8 May 2017, Korea - Experts from FAO and South Korea gathered to share knowledge and experiences between international specialists and stakeholders in the rice value chain, on issues related to the sustainable management of post-harvest aspects.

During a working session at the FAO Representation in Côte d'Ivoire, administrative and technical structures’ representatives, as well as the stakeholders of the sector, exchanged views on the development model of the rice sector in Korea, in trying to provide answers to the development expectations of the Ivorian model.

This workshop is part of a South-South Cooperation (SSC) Project (GCP/RAF/497/ROK) developed between the Republic of Korea and FAO, both aware of the potential that this type of cooperation could offer in achieving the objectives of food security and poverty reduction. This project, which focuses on the sustainable development of the South African Rice Value Chain in SSC and is funded by Korea, supports three African countries, namely Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, in adopting the value chain approach for increasing production, adding value, improving quality and enhancing market access.

Development of the rice sector in Côte d'Ivoire

At the opening of the workshop, Germain Dasylva, the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Côte d'Ivoire, highlighted the importance of rice for food security in Côte d’Ivoire and recalled the objectives of the project: “Rice, as in many sub-Saharan African countries, has become one of the main food crops, with a high consumption rate resulting from a significant and continuous increase in population.” For the FAOR, who points out the gap between supply and demand in recent decades, the pilot project being implemented will strengthen Côte d'Ivoire's capacity to develop competitive rice value chains.

In Côte d'Ivoire, the project signed in April 2015 between the Government of Côte d'Ivoire and FAO, will help create a more modern and profitable agricultural sector through the design and implementation of approaches, policies and programmes of sustainable rice production. It will accompany the National Rice Development Strategy, which aims to cover the total demand (1.9 million tonnes of rice per year) by 2018, and increase national production to 2.1 million tonnes per year, thanks to the Rice Development Center, which is a production area with a capacity of about 200 000 tonnes of milled rice per year.

Ultimately, the project will enable the sharing of experiences and innovations among beneficiary countries, as well as capacity building, while facilitating smallholder access to inputs and small-scale agricultural equipment.

FAO and South-South Cooperation (SSC)

SSC is an initiative launched by FAO in 1996 under the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). It aims to promote solidarity among developing countries by allowing beneficiary countries to benefit from the experience and expertise of other developing countries.

By developing this type of partnership with Governments, FAO brings together countries that propose solutions for development with countries that wish to implement them, by encouraging dialogue, establishing a framework for cooperation, providing technical and mobilizing resources for SSC.