Ethiopian firm eyes potential of Chinese coffee market

STORY: Ethiopian firm eyes potential of Chinese coffee market DATELINE: Sept. 14, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:34 LOCATION: Addis Ababa CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: various of coffee treesSOUNDBITE (English): ISRAEL DEGFA, CEO of Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Companyvarious of the coffee producing process STORYLINE: Figures from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) showed that China imported 5,879.34 metric tons of Ethiopian coffee valued at 30.4 million U.S. dollars during the 2021/2022 fiscal year that ended on July 7, up by 31 percent from the same period of the previous year. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Israel Degfa, the CEO of Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Company (PLC), said that the emerging Chinese coffee market has offered "big opportunities" for export-driven coffee producers in Ethiopia and elsewhere around the globe. He added that his company, Ethiopia's largest coffee producer and exporter, plans to expand its exports to China. SOUNDBITE (English): ISRAEL DEGFA, CEO of Ker

Early ripening apples harvested in China's Xinjiang

STORY: Early ripening apples harvested in China's Xinjiang DATELINE: Aug. 17, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:25 LOCATION: URUMQI, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: various of apple treesSOUNDBITE(Chinese): LI FENG'E, Farmer in Xinyuan County STORYLINE: Early ripening apples are being harvested in Xinyuan County in China's Xinjiang. Farmers say they are embracing a bumper harvest, and better profits. SOUNDBITE(Chinese): LI FENG'E, Farmer in Xinyuan County "We planted more than 800 mu (about 53.33 hectares) of early harvest apples. One mu (0.0667 hectares) land can produce about two tonnes of apples. They are sold at a good price. The wholesale price is about 12 yuan (about 1.77 USD) per kilo, which can bring more income for our farmers." Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China. (XHTV)

Ghana aims to plant 20 mln trees to restore forests

STORY: Ghana aims to plant 20 mln trees to restore forests DATELINE: June 12, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:02 LOCATION: Accra CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: various of people planting treesSOUNDBITE (English): SAMUEL ABU JINAPOR, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources STORYLINE: The Ghanaian government on Friday vowed to plant at least 20 million trees within this year to restore forests nationwide. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made this call during a tree planting activity in the capital to commemorate the second Green Ghana Day. Akufo-Addo, who planted a seedling of an African mahogany tree, urged all Ghanaians to plant at least one tree this year to help the country achieve its greening agenda of recovering the lost forest cover. "Our target is to plant at least 20 million trees this year. This figure may sound a lot, but that is nowhere near what we have lost over the years," said the president, adding that the West African country has lost about 100,000 acres of natural forest in the las

NE China turns sandy land into oasis in 70 years

STORY: NE China turns sandy land into oasis in 70 years DATELINE: June 5, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:25 LOCATION: SHENYANG, China CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: various of sandstormsvarious of people planting treesSOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HOU GUI, Villager of Liujia VillageSOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LI ZHIDAN, Party Secretary of Aerxiang Town in Zhangwu Countyvarious of forests and animals STORYLINE: Zhangwu County in northeast China's Liaoning Province has been converting its sandy land into an oasis thanks to 70 years of greening efforts. To combat desertification, local villagers have spent decades planting trees. Hou Gui is one of them. His afforestation effort started in 2001. Since then, he has planted more than 200,000 trees on 2,400 mu (160 hectares) of sandy land. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): HOU GUI, Villager of Liujia Village "It takes generations of people's efforts to achieve the result. I plan to rearrange this forest in the next five to 10 years. In my design, each forest belt will be 60 meters wide with

Volunteers plant 2,000 oak trees in Kurdistan, Iraq

STORY: Volunteers plant 2,000 oak trees in Kurdistan, Iraq DATELINE: March 16, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:22 LOCATION: JURDISTAN, Iraq CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: various of people planting treesSOUNDBITE (Arabic): GESHEBIN IDRIS, First vice president of Hasar Organization STORYLINE: More than 60 volunteers on Monday participated in a campaign to plant 2,000 oak trees in an area of 1,000 square meters in Doween village, the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The campaign is part of the Hasar Organization 2025 program, which is supported by the Shamaran Petroleum Group, in cooperation with the UNICEF. It aims to increase green spaces and confront climate changes in Iraq. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): GESHEBIN IDRIS, First vice president of Hasar Organization "Today, the project of planting 2,000 trees is being implemented by the Hasar Organization, in cooperation with the UNICEF near the Doween Lake located in Doween village. This artificial lake was built to collect rainwater, thus ensuring a water source to irrigate these tr