RDA promotes Korean agriculture diplomacy with developing nations

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., front row sixth from right, and officials from Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) attend a ceremony in November 2024 marking the handover of vegetable greenhouse facilities under the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture in Quezon Province, the Philippines. Courtesy of RDA

By Ko Dong-hwan

• Published Apr 15, 2025 11:04 AM KST
• Updated Apr 15, 2025 6:56 PM KST

With global food security as one of its key goals, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) is committed not only to sharing agricultural technology but also to advancing global agriculture through comprehensive international cooperation to address food security challenges.

The RDA, a state-run agricultural research agency in Korea, has recently outlined three specific goals: maximizing the global impact of its official development assistance (ODA) projects, strengthening its global research and development networks and exporting Korean agricultural technology to where it is most needed. These initiatives are part of the agency's ongoing efforts to support developing countries with vulnerable domestic food supplies, the agency said.

Through its ODA programs, the RDA supports the development of customized agricultural technologies tailored to the specific needs of individual developing countries, while also addressing shared agricultural challenges across regions.

These efforts are made through centers in over 20 countries operated by the RDA’s Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA).

The agency has gained recognition for its project in Uganda to grow oranges locally through KOPIA. In February, this year’s World Government Summit awarded the orange farming project its Global Future Fit Award, recognizing governmental cooperation between the two nations and the agency's contribution to Ugandan food security.

In the Philippines, the RDA hosted a ceremony last November to hand over greenhouse vegetable farming facilities to the town of Lucban in Quezon Province, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in attendance. This facility was also established in two other regions in the Philippines, Siniloan and Zaragoza.

In Pakistan, the RDA has seen local potato seed productivity increase six times through the introduction of a new hydroponics technique. It prompted the Pakistani government to designate hydroponics seed potato farming as a national business and invest $2.5 million between 2023 and 2028. With Korea committing the same funds over the same period, the RDA expects to raise Pakistan’s domestic supply of seed potatoes by 30 percent.

Led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the K-Ricebelt is a major ODA initiative which focuses on localizing rice farming. RDA contributes to K-Ricebelt with its RiceSPIA program which focuses on rice seed production. Currently implemented in seven African nations, the program saw 2,321 tons in yield of new rice varieties in 2023. The figure surpassed the program's initial goal by 14 percent. The agency plans to enable each ODA partner country to domestically supply 10,000 tons of high-yield rice by 2027.

The RDA also seeks to expand its network with the goal of securing global food security.

Last June, Seoul hosted the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, inviting 48 countries to bolster relationships through ODA initiatives. The event increased the number of nations signed up for Korea-Africa Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI) from 23 to 37. This month, the RDA plans to jointly launch a new agricultural cooperation network with member states of the Caribbean Community, a political and economic organization of Caribbean and Atlantic nations (KoCARIP).

Developing countries have expressed strong interest in programs for countering climate change and digitization of farming practices, according to the agency. The agency has designated 40 percent of its ongoing joint R&D projects for developing new seeds resistant to extreme climate conditions and integrating digital technologies in farming.

Out of 11 such joint R&D projects, seven are about developing new rice, wheat, bean, potato and pepper seeds with high resistance to extreme weather and pests. Other projects focus on collecting on-site data, predicting crop yields, and developing a variety of environment control techniques for boosting productivity, such as watering and herbicide robots using artificial intelligence.

To further expand its ties, the RDA has formed partnerships with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment to share and circulate data collected from 51 developing nations.

Exporting Korean machines for crop and livestock farming is another key method to spur ODA initiatives. The method also allows Korean small and medium-sized manufacturers to expand into new markets globally.

Twenty different types of rice farming machines are ready for deployment in three African countries, while 16 types of machines for potato farming are going to three Central and South American countries. Eight countries in the Middle East will receive assistance from the agency in building new facilities to develop farming practices effective in extreme heat and during water shortages.

In Central Asia, where livestock productivity remains relatively low, the agency plans to set up a testing complex for its livestock farming technique package.

RDA Administrator Kwon Jae-han compared ODA to a compass which “upgrades the quality of living of isolated neighbors under poverty and pledges mutual growth with the global community.”

“The RDA will fulfill its responsibility and duty on par with Korea’s global standing, responding to global issues without delay, leading global R&D and bringing agricultural cooperation across borders," Kwon said.