Farm Ministry offers policy consulting to developing countries

Korea will start supporting developing countries by consulting them on its own rural development policy through its official development assistance program, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Monday.

“The ministry has completed development of 20 modules for the agriculture-related policy consulting services, titled the Korean Agricultural Policy Experiences for Food Security, or KAPEX, geared toward developing countries,” a ministry official said.

The 20 modules include an overview of the “Saemaul” movement, which is the core of the nation’s rural development policy, as well as on infrastructure-building policy for agricultural production, and policy on tree-planting and forest management.

The Saemaul movement refers to the “new community movement,” initiated by former President Park Chung-hee in the early 1970s, to urbanize of rural areas and eliminate their absolute poverty in line with the government’s industrialization drive.

The Korea Rural Economic Research Institute under the ministry will implement the policy consulting service, and will also launch pilot specialized consulting projects with three developing countries ― Laos, Cambodia and Ethiopia ― this year, the official added.

The institute will develop customized consulting services for the target country, if the country selects policy modules based on its need.

The ministry has allotted 46.2 billion won ($40.5 million) this year for its ODA programs, including the KAPEX.

By Seo Jee-yeon  (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)