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)
How can tourism become more accessible?
Business Daily meets: Masaba Gupta
Can the Olympics change an area’s reputation?
Why are we ageist?
Tackling ageism at work
The business of bed bugs
Goodbye blue tick?
Can cars and tourism boost Spain's economy?
The race for the perfect running shoe
Business Daily meets: Michele Arnese
The race to secure semiconductor supply chains
Food security in Puerto Rico
What is a digital twin city?
How to fix the US budget
Business Daily meets: Kathryn Jacob
Being unbanked
Tricking the brain – are holograms the future?
Living off-grid: Scaling up
Living off-grid in Portugal
Business Daily Meets: Dr Yasmeen Lari
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
World Business Report
Global News Podcast
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
The Infinite Monkey Cage
You’re Dead to Me