Guizhou deepens agricultural exchange with Laos

Government leaders from the two provinces deliver keynote speeches via video link at the beginning of a training session. [Photo/colorful Guizhou network]

More than 20 students from Laos recently participated in an online agricultural technology training session jointly launched by Guizhou Vocational College of Agriculture and Louang Namtha Comprehensive Technical College in Laos, marking the beginning of the two schools' collaboration in science and technology.

Relying on the framework of China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, Guizhou province and Louang Namtha province have continued to strengthen their partnership. Over the past year, the two sides have made solid progress in coronavirus prevention and control, agricultural technology training and other areas. In March this year, Guizhou and Louang Namtha signed a collaboration contract in agricultural technology training.

"This year, Guizhou Vocational College of Agriculture will open five such training sessions for agricultural practitioners in Louang Namtha to help them acquire more professional skills," said Lu Xiaoying, a senior official from the Foreign Affairs Office of Guizhou Province.

Deng Qingsheng, president of Guizhou Vocational College of Agriculture, said the college has been continuously making its education more international by sending faculty and undergraduates to participate in educational programs in Ethiopia and New Zealand.

About 85 percent of Louang Namtha province is covered with forests and grassland, making it suitable for agricultural development. The province enjoyed high grain output until 2021, when it was hit hard by natural disasters and rice diseases.

"The rice disease prevention and control training session is very important to us," said an official from the province's department of agriculture and forestry.