The agriculture sector, including forestry and fisheries, contributes 20 percent to DPR Korea’s GDP and employs 36% of its workforce. Agriculture is important in ensuring food and livelihood security and socio-economic well-being of the people.

However, the inconsistent performance of the sector continues to threaten food and nutrition security. The sector is affected by harsh weather patterns, poor soil quality and lack of agricultural production inputs such as improved seeds, plastic sheeting, fertilizers, machinery and equipment and their related spare parts.

The prolonged dry-spell from spring to autumn in 2014 had adverse effects on the crop production. But, the cereal production in 2014 was estimated at 5 713 286 MT which was 48 700 (0.85 %) MT more than in 2013. Despite the improved harvest, the food security situation remains similar to previous years with most households having borderline and poor food consumption.

Rice and maize are DPR Koreas’s major staple food crops, contributing 45 and 34 percent respectively to the country’s food grain production. Self-sufficiency in food production is a national priority. To achieve self- sufficiency, a major share has to come from rice and maize crops.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has had mixed experience in its quest to achieve food security constrained by poor quality seeds. The seed multiplication sub sector is faced with weak research and extension culture, low level of awareness among farmers and poor technology applications which affect farmers efforts to increase agricultural productivity and improve rural livelihoods in a sustainable manner.

Without doubt, the government and the people of DPRK are hard at work to improve food security. However they are disappointed by poor quality of soil, inadequate supply of fertilizer, and poor quality seeds of inappropriate varieties. As a result, average crop yields in the DPRK, are substantially lower than would otherwise have been achieved.

Farmers have to use almost twice the quantity of seed per Pyong to grow rice and maize to compensate for low germination.

The total seed requirement for DPR Korea stands at 227,000 metric tons (MT). This is about twice the normal seed quantity used in other countries. Yet if effectively managed, the seed requirement in DPR Korea can be reduced to 170,000 MT. But the Seed Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture produces 156 000 MT of the required seed through the 240 co-operative seed farms.

However, only 13 percent of the seed supplied from this source meets international standards because the seed farms lack cleaning and processing facilities. These seed production farms are not properly equipped for seed production, seed conditioning and storage. There is lack of appropriate early maturing varieties suitable to promote double cropping. Superior variety breeding aspects, including variety maintenance and regular source of high quality breeder seed also require improvement.

With collaboration between FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and farmers on the cooperative farms, the Improved Seed Production for Sustainable Agriculture project was launched in DPR Korea to support quality seed multiplication (improved quality and variety of both staple food and vegetable crop), capacity enhancement at the farm level, providing appropriate technology and seed management skills and policy review with a bid to increase food production.

Three major foundation seed farms were selected to produce assured quality, genetically and physically pure seeds.

The knowledge gained from the three would then be multiplied on 240 cooperative certified seed farms across the country. Farmers participated in the project freely with the intention of developing self-reliance on cooperative farms. The project provided women with equal access to training and inputs in seed security production and protection.

The project achieved approximately 85-95 % of its set goals. Capacity of the seed farms and farmers was built. Farmers' awareness and knowledge for use of certified seeds of recommended varieties improved. Capacities of professionals and improved facilities for seed production and conditioning was enhanced. Improved equipment like tractors, harvesters, transplanters were installed at the selected farms. Seed production increased by 20-25% and compliance with international seed quality standards increased from 13 to 20%.