordable labor force, and efficient government procedures facilitated the project's growth.

Under a contract farming model, the project covers 100 hectares and spans the entire value chain -- from seedling cultivation to export. In the first season after the deal was signed, 200 tons of dried chili were shipped to China.

The Rwandan chili project crystalizes deepening Africa-China cooperation. Across the Asian and African continents, stories of trust, cooperation, and shared growth continue to get written.