A high-level dialogue was held online on Monday to discuss work plans for Phase III of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme, which was launched recently to deepen international cooperation in poverty reduction and food security.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations signed an agreement with China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on launching the third phase of the program in January, following an announcement by President Xi Jinping in September 2020 of an additional $50 million in funding for the project.

Xi made the pledge during a video address to the UN General Assembly. The agreement was signed by Qu Dongyu, the FAO's director-general, and Tang Renjian, China's minister of agriculture and rural affairs.

The dialogue calls for effective cooperation between countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Oceania and other partners in reversing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is pushing more people into poverty and hunger.

"Walking alone may not be fast, but walking together will definitely take us far," Tang said. He proposed focusing on increasing grain production and launching inclusive projects to help ensure the food security of developing countries.

Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ma Youxiang said the dialogue marked the first step in implementing the global development initiative in agriculture and would play a vital role in promoting the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.

Qu thanked China for its "generous and consistent contributions" to the program and pledged that the FAO will continue to engage with the private sector on investment and marketing for agri-food systems.

The agriculture ministers of Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Uganda sent messages during the dialogue, underscoring the importance of sustainable development and how South-South Cooperation can help countries through the sharing of experiences and technologies, according to the FAO.

As one of the FAO's main South-South partners in food and agriculture, China has contributed knowledge, experiences and technology to assist developing countries facing a variety of challenges.

The FAO-China SSC Programme began in 2009 when a $30 million FAO-China Trust Fund was established. In 2015, China contributed another $50 million for Phase II. An additional $50 million fund was injected to support Phase III.

China has dispatched over 1,000 experts to 28 countries through the program, the ministry said.

Chinese agronomist Luo Zhongping said the first batch of 25 Ugandan farmers who learned to plant hybrid rice from Chinese experts saw the rice output in the demonstration area increase by 75.4 metric tons in 2017, helping each household increase its income by $1,358.

The yield of a foxtail millet variety introduced by Luo tripled that of their original millet variety.

"Some farmers expressed their gratitude by sending us roosters, pork and watermelon," Luo said.

The program has reached more than 100,000 direct beneficiaries and several hundred thousand indirect beneficiaries in rural areas, according to the FAO.