是什么让一位湖南农学家选择留在马达加斯加18年？

As usual, 67-year-old Chinese agronomist Hu Yuefang started his day at dawn, donning a wide-brimmed hat and draping a towel over his shoulders. Barefooted and with trousers rolled up, he waded into the muddy paddies, inspecting the crop alongside local farmers.

像往常一样，67岁的中国农学家胡月舫在黎明时分开始了一天的工作。他戴上宽边帽，肩上搭着一条毛巾，挽起裤腿光着脚，涉水走进泥泞的稻田，和当地农民一起查看庄稼。

These emerald rice fields stretched across Mahitsy, a town about 35 km northwest of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. At the town's heart lies the China Hybrid Rice High-Yield Demonstration Base, where rows of lush stalks swayed in the breeze, forming a vibrant patchwork across the countryside.

在马达加斯加首都塔那那利佛西北约35公里的马希齐镇，翠绿的稻田绵延不绝。小镇中心坐落着中国杂交水稻高产示范基地，一排排茂盛的稻秆在微风中摇曳，勾勒出一片生机勃勃的乡村画卷。

Hu, hailing from China's rice-rich Hunan Province, arrived in Madagascar in 2007, when China launched its hybrid rice demonstration center project on this island. He has since spent 18 years cultivating what he calls "rice-growing life."

来自中国水稻大省湖南的胡月舫，在2007年中国于马达加斯加启动杂交水稻示范中心项目时，来到这座非洲岛国。从那以后，他在这里度过了18年“与水稻作伴的人生”。

Together with fellow Chinese agricultural experts, Hu devotes himself to introducing high-yield hybrid varieties, promoting modern farming techniques, and training local farmers.

胡月舫及中国农业专家团队致力于引进高产杂交水稻品种，推广现代耕作技术，并传授给当地农民。

Their efforts have contributed significantly to Madagascar's pursuit of food security. To date, hybrid rice cultivation in Madagascar has expanded to a cumulative 90,000 hectares.

他们的努力为马达加斯加的粮食安全作出了重要贡献。截至目前，马达加斯加杂交水稻累计推广面积已达9万公顷。

CULTIVATING SEEDS

育种之路

"To promote the hybrid rice here, we first had to find seeds that suited Madagascar's climate," Hu recalled.

“要在这里推广杂交水稻，我们首先得找到适合马达加斯加气候的种子。”胡月舫回忆道。

The island's diverse terrain -- from rainforests and swamps to semi-arid zones and volcanic soils -- posed a daunting challenge, even for a veteran expert like Hu. Armed with dozens of seed samples, Hu and his team embarked on a journey across nearly all major rice-growing regions.

马达加斯加地形气候复杂多样，既有热带雨林、沼泽，又有半干旱地区和火山地区等。即使对胡月舫这样的资深专家来说，也是一项艰巨的挑战。他与团队带着几十个稻种样本，几乎踏遍了全岛主要稻区。

"After years of trials, we bred five high-yielding varieties suited to local conditions -- resistant to drought, floods and lodging," he said. "But the harder task was to convince farmers of these 'foreign' seeds."

“经过多年试验，我们选育出了5个适合当地条件的高产品种，具有抗旱、耐淹、抗倒伏等优势。”他介绍说：“但更难的是让农民接受这些‘外来种’。”

To prove the benefits, they planted side-by-side demonstration plots -- one with local rice, the other with hybrid. With the same cultivation methods, the yield of hybrid rice is two to three times that of local varieties. Impressed by the results, farmers affectionately dubbed it "Tsarabe" -- the best thing in Malagasy.

为了证明效果，他们开辟了并排的示范田，一块种当地水稻，另一块种杂交水稻。在同样耕作条件下，杂交稻的产量是后者的两到三倍。眼见为实，农民们亲切地改口称它为“擦拉贝”——当地语中意为“最好的东西”。

Progress was hard-won. Hu recalled living in leaky thatched huts, collecting rainwater to drink, and trekking miles for firewood. "Once, while transforming a swampland, a tree branch pierced my foot. It was the villagers who carried me out," he said.

杂交水稻推广的成功来之不易。胡月舫回忆，他们曾住在农户漏雨的草棚，饮用收集的雨水，徒步十几公里背柴做饭，“有次改造沼泽地时，我脚底被树枝刺穿，是村民们抬我出来的。”

The efforts paid off. "Before, our land barely produced enough to feed us. Now, with hybrid rice, we not only eat our fill, but sell the surplus and even save to buy more land," said 30-year-old farmer Femosoa Rakatondratsara, beaming beside his blossoming field.

所幸努力终有回报。“以前，我们的土地收成勉强够吃。现在有了杂交水稻，我们不仅吃得饱，还有余粮可卖，甚至攒钱买地扩大种植。”30岁的农民费莫索阿·拉卡通德拉扎拉（Femosoa Rakatondratsara）站在自家开花的稻田边，笑容满面地说。

To date, hybrid rice cultivation in Madagascar has reached a cumulative 90,000 hectares, with average yields of 7.5 tons per hectare -- two to three times that of local varieties, making it Africa's largest hybrid rice producer by area.

目前，马达加斯加杂交水稻累计推广面积已达9万公顷，平均每公顷产量达7.5吨，是当地常规品种的两到三倍，成为非洲杂交水稻种植面积最大的国家之一。

SPREADING KNOW-HOW

传授技术

"Good seeds aren't enough. Farmers must know how to grow them," Hu said.

“光有好种子还不够，农民必须知道怎么种。”胡月舫说。

From sowing and transplanting to pest control, he demonstrated every step of the rice production process to farmers. "When farmers face problems nearby, I ride over on my motorbike. If they're far, I help them over the phone," he said.

从播种、插秧到病虫害防治，他向农民示范水稻生产的每一个步骤。“附近的农民遇到问题，我就骑摩托车过去，远的就打电话指导。”他说。

Over the years, he has trained so many farmers that he lost count, but the calls of "Teacher Hu" echoing from the fields remain his most cherished memory.

多年来，他培训了多少农民早已数不清，但田间地头传来的“胡老师”的呼喊，仍是他最珍视的记忆。

Years of fieldwork have left Hu deeply tanned, making his face under a straw hat indistinguishable from the locals. Determined to better communicate with farmers, he has been learning Malagasy for three years.

常年的田间劳作让胡月舫皮肤变得黝黑，草帽下的脸庞与当地人几乎无异。为了更好地和农民交流，他坚持学了三年马达加斯加语。

Beyond practical teaching, Hu and his colleagues also offer regular sessions at the Center for Professional Training in Agriculture in Mahitsy, training local technicians who share their knowledge with more farmers.

除了实地教学，胡月舫和同事还在马希齐农业职业培训中心定期授课，培养本地技术骨干，再由他们将知识传授给更多农民。

So far, Chinese experts have conducted hundreds of training sessions, directly reaching over 2,000 people and indirectly benefiting tens of thousands more. "We're working to build a national training platform to spread hybrid rice technologies even further," Hu said.

迄今为止，中国专家已开展数百场培训，直接惠及2000多人，间接受益人数达数万。“我们正在努力搭建国家级培训平台，让杂交水稻技术传播得更广。”胡月舫说。

"We express our gratitude to the Chinese government for this cooperation in hybrid rice, through the sending of experts who share a wealth of knowledge with us," Michel Anondraka, director general of agriculture and livestock at Madagascar's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. "Hybrid rice is a high-yield variety and increasing its production will ensure Madagascar's rice self-sufficiency."

“我们感谢中国政府在杂交水稻领域的合作，派遣专家与我们分享丰富的知识。” 马达加斯加农业和畜牧业部总干事米歇尔・阿诺德拉卡（Michel Anondraka）说，“杂交水稻是高产作物，将其种植推广有望让马达加斯加实现粮食自给自足。”

LIFELONG COMMITMENT

一生的事业

"Hybrid rice is my lifelong commitment," Hu said, his steady gaze fixed on the lush, green paddies that stretched before him.

“杂交水稻是我一生的事业。”胡月舫目光坚定地望向眼前郁郁葱葱的稻田。

"There were times I thought of going home. It's not easy spending years in a foreign land, working tirelessly," he said. Many colleagues came and left, but Hu stayed. "Once I decide on something, I stick with it."

“也有过想回家的时候。要在异国他乡坚持多年，并不容易。”他说。许多同事来了又走，但胡月舫却选择留下来。“一旦决定做一件事，我就会坚持到底。”

For Hu, his mission has been clear: to breed successful local hybrids, establish a high-yield demonstration base, and localize seed production. With the first two milestones achieved, his focus now shifts to the third, collaborating with the Chinese firm Yuan's Madagascar Agricultural Development.

对胡月舫来说，他的目标很明确：成功选育适合当地的杂交品种，建立高产示范基地，实现种子生产本土化。前两个目标已达成，现在他的重心转向第三个目标，并与中国企业袁氏马达加斯加农业发展有限公司合作推进。

Hu attributes his persistence to two profound beliefs: ensuring that farmers never go hungry and realizing the vision of Yuan Longping, the late "Father of Hybrid Rice," who dreamed of spreading hybrid rice worldwide. "He told me to make this succeed in Madagascar," Hu said.

胡月舫将自己的坚持归因于两个深刻的信念：让农民不再挨饿，以及实现已故“杂交水稻之父”袁隆平的愿景——让杂交水稻遍布全球。“他告诉我，要在马达加斯加把这件事做成。”胡月舫说。

However, such unwavering dedication has come at a personal cost. His annual trip home is his sole chance to reunite with family. He has missed out on moments both somber and joyous, including a final farewell to his mother and the birth of his grandson. Despite the sacrifices, Hu remains resolute.

然而，这份执着也伴随着个人牺牲。每年一次的回家之旅是他与家人团聚的唯一机会。他错过了许多重要时刻，包括与母亲的临终告别和孙子的出生。尽管有牺牲，胡月舫依然坚定。

He hopes to return home for good in two or three years, "but only when my two apprentices can carry on," he said. "By then, I'll be nearly 70. But I believe the fragrance of these rice fields will be passed on, generation after generation."

他希望再过两三年能真正回家，“但得等我的两个徒弟能独当一面才行。”他说，“那个时候我就70岁了。但我相信，这片稻田的稻香会一代一代传下去。”