The Chinese group Sinomach Hainan announced on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in Abidjan to the Ivorian Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Nabagné Koné, its intention to establish itself in Côte d’Ivoire in the rice and maize sectors, the ministry announced on Wednesday.
The project presented to the government covers seed production, agricultural mechanization, and rice processing. The Chinese delegation was received in the presence of the Minister Delegate in charge of Food Crop Production, Bernard Kini-Comoé.
Bruno Nabagné Koné asked the group to quickly translate this intention into a concrete project. However, no amount, schedule, location, or production target was communicated at the end of the meeting.
Sinomach is a Chinese state-owned group specializing in industrial equipment. Its Hainan subsidiary announced in March 2025 that it had completed 300 hectares of mechanized rice transplanting in an agricultural demonstration area and intends to promote this experience as well as its machines to African markets.
Discussions with Côte d’Ivoire had already addressed another aspect in July. Sinomach Hainan then held talks with the Ministry of Water and Forests regarding nurseries, technology transfer, and financing related to forest restoration, without a definitive agreement being announced.
For the Ministry of Agriculture, the new proposal must align with five priorities covering food sovereignty, the competitiveness of sectors, agricultural financing, the securing of rural land, and the sustainability of production systems.
The information published on Wednesday therefore establishes an intention to invest and the proposed content of the project. At this stage, it does not report a signed contract or a finalized financial commitment.
