African student pays tribute to 'father of hybrid rice' Yuan Longping

Rochellinah Raïcha Nomenjanahary, a student from Madagascar, held up a 20,000-ariary banknote featuring hybrid rice during her visit to the Yuan Longping Rice Science Popularization Museum in Wuyishan, East China's Fujian province. The hybrid rice pictured on the currency represents agricultural cooperation between China and Africa.

Since successful trial planting in Madagascar, China's hybrid rice has yielded over 7 metric tons per hectare — nearly triple the local variety's average of 2.5 tons.

"I believe China's hybrid rice will cover all of Madagascar's fields," said Nomenjanahary, whose Chinese name is Li Yusha.