China's experience in eradicating hunger can be learned by other developing countries, the president of the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the World Summit on Food Security, Kanayo Nwanze said China has done a lot both in increasing national funds for agriculture and in supporting other developing countries through strategic rural investments.

"I have seen firsthand progress," he said. "China was able in 30 years, from 1978 to 2007, to reduce rural poverty from 30 percent to 1.6 percent through massive investments in rural development and rural areas, focusing on women, right policies andl and access."

For Nwanze China can be a role-model for other developing countries.

"Through her own experience China is able to collaborate with others in bringing its knowledge and technology to other parts of the world," he said.

However, "it is then the recipient country's responsibility to ensure that these experiences are properly used," he added.

"China's partnership with developing countries, in particular Africa, is able to assist these countries but it is imperative that the developing countries have themselves the right policies to ensure that the investments reach the rural population," Nwanze said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)