RDA bolsters sharing of agricultural knowhow with developing world

By Lee Hyo-sik

The Rural Development Administration (RDA), the state-run agricultural research institute, has pledged to share more of its state-of-the-art agricultural knowledge with developing countries to help them boost production, control pests and diversify farm products.

At a press conference with members of foreign media outlets in Seoul, Tuesday, RDA Director General Lee Kyu-seong said the institute will open more support centers abroad and cooperate closely with the Korea International Cooperation Agency and other government organizations, to offer more comprehensive assistance to farmers in Asia, Africa and South America.

“We will make more efforts to pass on our technical knowhow and expertise to our foreign partners,” Lee said.

“The RDA will invest more to advance our research capabilities and introduce more cooperation programs to help boost agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of farmers in the developing world. Hopefully, our efforts also will improve Korea’s image abroad," he said.

The RDA operates a total of 20 Korea Project on International Agriculture centers; six in Africa, eight in Asia and six in South America.

Each year, it spends tens of millions of dollars to run the centers, which have nine RDA employees, providing on-the-spot, tailor-made technical assistance, undertaking joint research activities with host countries and offering training programs.

It has provided information on how to cope effectively with diseases and pests affecting rice and other crops, while transferring a wide range of agricultural techniques to increase production, develop disease-resistant crops and manufacture and operate farm machinery.

In addition, the agency established the Asian Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative in November 2009 as a consultative body with 13 Asian nations, including the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand.

In July 2010, RDA launched the Korea-Africa Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative with 20 countries across the continent, such as Ethiopia, Cameroon, Angola and Uganda.

In September 2014, it also formed the Korea-Latin America Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative with its counterparts in 13 South American nations.

“The RDA has formed the multilateral initiatives for each of the three continents to provide more region-specific technical support,” the director general said. “Each region has different needs from us because climate and other growing conditions are different from one another. The three multilateral bodies have raised Korea's profile as a leader in agriculture across the developing world.”

The RDA, founded in 1906, has its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and operates four research affiliates specializing in crops, horticulture, herbs and livestock.