The project paves the way for wider economic agreements, strengthening international ties between South Korea and Africa
In a marked step toward strengthening Africa’s agricultural capacity, South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs launched the K-Rice Belt project on July 3. The initiative seeks to improve African rice production by sharing high-yield Korean rice seeds and advanced agricultural technology.
In a conference in Seoul, ROK agriculture minister Chung Hwang-keun, representatives from the eight participating African nations and the deputy director of the African Development Bank announced the project’s official inauguration. During the conference, Chung pledged sustained efforts to increase Africa’s rice self-sufficiency.
The participating representatives lauded the K-Rice Belt project’s unique approach. Distinguishing itself from other food-aid schemes, the project focuses explicitly on augmenting Africa’s rice production by transferring South Korea’s technological prowess and experiences.
Rice forms a critical component of the dietary regimen in numerous West and Central African nations. However, local production currently meets a mere 60% of the demand. This shortfall is primarily due to infrastructural constraints, which hamper large-scale farming — from field irrigation to food processing.
South Korea’s move to share its rice seeds and agricultural technology offers these countries a practical avenue to escalate their self-sufficiency and, by extension, food security. Over the next four years, the South Korean government plans to allocate $80 million toward this ambitious project, highlighting its commitment to transforming Africa’s agricultural landscape.
FOOD SECURITY
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — a significant grain exporter — threatens long-term food security in the region, South Korea’s K-Rice Belt project emerges as a potential safeguard. This initiative, aimed at stimulating rice production in Africa, could effectively counter a critical vulnerability and bolster the continent’s food security.
However, South Korea’s interest in Africa is not a recent development. Over the past decade, the ROK has been involved in bilateral agricultural projects spanning 23 different African nations. These initiatives have covered various activities, from rice cultivation to chicken farming.
Up until now, these diverse projects have functioned mainly in isolation. The K-Rice Belt project represents a significant departure from this pattern, indicating a more integrated approach to Korean agricultural development in Africa.
“The K-Rice Belt project could potentially contribute to Africa’s food chain system as a long-term goal,” Kang Mun-su, an expert on African agro-food policies at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), told Korea Pro.
“If the first part of this initiative focuses on production, refining the processes from harvest to processing and selling could be the ultimate goal.”
However, not everyone is entirely optimistic about the project’s prospective impact. Yu Chong-ae, a historian specializing in international development and agri-food policy at the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), urged caution: “Who will ultimately benefit from this project?”
SUSTAINABILITY
The K-Rice Belt project could see a potential risk of alienating small farmers if the focus shifts predominantly toward satisfying large urban populations, according to Yu. The project may favor large landowners capable of producing on a mass scale. “The risk lies in the possibility that smaller farmers could be marginalized, lose competitiveness and ultimately see their income decline,” Yu told Korea Pro.
Kang Mun-su from KIEP shares this concern. He emphasizes the need to include local farms and processors to truly localize rice production. “While the Korean government may spearhead the K-Rice Belt project at the initial stage, it’s uncertain whether it can provide permanent support,” Kang told Korea Pro.
The project poses significant challenges, particularly concerning sustainability. Kang stressed the need to empower skilled technicians to repair and maintain tools and machines.
“Following the donation of equipment from foreign countries, African nations often face difficulties with repairs. The sustainability of machinery and tools’ management depends on the repair capacity of each country,” Kang added. Once the infrastructure is established, it’s vital that the countries can self-sustain it without external aid.
Environmental impact is another area of concern. Yu Chong-ae, the historian from KOICA, pointed out the degradation of African soils due to over-farming.
“Long-term sustainable agriculture must be a key consideration,” Yu told Korea Pro.
Moreover, Yu raises specific concerns about introducing the Tongil rice variety, developed in South Korea in 1972.
NEW VARIETIES
While the Tongil variety did produce higher yields, it was poorly suited to the Korean environment. Its susceptibility to disease and unfavorable weather conditions eventually led to its disuse.
“Africa already has its own rice varieties which, albeit lower yielding, are well adapted to the region’s conditions,” Yu told Korea Pro. While South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs asserts that the Tongil variety suits the African climate, it declined to elaborate further.
“We’ve designed new varieties by crossbreeding Korean species for yield and African species for adaptation to the local climate,” Lee Keun-pyo, who is in charge of developing new rice varieties at the Korea-Africa Food Agriculture Cooperation Initiative — a government-backed agricultural cooperation organization — told Korea Pro. These new rice varieties purportedly yield two to three times more than African varieties.
However, Lee admits these novel varieties have yet to demonstrate their resilience against diseases and pests. Despite this, he remains optimistic about the potential for successful adaptation, citing encouraging initial field results.
While it’s too early to fully verify the experts’ concerns, the possibility of sustainably augmenting rice production offers significant potential for some nations.
Mamoudou Nagnalen Barry, a senior agricultural official in Guinea, expressed optimism about the initiative. He hopes it will elevate his country to become the second-largest rice producer in Africa and enable it to export rice to other countries.
ECONOMIC TIES
Beyond food security, the K-Rice Belt project also promises wider economic opportunities. It could pave the way for the ROK to enter into Economic Partnership Agreements with African nations, fostering mutually advantageous trade networks.
These collaborations could span diverse domains, including supply chain management, climate change response and healthcare. This aligns with the Yoon administration’s vision of strengthening international ties in Southeast Asia and Africa.
The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area in 2018, the world’s largest free trade area by participating countries, offers substantial trade opportunities. By aiding African nations through the K-Rice Belt project, South Korea addresses food security issues and lays the foundation for broader cooperation and more robust economic ties.
“Once the K-Rice Belt project demonstrates tangible benefits, such as improved productivity in African nations, agriculture-related companies might see an opportunity to enter the African market,” Kang Mun-su of KIEP told Korea Pro.
Despite these opportunities, the African market is highly competitive. “It’s important to recognize the competition among companies from different countries. For instance, even if we consider only Asian countries, agricultural firms from China, India and Japan have already made inroads into the African market,” Kang added.
However, South Korea seems undeterred by these challenges. Confidence is high in the K-Rice Belt initiative’s potential, both in the short and long term. “If the project yields satisfactory results, it could be further expanded, as more African countries have expressed interest in participating,” a Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official told Korea Pro.
Edited by John Lee
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