This study aims to develop international cooperation models utilizing major development experiences and technologies in Korea which are potentially applicable to developing countries within agricultural sector.
International agricultural cooperation will be extended in terms of its budget and target countries from those in the regions of Southeast Asia and Africa to the countries of other regions such as South Asia and Latin America. Most of collaborative projects by those organizations under the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MIFAFF) have so far been biased to short-term or one-time invitational training, seminar or workshop. It is suggested that they need to have linkage with longer-term or bigger program-based projects.

Through extensive survey of research papers and reports and based on the results of opinion collection from experts, this study picks out the experiences and technologies which have been created and developed during the past several decades in agricultural sector, and are considered to be potentially applicable to developing and underdeveloped countries. The list of items are then classified into categories of agriculture, rural development and agricultural policy.

These experiences and technologies constitute different "aid programs" and, in this study, we identify seven such programs. They are: ① rice productivity enhancement and system building for its commercialization, ② horticultural productivity enhancement and system building for its commercialization, ③ system building for livestock industry development, ④ agricultural infrastructure development ⑤ agricultural technology R&D and extension, ⑥ comprehensive rural development including Saemaul Undong, and ⑦ consultation for agricultural policy-making and implementation. The programs will have three forms of assistance: ① capacity building like technical training, ② consulting by experts, and ③ physical assistance such as the provision of facility, equipment, or materials. Four subjects may involve in the cooperation process, which are government or public agency, corporation, non-governmental organization, and international organization or other country.

For efficient budget distribution, three groups of countries are identified. The first group, Urgent Agricultural Focus Countries, includes 16 countries, among 26 national focus countries, which need urgent agricultural cooperative activities. The second group is General Agricultural Focus Countries Type One, and it includes the rest 10 countries among the national focus countries. Under the final group, General Agricultural Focus Countries Type Two, are 15 poor countries which need urgent cooperative projects although they are not part of the national focus countries.

Researchers: Jang Heo, Daeseob Lee, Seung-Eun Jeong
Research period: June 2011 ~ December 2011
Email address: heojang@krei.re.kr