ABSTRACT
This study is based on a comparison of agricultural development performance in China and Africa since the 1950s, especially since the late 1970s, as well as comparative analysis of factors affecting agricultural development such as history, policy, investment, science and technology, natural conditions, learning and external support. As mentioned in the Introduction, this study is a normative comparison and not positivist research offering universal conclusions based on quantitative data. Although there are very diverse situations in both China and Africa, this study has not attempted to analyse so much the specific conditions in different agro-ecological and economic zones; rather, it has taken an overall Chinese perspective as a lens to look at a range of agricultural and related issues in African countries, and to identify similarities and differences among issues. The research summarizes evidence from the available literature and field sites.
