China will build a hybrid rice development center in Madagascar as part of its effort to help Africa to promote agricultural production, officials said Saturday in Changsha.

The project will involve 10 million yuan (1.28 million U.S. dollars) of government fund and be completed by 2010, according to the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Hunan Province, which is responsible for the construction and operation of the center.

This is one of 10 agricultural technology projects China has promised to build in Africa.