Use of Chinese machinery increases income of farmers in the Northeast

In Apodi, in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, a cooperation project between Brazil and China introduces mechanization into family farming and changes the production dynamics in the countryside. The action is part of the “Brazil-China Family Farming Mechanization Technology Residency”, which connects Chinese students with local producers. Students from the China Agricultural University have been working in Apodi (RN) since 2024 to implement small and medium-sized agricultural machines. The initiative has already benefited nearly 2,000 families, increased the productivity of crops such as lettuce and coriander by up to seven times, and expanded local income. The initiative came from Professor Yang Minli, from the China Agricultural University, after identifying the limited access to machines in the Brazilian countryside. According to her, the lack of mechanization imposes restrictions on production and requires a high level of physical effort. The proposal was to adapt smaller ...