Tian Qiaozhen (centre) with students from Holeta Polytechnic College (COURTESY)

Agriculture has been a cornerstone of cooperation between China and Ethiopia, with numerous aid projects enhancing this partnership. Among these, the China-Ethiopia Agricultural Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) Project stands out for its long history. Initiated in 2001, this project has organised 23 batches comprising a total of 524 experts to support Ethiopia’s agricultural education and training. These Chinese experts have trained approximately 100,000 local students, bringing advanced knowledge and methods into Ethiopian villages. 

Tian Qiaozhen, a lecturer from Shanxi Datong University in Datong, Shanxi Province in north China, started working as an instructor in Department of Animal Production Technology at Holeta Polytechnic College in November 2023. Established in 1975, it is the oldest government-run college, located in Oromia Regional State, about 30 km from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. Tian works closely with local colleagues and another senior Chinese instructor, who have provided her invaluable support both professionally and personally. 

As a specialist in basic veterinary science, Tian is responsible for the practical courses in the department. Her practical training complements the theoretical courses provided by the local teachers. Practical courses are a special strength of Chinese instructors, especially Tian, who has extensive experience supporting livestock farmers during and after her graduation and during her tenure at Shanxi Datong University.  

During her stay in Holeta, Tian has successfully conducted practical training on various subjects tailored for local students, covering poultry, fishery, and sericulture. She rigorously prepares for each class, with slides containing text and graphics on background knowledge, followed by personal demonstrations, and one-on-one guidance to students in their work.  

Due to the lack of targeted teaching materials for the practical techniques she teaches, she compiles and prints handouts for each module. These handouts serve as valuable resources for both learning and future reference. Students have found these materials extremely helpful. Since teaching materials are very limited and difficult to obtain, she always strives to maximise their use, ensuring that all aspects of animal breeding are covered as comprehensively as possible. 

Tian Qiaozhen conducts chicken anatomy training (COURTESY) 

Overcoming challenges 

Among all the courses she has taught in Holeta, the poultry raising module is where she has invested most of her energy and received the best response from all the teachers and students.  

Ethiopia has a relatively mature poultry industry, but has only one centralised chick brooding centre that is located near Addis Ababa. Farmers elsewhere must travel long distances to purchase chicks. With six small and medium-sized chick brooders donated by China and Italy lying idle at Holeta vocational school, Tian decided to utilise these resources for the demonstration of hatching. However, her ambitious plan was met with many obstacles. 

In order to put the long-idle machines into use, Tian spent considerable time to make these machines operational. During the 21-day hatching period, the chick brooders require consistent power to maintain stable temperatures, but power outages in Ethiopia are common and lengthy. While generators were available, detecting sudden nighttime outages was a significant challenge without power outage alarms, which are common in China but unfortunately unavailable in Ethiopia. She considered hiring someone to monitor the brooders at night but there was no guarantee that the worker would truly stay vigilant all night long.  

“What is easy and taken for granted at home often presents unexpected challenges here in Ethiopia. Yet, it is precisely these challenges that highlight the necessity of our presence,” Tian told ChinAfrica. Failure was not an option; therefore, the only solution for this issue was to move the brooders to her residence and set alarms. Power outages still remained a challenge for the hatching process. Despite this, Tian’s dedication led to a successful hatch with a 40 percent success rate. 

These precious chicks became invaluable teaching tools. Using these chicks and locally purchased vaccines, Tian demonstrated the immunisation procedures for chickens, as well as other necessary operations for chicken farming. She also summarised and shared her experiences with local colleagues and technicians at local chicken farms. 

Building on her initial success, the school plans to expand incubation efforts, with Tian actively providing assistance. Addressing difficulties from her first attempt, she procured equipment including power outage alarms, thermometers, hygrometers, egg candlers, and emergency lights from China.  

“In addition to the equipment and other material assistance to Ethiopia which the West also provides, China provides more critical technical support for them, which is key to winning the hearts and minds of Ethiopians,” Tian told ChinAfrica. 

Solid relationships 

Generations of Chinese instructors working for the ATVET project have earned the respect of Ethiopian people. Tian recalled the warm welcome she received when she first arrived in this foreign country on the other side of the planet. Ethiopians are all warm-hearted and hospitable. Local people often greeted her with ni hao (which means hello in Chinese). “When I’m out shopping and encounter a seller who doesn’t speak English, there are always local people nearby who understand English and help me communicate with the seller,” she told ChinAfrica. The hospitality from students and colleagues greatly eases her work. She feels particularly encouraged when students refer to her as “the all-powerful Chinese teacher”. 

She also enjoys discussing professional knowledge with her local colleagues, and holding training sessions according to the requirement of local teachers is an important part of her duty. “Tian is truly committed to her work and is very passionate. She is excellent in practical training,” Woudiye Hateu, a local teacher told ChinAfrica. 

Besides Tian, 18 Chinese experts were dispatched to Ethiopia for the academic year starting in late 2023, working in five different vocational colleges. The team includes both young talents and veteran teachers who have dedicated decades of service to this cause. They unreservedly share their expertise in agronomy with Ethiopian farmers, planting the seeds of China-Ethiopia friendship on the soil of East Africa.