From March 19 to 27, 2026, the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (China) (affiliated to the United Nations), hereinafter referred to as RCSSTEAP, organized a delegation to Ethiopia. The delegation was led by Professor Yang Dongkai, GNSS lead expert of the Centre, and included GEDEFAW DAWIT KASSAW (hereinafter referred to as Dawit), an Ethiopian international student under his supervision.
The mission focused on two key objectives:
First, to advance the China–Africa joint laboratory under a national key R&D program by promoting the application of BeiDou-enabled high-precision autonomous agricultural machinery in Africa;
Second, to strengthen engagement with the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (formerly the Ethiopian Space Agency) in capacity building, education, and international cooperation.
Coordinated by RCSSTEAP, Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd. joined as an industry partner, bringing BeiDou-enabled high-precision auto-steering equipment for field testing. The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), led by Professor Girmma, conducted a three-day field experiment on a 400-hectare farm.
The testing was carried out in three phases: installation and calibration on Day 1; path planning and autonomous operation testing on Day 2; and optimization under varying soil moisture conditions on Day 3.
The results demonstrated stable performance under local agricultural conditions, receiving high recognition from the Ethiopian partners, while also generating valuable field data for future research and development.
At the review meeting, both sides held in-depth discussions on agricultural digitalization, international cooperation, system integration, and end-to-end applications. Ethiopia noted that its national agricultural development strategy places great emphasis on digitalization and international cooperation, which aligns closely with RCSSTEAP’s mission of advancing space technology applications and capacity building.
Both parties agreed to explore the establishment of an "East Africa BeiDou Smart Agricultural Machinery Application Center", integrating BeiDou with remote sensing, microsatellite, and data communication technologies to support precision and smart agriculture.
In response to local capacity building needs, RCSSTEAP reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging its strengths in international education and training under the UN framework. By working with academic and industry partners, the Centre will develop a multi-tiered training system combining both online and offline components to comprehensively enhance the capabilities of local engineers and technical personnel.
Both sides emphasized the importance of avoiding gaps between technology deployment and local capacity, ensuring long-term sustainability through continuous training and technical support.
The Centre also highlighted the critical role of field data and practical knowledge in the era of artificial intelligence, stressing that such data, combined with targeted talent development, serves as a key driver for sustained technological innovation.
During the visit, the delegation held in-depth discussions with senior officials of the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute, reaching preliminary agreements on training programs, GNSS infrastructure development, and technical cooperation. The possibility of the Institute joining the governance framework of RCSSTEAP was also explored, along with joint summer training programs and academic exchange initiatives.
With Dawit facilitating communication, the delegation also engaged with experts in remote sensing information processing and space science at the Institute, exploring collaboration on crop yield estimation and crop monitoring, as well as joint research and publications. Several experts expressed interest in participating in the Centre’s summer school and future long-term academic exchange programs in China, laying the foundation for future talent cooperation and academic interaction.
Under the coordination of RCSSTEAP, the delegation also established connections with local data service enterprises. It is proposed to work jointly with the Space Science and Geospatial Institute, EIAR, and relevant partners to promote the integrated application of BeiDou-enabled intelligent agricultural machinery and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, in support of the digitalization and informatization of agriculture in Ethiopia.
The mission highlights RCSSTEAP’s important role in advancing capacity building and international cooperation under the United Nations framework. Through the integration of technology demonstration and capacity building, the Centre will continue to promote the application of space technology in developing countries and contribute to global sustainable development.
