On July 10, a Korea Project on International Agricultural (KOPIA) center opened in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The center, under the wings of Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA), will focus on enhancing the lives of local farmers by developing ways to deter harmful insects, and to improve productivity at vegetable and tangerine farms.

The institute will also promote the Saemaul Undong Movement, a community-driven development plan designed to boost industrialization and help local people escape poverty. The movement, launched in the 1970s by the government and then expanded to rural communities, stressed diligence, self-help and cooperation. It is said to have laid the groundwork for Korea’s agricultural growth through the establishment of village roads, irrigation facilities and other essential structures.

“The center will also work as a bridge between Korea and the Dominican Republic in the exchange of technology, the training of local scientists and the dispatch of field experts,” said Chung Hye-kyung, director of the National Academy of Agricultural Science. “We will also put our efforts into developing tailored technology and techniques for local farmers,” she said at the center’s opening ceremony.


Leading by Example

The KOPIA center in the Caribbean country was established after Korea and the Dominican Republic signed a memorandum of understanding about the issue in December 2013.

According to the RDA, the island nation was impressed with Korea’s history of escaping poverty by developing and modernizing suburban areas so that vegetables could be cultivated year-round. Korea will dispatch agricultural experts to the Dominican Republic to share knowledge and to nurture the next generation of talent. Assisting the teams of scholars and experts will be university students majoring in agriculture.

The Dominican Republic is now KOPIA’s 20th location. Other nations include Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Ethiopia, Uganda and Senegal.

KOPIA was designed to forge agricultural ties with developing nations through technological support and the co-development of resources. It is part of Korea’s dedication to international society and global cooperation, and it has helped Korea establish a model for agricultural reform.

“Korea was one of the poorest nations in the world back in the 1950s. Through rounds of innovations in the agricultural industry, including the Saemaul Undong, we were able to transform ourselves into an aid donor in November 2009, and have since become a member state of the OECD,” said Kim Duk-ho, director of international affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.


Tailored Support

The RDA, an agricultural ministry affiliate, has been working to increase technological cooperation amongst international organizations. It has devoted itself to the development of cutting-edge technologies through joint research, international symposia and other cooperative efforts. The institute has sent its researchers to international institutes for mutual collaboration and expert training.

The institute has also signed treaties including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biodiversity as a way to support an initiative of “Low Carbon, Green Growth” in the agricultural sector. In addition, the international alumni of the RDA have organized the RDA Alumni Association. “We believe some of the previous support programs have been less fruitful because they lacked understanding of individual circumstances and environment. Farmers who can’t afford the gas to run state-of-the-art technologies and facilities should be given tailored advice and recommendations,” director Kim said.

“KOPIA is helping farmers support themselves and develop agricultural resources by focusing on a region or nation’s main crops. In Southeast Asia, it was the tropical crops and bioenergy production, while in Central and South America, the main focus was on grain, fruits and vegetables. We believe that agricultural development is necessary for a nation to jump to the next level,” said Kim Hyun-sun, an RDA official.

* Article from Korea Magazine (September 2014)