Could Africa reduce its dependency on imported rice with the help of South Korea?
The continent's appetite for rice is growing fast at over 6% per year. And even though rice is grown in about 40 out of 54 countries in Africa, the production only covers about 60% of the demand. This results in 14 to 15 million tonnes of rice being imported each year costing over $6bn.
To remedy this, a new rice variety was developed in cooperation with South Korea: ISRIZ-7 and ISRIZ-8. These high yield rice varieties were bred from the very rice that is credited with bringing self-sufficiency in rice to South Korea in the 70’s.
Now they want to take this further.
Earlier this year 10 African nations launched the ‘K-Rice Belt’ or ‘Korean Rice Belt’ project to improve rice yields in participating countries.
In this edition, David Cann looks into the rice cooperation between South Korea and African countries; speaking to the South Korean agricultural minister and farmers in Senegal and The Gambia.
Presented and produced by David Cann.
(Picture: ISRIZ rice; Credit: Rural Development Administration)
Uganda's refugee women turned entrepreneurs
Business Daily meets: Property tycoon Sanmi Adegoke
Eurovision: Making money out of something I love
Resurrecting ‘ghost’ whisky distilleries
The trouble with live music
What hope for Kosovo's economy?
Meet the trailblazers: The female bike mechanics
Can the Tour de France Femmes deliver?
Tourism cashing in on the ‘pink dollar’
How can recycling be profitable?
Business Daily meets: Picsart CEO Hovhannes Avoyan
Modest fashion: Inside a $300bn industry
When films disappear
Where is 'a woman's place' in Ireland today?
Should I put a wind turbine on my roof?
Corruption at port
The rise of women voters in India
Can you be sued for writing a bad review online?
Business Daily meets: game designer Brenda Romero
Africa's video gaming boom
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins