China-led livestock project in Mauritania wins poverty reduction award

According to the project team, second-generation crossbred Holstein cows now produce an average of 20 liters of milk a day, around seven times more than local cattle, raising the daily income per cow from less than $2 to about $14.

The center has also tested more than 30 forage varieties from China, identifying three heat-resistant, high-yield species for large-scale planting. One variety, giant juncao, produces around 30 percent more yield than local grasses.

Eight Chinese experts have been dispatched to Mauritania to support the program by providing training to about 1,500 local technicians, farmers, and industry workers, the center said.