Gov't to expand agricultural assistance to 50 nations by 2029

More African states to benefit from K-Ricebelt initiative

By Ko Dong-hwan

The Korean government has announced a long-term plan to support countries that rely on agricultural farming by sharing know-how developed by both the government and private companies, strengthening the country's role in improving food security in underdeveloped nations.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Tuesday introduced the comprehensive plan for a global support project in agriculture from 2025 to 2029. This is the first such agenda since the government introduced the Overseas Agriculture and Forest Resources Development and Cooperation Act in 2017.

The official development assistance (ODA) project plans to provide support to 50 nations by 2029. The project also involves Korean companies with technological knowledge and business models that will put the government’s ODA measures into practice.

The ministry said it will introduce 10 ODA models during the project period, which will involve international organizations, private companies, nonprofit organizations and the Korean government as an interconnected ODA-support group.

The ministry proposed a business model under the project, in which the support group secures newly developed seeds for high-yield crops and distributes them to target countries. It will also include an introduction on how to use indigenous natural produce to boost local food production, and bring in Korean agricultural machines for local food production.

Another business model involves the ministry’s K-Ricebelt initiative, which aims to boost food security in underdeveloped countries, and cooperate with the African Development Bank and the U.N. World Food Programme to introduce a new value chain for the rice industry in target countries. Key goals would include not only just giving away the new rice seeds but also having beneficiaries locally distribute, produce and manufacture new food products using the seeds.

The new plan also aims to expand the K-Ricebelt initiative to additional countries in Africa. Currently, the project is underway in the eastern and western regions of the continent, including Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cameroon, Uganda and Kenya. Seven other African nations, including Madagascar, Malawi, Angola and Sierra Leone, have also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean ministry to implement the initiative.

The ministry said it will further promote the K-Ricebelt to countries in southern Africa. It expects the business will enable improvements in local environmental conditions, education and welfare.

According to the agenda, the ministry will also reorganize its structure and revise related Korean laws to more effectively execute the government’s ODA measures.

The ministry also introduced the Global Agricultural Development Team under its international cooperation bureau in December to concentrate its ODA efforts. State-run agricultural research agencies such as the Korea Rural Community Corp. and the Korea Rural Economic Institute have become designated authorities to support the new team under the agenda.

“This comprehensive ODA agenda came in the 20th anniversary of Korea’s global ODA history,” Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said. “Our ODA not only supports other countries but also helps our private companies expand their markets overseas. This mutual growth among the Korean government, international organizations and private sectors will allow us to raise Korea’s global image.”