When the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin visited China in October 1993,
he proposed to Prime Minister Li Peng to establish a demonstration farm in
China, where, in cooperation with Chinese professionals and technicians,
the latest technological developments in agriculture would be displayed.
The farm would be designed to demonstrate how farmers could increase their
crops and improve the quality of their produce, while conserving water and
making better use of farm land, both in high demand in China. The
demonstration farm would also serve as a showcase for the various Israeli
agricultural firms desiring to enter into business relations with China.
The task of implementing the farm was conferred upon MASHAV, the Israeli
Centre for International Cooperation, a department within the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Operations started in March 1994, with the dispatch of a
multi disciplinary team of experts, whose task was to make a comprehensive
survey, propose an appropriate site for the programme and evaluate the
benefits for a commercially favourable outcome. In June of the same year,
a team of Chinese experts was invited to Israel to become acquainted with
Israeli technology. Two months later, an irrigation system was installed
on the farm, the first seedlings of Israeli- bred vegetables were planted,
and Israeli experts took office. The first phase of the project was
underway.
The Yongledian farm was established in the Tongxian Province by AGRIDEV, a
governmental firm possessing rich field experience. The Chinese Ministry
of Agriculture pledged to provide the infrastructure, the water and energy
supply, necessary manpower and the joint management of the farm.
Upon the recommendations of the surveying team, the Yongledian farm
focused on high-income crops on a projected area of 75 hectares. These
crops included flowers and vegetables, grown in both Chinese and Israeli
greenhouses monitored by computers, as well as a nursery and an orchard.
The project included the construction of a packing house and refrigerated
store-rooms for the vegetables, flowers and fruits.
The quickly-growing project was able to supply to the Beijing markets, as
early as April 1994, with the first vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers and
sweet pepers). At a later stage, Israeli-type greenhouses were erected,
flowers (roses and carnations) and vegetables (tomatoes and cherry
tomatoes) were sown and fruit-trees (apples, apricots, nectarines, pears
and grapes) were planted. The farm was officially inaugurated jointly by
the Chinese and the Israeli Ministers of Agriculture in May 1995.
From the very beginning, the farm justified its creation: the yields were
twice or even three times bigger than those of conventional farms, the
quality of the produce was by far superior and their "shelf-life" much
longer. Therefore, the prices were much higher and the profits greater.
These results proved that it was possible to make better use of the same
plot of land, thus affording a higher income to the farmer. In addition,
less dependence on water and on climate chances was achieved.
The successes of the Yongledian farm reached the media and were covered
enthusiastically
by the electronic and written press. Many important personalities, on both
local and national levels, as well as foreign dignitaries, have visited
the demonstration farm.
Even more important is the daily visit of
hundreds, even thousands of Chinese farmers, who come to see for
themselves
the accomplishments of the latest methods of Sino-Israeli technologies.
The Sino-Israeli demonstration farm, Yongledian, is an example of MASHAV's
activities in cooperating with a friendly country to promote economic
endeavours, and reflects Israel's commitment to share its technological
know-how for the benefit of the global struggle against hunger andpoverty.