Jeong Hwang-geun "K-Rice Belt, Korea-style Rice Production Expansion Project Specialized for Africa"

Signing of MOU and K-Rice Belt Agriculture Ministers' Meeting with 8 African Countries

Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated on the 10th, "The K-Ricebelt project is a Korean-style rice production increase project specialized for Africa. Korea, not any other country, must play a role in solving Africa's food shortage problem."

Minister Jeong made these remarks at the 'K-Ricebelt Agriculture Ministers' Meeting' held on the same day at the JW Marriott Hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, inviting ministers from eight African countries.

Through this meeting, Korea and eight countries?Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Uganda, Cameroon, and Kenya?officially launched the K-Ricebelt project to spread Korean rice seeds and agricultural technology for increasing rice production in Africa, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a long-term international cooperation system.

Minister Jeong explained, "The Republic of Korea is the only country that has achieved rice self-sufficiency in a short period and grown into a donor country, currently supporting 50,000 tons of rice annually, with plans to double this from next year. We intend to steadily share Korea's valuable experience and know-how, having achieved rice self-sufficiency in a short time, with African countries through this Korean-style rice production increase project."

The K-Ricebelt project is a large-scale Korean-style agricultural Official Development Assistance (ODA) project that supports sustainable improvement of rice productivity in Africa by distributing rice varieties developed by Korea, transferring agricultural technology, and building infrastructure. Starting with the production of about 2,000 tons of rice seeds this year, the goal is to produce and distribute 10,000 tons of high-yield rice seeds annually from 2027, supplying stable food to approximately 30 million people each year.

At this meeting, the participating countries signed an MOU agreeing on the medium- to long-term promotion direction of the Africa K-Ricebelt project. Additionally, a seminar related to agricultural ODA was held, inviting experts from international organizations, government agencies, and academia. Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), delivered a keynote speech via video, highly praising the K-Ricebelt project and pledging full support. After the opening ceremony, a seminar was conducted with government officials, international organizations, and academic experts on the themes of 'Global Food Security and the Direction of Korean Agricultural ODA' and 'Exploring Cooperation Measures for the Success of K-Ricebelt.'

The eight participating countries showed great interest in improving agricultural productivity through cooperation with Korea. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs supports visits to Korean agricultural technology sites such as agricultural machinery companies, Rice Processing Complexes (RPC), and intelligent farms (smart farms) during the ministers' visit to Korea. Ahead of next year's Korea-Africa Special Summit, agendas for expanding agricultural cooperation with Africa will be explored.

Minister Jeong said, "The K-Ricebelt project, conceived through direct visits to Africa, has officially launched after several field visits by working groups and intensive consultations with the eight countries. In response to the high expectations expressed by domestic and international participants, we will do our best to improve Africa's rice self-sufficiency rate."

Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Jeong Hwang-geun is speaking at the 'K-Rice Belt Agriculture Ministers' Meeting' held on the 10th at the JW Marriott Hotel in Gangnam, Seoul.

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