Korea Provides 100,000 Tonnes of Rice to Refugees and Vulnerable Populations
in Africa, Asia, and Middle East
South Korea supplies 100,000 tonnes of rice, starting from 2024. The amount of the rice is estimated to provide food for approximately 2.6 million people,
including refugees as well as the vulnerable suffering from famine and nutritional deficiencies, in eleven countries for a period of three months.
This year marks the first year when the ministry has doubled its food aid from 50,000 to 100,000 tonnes while having increased the number of recipient
countries from 5 to 11.
Sejong, 17 April 2024 — On 17 April, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) has held a ceremony to celebrate the first year (2024)
when the ministry has doubled the amount of its food aid and the ships carrying the food aid depart from the Republic of Korea to recipient countries
through cooperation with the World Food Programme (WFP).
The ceremony holds great significance in that this is the first year when the ministry has expanded its food aid from 50,000 to 100,000 tonnes while
having increased the number of recipient countries from 5 to 11, as a follow-up measure for the G7 summit held in the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 2023.
The Republic of Korea joined the Food Assistance Convention (FAC) in 2018, and has since provided 50,000 tonnes of rice in food aid to five African
and Southeast Asian countries every year. This year, another five African countries as well as the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan have been added to the list of the recipient countries, with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic having been excluded.
This brings the total number of recipient countries to eleven.
* 8 African countries: the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Madagascar, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Republic of Mozambique, the Republic of Sierra Leone,
the Republic of Uganda, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and the Republic of Kenya.
* 2 Asian countries: the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
* 1 Middle Eastern country: the Republic of Yemen
The Republic of Korea (MAFRA) will supply 100,000 tonnes of rice, starting from 2024. The amount of the rice is estimated to provide food for
approximately 2.6 million people, including refugees as well as the vulnerable suffering from famine and nutritional deficiencies, in those eleven countries
for a period of three months.
A ship carrying 15,000 tonnes of rice will depart to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 3 May. The rice will be supplied to 1.16 million Rohingya
refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char from August. Ships carrying 85,000 tonnes of rice will also leave South Korea’s seaports, including the Port of
Mokpo, the Port of Ulsan, and Busan New Port, consecutively until the end of June and be supplied to eleven countries.
* The Port of Gunsan: the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Kenya, and the Republic of Uganda.
* The Port of Mokpo: the Republic of Madagascar, the Republic of Mozambique, and the Republic of Yemen.
* The Port of Ulsan: the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
* Busan New Port: the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The ministry is also carrying out the “K-Ricebelt Project,” an official development assistance (ODA) project, aimed to contribute to achieving zero hunger
in Africa by building complexes for rice seed production in African countries, producing high-yielding rice seeds, and supplying them to farmers.
* ISRIZ-6 and ISRIZ-7 are high-yielding rice varieties capable of producing 5 to 6 tonnes per hectare.
Minister Song Miryung of the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The Republic of Korea is the only country that has transformed itself from a recipient
to a donor country in half a century. As a responsible member of the international community, we will make the utmost effort to fulfil our roles and duties
by continuing to expand not only food aid but also the K-Ricebelt Project.”
[Plan about Departure of Ships for Food Aid]
|
(Tonnes) | Recipient countries (Year when food aid was or is started) | Amount of rice (Tonnes) | Departure dates |
Port of Gunsan (39,000) | Bangladesh (2024) | 15,000 | 3 May |
Kenya (2018) | 21,000 | 8 June | |
Uganda (2018) | 3,000 | 8 June | |
Port of Mokpo (31,002) | Madagascar (2024) | 10,002 | 28 April |
Mozambique (2024) | 3,000 | 28 April | |
Yemen (2018) | 18,000 | 18 June | |
Port of Ulsan (25,102) | Guinea-Bissau (2024) | 2,400 | 5 May |
Mauritania (2024) | 6,720 | 5 May | |
Sierra Leone (2024) | 2,400 | 5 May | |
Ethiopia (2018) | 13,582 | 11 June | |
Busan New Port (4,896) | Afghanistan (Three voyages) | 4,896 | 19 April, 4 May, and 24 May |