Chinese Agricultural Investment in Africa: Motives, Actors and Modalities

Against the backdrop of the high-profile re-encounter and reunion between China and Africa since the new millennium, agriculture has been one of the most important co-operation fields between the two sides. In contrast to its earlier, mostly aid-focused engagement with African agriculture in the 20th century, the Chinese government began to actively encourage and support Chinese companies’ investment in the agricultural sector on the continent. This paper will look back on the practices of Chinese agricultural investors on the ground over the past decade, investigating the combined motives, diverse actors and different modalities involved in this process.