South Korea is expanding its agricultural partnership with Africa through a second phase of its rice development programme aimed at improving food security and boosting rice production in some of the continent’s most challenging farming environments.

The Korea-Africa Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI), led by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is shifting its focus from irrigated rice systems to rain-fed production areas, where drought, poor soils, salinity and climate variability continue to limit yields.

Under the new phase, KAFACI will work with the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) to develop improved rice varieties capable of withstanding drought, low temperatures and saline conditions. The programme will also accelerate breeding cycles through advanced techniques such as anther culture and single-seed descent, enabling faster development and distribution of improved seed varieties.

The initiative comes as African countries seek to reduce their dependence on rice imports and strengthen domestic food production. Rice is Africa’s second most consumed staple food after maize, yet local production continues to lag behind demand.

Since its launch in 2016, KAFACI has achieved significant results across the continent. The programme has developed 71 improved rice varieties that have been officially registered in 15 African countries. These varieties deliver average yields of between 6.6 and 6.8 tonnes per hectare, nearly three times the continent’s average rice yield of 2.4 tonnes per hectare.

Among the most successful varieties are CHEYI, MBOMA and MOUKAFACI-1, which were officially registered in Gabon in 2025. The varieties produce yields of 7 to 8 tonnes per hectare and demonstrate strong resistance to rice blast disease.

Gabon has already begun multiplying the new seeds, with plans to secure nine tonnes for large-scale production. The country is also training 80 rice specialists and launching pilot cultivation programmes involving more than 1,100 farmers from 60 agricultural cooperatives.

The initiative has expanded rapidly, with 37 of Africa’s 54 countries now participating. New rice varieties have also been approved in countries including Senegal, Gambia, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Mali.

Beyond seed development, KAFACI has invested heavily in skills transfer and capacity building. The programme has trained dozens of African rice specialists across 23 countries, helping strengthen local expertise in rice breeding, seed production and cultivation techniques.

According to South Korea’s Rural Development Administration, the programme increased rice seed production from 2,320 tonnes in 2023 to 6,370 tonnes in 2024. The target is to exceed 10,000 tonnes of seed production by 2027, enough to generate approximately 2.16 million tonnes of rice annually and provide food for an estimated 30 million people.

With African rice demand growing by more than 6% annually, driven by population growth and urbanisation, the continent imported approximately 19 million tonnes of rice worth US$9 billion in 2024. In many countries, imports account for between 50% and 90% of domestic consumption.

By combining improved seed genetics, farmer training and technology transfer, South Korea’s rice initiative is positioning itself as a key contributor to Africa’s efforts to achieve greater food security and reduce reliance on imported grain.