ADDIS ABABA- In addition to making much investment in infrastructural development, China is contributing to the development of Africa's agriculture, said Rhoda Peace Tummusimi, African Union (AU) Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Economy.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Saturday, the Commissioner said China is investing in the agriculture sector in Africa, where 80 percent of the population depends on the sector for livelihood.

She also said AU seeks to have more investment flow from China to Africa's agriculture.

"We see a very good response from our partners. We have seen response in increased investment in agriculture. Because the resource flowing through agriculture is not only from Africa, we have seen for example China investing in Africa in agriculture sector," she said.

"China is supporting Africa. We would like to see more flow of investment is going to agriculture because about 80 percent of the people of Africa depend on agriculture," she said.

The Commissioner lauded Africa's development partners such as China for their support to the region's agriculture.

"We appreciate the role the partners are playing. And we would like to see more cooperation; more collaboration and also to land good practices," said Rhoda.

China is a power for technology, and Africa wants to closely work with China, she said.

The AU is going to mark Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) on October 31 under the theme "Investing in Intra- African Trade for Food and Nutrition Security" at Hilton International Hotel in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.

Asked about the Day, the Commissioner said with the Day the AU advocates that the intra Africa trade plays a role in facilitating and sustaining food and nutrition security.

Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day is a day which was put in place as a result of the decision of African Heads of State and government in 2010. "The fact is that food is very important and nutrition is very important. So the heads of state consulted themselves this issue and decided that it is important that it should be commemorated every year on the 30th of October, she told Xinhua.

"This Day means a lot to Africa. Because it is a time when Africa should make reflections on how far Africa is as far as accessing food to its populations. It is a Day to reflect on how far the nutrition sector on the continent population of Africa. So, the objective of this Day really is to see that we push the agenda of availing enough food for peoples of Africa but also getting the people health," said the AU Commissioner.

"You cannot have healthy and hardworking population unless their food secured and their nutrition is secured," she added.

AU says the conference is marked to serve as a rallying point in intensifying commitments at all levels and all times to address the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity and malnutrition.

It also aims at advocating and sensitizing Africa's leader about the essential role that Intra African Trade can play in facilitating and sustaining food and nutrition security and consequently the socio economic development of the continent.    

According to AU, hunger and malnutrition are chronic and wide spread and currently Africa is home to about 240 million people who are under-nourished (i.e. consume less than 2,100 kilocalories per day). Malnutrition is the major leading cause of death and disability. Every six seconds, a child dies of hunger and related causes.