South Korea to sign deal with eight African nations to reduce reliance on rice imports

South Korea is due to sign a deal with eight African countries next week to help expand rice production and reduce reliance on imports, Agriculture Minister Chung Hwang-keun told Reuters, amid concerns over food security on the continent.

The move also coincides with President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ambition to overhaul South Korea’s foreign policy and transform it into a “global pivotal state” that plays a more active role in the globe.

According to Chung, the “K-Ricebelt Project” will see South Korea build facilities in Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, and Kenya to produce rice seeds that are better suited to local conditions and yield two to three times higher than domestic varieties.

The minister said during several visits to Africa starting late last year officials told him they desperately needed help.

“It was when food security was a global issue. Rice prices had almost doubled due to supply chain disruptions,” Chung said, noting how food imports had squeezed the countries’ foreign exchange reserves.

Rice is a staple in West Africa, but according to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), local production only covers around 60 per cent of demand. As a result, the area is very vulnerable to global price volatility and trade disruptions.

According to an agricultural ministry official, South Korea plans to spend more than 100 billion won ($77 million) on the food initiative over the next four years, with a target of distributing 10,000 tonnes of rice seeds each year beginning in 2027.

“President Yoon Suk Yeol has been very clear about this, that we should come forward to help because we were the ones getting help during the difficult times,” Chung said.

South Korea has been able to produce enough rice to meet more than 90% of local demand, though still depends heavily on some other food imports.

Agriculture ministers from the eight participating African countries are due to visit Seoul to sign agreements on the project on Monday.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme welcomed the move.

“The K-Rice project will bring outstanding rice varieties and hope to the small farmers in Africa suffering from the climate crisis,” Marian Sunhee Yun, the director of WFP Korea Office, said.

($1 = 1,302.3500 won)

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