It’s harvest season in November in Nigeria, and local farmer Stephen bends over to reap rice ears in a demonstration field on the outskirts of Abuja, the capital. The variety he’s harvesting—GAWAL-R1—is no ordinary crop: it’s a Chinese-developed super rice, tailor-made for Nigeria after 11 years of adaptation, promotion and trust-building.

Stephen, harvesting—GAWAL-R1 Photo/Zheng Yuhang (NBD)

“I will say the emotions towards this Chinese rice seed, the no.1 impression is it gives you the accurate expectation which every farmer expected to get after the farming season.” Stephen said, wiping sweat from his brow.

Back in 2014, Xu Guoxin, then 25, arrived in Nigeria as part of China’s Green Super Rice Project—a joint initiative by the Chinese government and the Gates Foundation launched in 2008 to reduce hunger and increase the income of farmers for developing Asian and African countries. He never expected to stay for over a decade.

Initial attempts to replicate China’s hybrid rice success hit a wall. “Chinese hybrid seeds cost $5~6 per kg, while local conventional seeds are just $1,” recalled Xu Guoxin, now deputy general manager of GAWAL under CGCOC Group. “Locals have saved seeds for generations—they couldn’t understand why they needed to buy new ones yearly.” Compounding the challenge was Nigeria’s poor agricultural infrastructure, from limited irrigation to scarce farm machinery, which made high-maintenance hybrid rice unworkable.

Xu Guoxin Photo/Zheng Yuhang (NBD)

The team shifted focus from “the best technology” to “the most suitable solution.” They tested over 40 rice varieties from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, eventually developing GAWAL-R1. By 2017, the variety—yielding 8.0 tons per hectare (far above the 5.6 tons of local staple FARO44) with stronger disease and lodging resistance—became the first Chinese-developed rice certified by Nigerian authorities. It was even recommended to 14 other member countries of the Economic Community of West African States.

Market access proved another hurdle. Early reliance on Nigerian government subsidy orders left the company vulnerable when oil prices (a mainstay of Nigeria’s economy) plummeted in 2018, wiping out agricultural subsidies and orders. The team then turned to rural farmers directly. Traveling 200 km from Abuja to Bida could take 15 hours round-trip, with potholed roads and safety risks.

Nigeria's complex traffic situation Photo/Zheng Yuhang (NBD)

In 2023, they launched a local distribution network—partnering with trusted Nigerian dealers, offering favorable prices and sharing profits to activate the supply chain. Today, the network covers a third of Nigeria’s states, with 88% of GAWAL-R1 sales going to smallholder farmers. The company not only turned profitable but built a sustainable market presence.

Winning over conservative farmers required more than just sales. “No matter how well you talk, they trust what they’ve grown themselves,” said Dr. Bolaji Salihu of Nigeria’s National Cereals Research Institute. The team set up side-by-side test fields—GAWAL-R1 alongside local varieties—open to villagers throughout the growing season. The contrast at harvest—plump GAWAL-R1 ears vs. thin local ones—spoke volumes.

Nigerian farmlands and farmers Photo/Zheng Yuhang (NBD)

“Growing GAWAL-R1 adds about 10,000 yuan ($1,370) per hectare yearly,” Xu Guoxin calculated—a life-changer in a country where 139 million live below the poverty line. Dr. Salihu’s surveys confirmed its success: nearly all farmers who tried GAWAL-R1 continued using it.

Beyond yields, emotional bonds deepened trust. Xu Guoxin persuaded his Nigerian driver to send his child to school, even offering tuition support—changing the driver’s belief that “school won’t help the child leave the village.” Today, the child is in junior high, and the driver supports his family by growing GAWAL-R1. A 17-year employee of the Chinese company now owns a house in Abuja and has started a family.

Xu Jianlong, Recipient of the First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award，Senior Scientist of the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences—who also participated in the Green Super Rice Project from the start—pointed out that food security has long been a pressing issue in Africa. “Take Nigeria as an example: it relies on imports for about 60% of its rice annually, consuming a large amount of foreign exchange,” he told National Business Daily. “Africa is in urgent need of building localized variety breeding and promotion systems.”

He emphasized that the key to China’s agricultural technology assistance to Africa lies in shifting from simply “providing technology” to systematic “joint growth.” “China’s agricultural technology going global is transitioning from single-variety export to systematic empowerment covering ‘good seeds, good methods and good fields’,” Xu Jianlong said. “To achieve breakthroughs, it’s crucial for Chinese enterprises and research institutions to take root in Africa for the long term and integrate deeply with the local ecosystem, research teams and enterprises.”

Nigerian farmers receive guidance from Chinese experts. Photo/Zheng Yuhang (NBD)

Zhu Qinghua, Deputy Director of the China Office of Gates Foundation, shed light on Africa’s agricultural development status. “Africa has 60% of the world’s cultivable land, yet it struggles to feed about 20% of the global population,” he explained. “In terms of hardware, Africa’s agricultural infrastructure is severely inadequate, especially in irrigation—only 15%~20% of local farmland has irrigation capabilities, but it contributes 70%~80% of grain output; the remaining 70%~80% of farmland accounts for less than 20% of output. This ‘weather-dependent’ pattern seriously restricts yield growth.”

He noted that two efforts are needed: developing improved rice varieties and corresponding cultivation techniques to boost rice productivity, and establishing a sound agricultural promotion system to bring innovative products and technologies to African smallholders. “China has rich experience to share in this regard,” Zhu added.

GAWAL-R1 is more than an agricultural success; it’s a model of China’s people-centered international cooperation. From adapting technology to local needs to empowering communities, it shows how Chinese solutions can address global challenges like food security—with respect and empathy.

As Xu Guoxin looks to expand the distribution network to two-thirds of Nigeria’s states in five years, he noted: “This network will also bring quality Chinese farm machinery and fertilizers to locals.” For Nigeria and beyond, this small rice seed carries big promise—of shared growth and food security.

For more details, please click here: 《11年破三关：一粒中国稻种如何在尼日利亚“生根”》.