ISLAMABAD: South Korea has offered to cooperate with Pakistan to improve rice cultivation through the exchange of germplasm, hybrid rice production techniques and development of high-yielding salt, drought and pest-resistant varieties of rice.

The offer was made by Tae Seon Park, the Director-General of Korea’s Rural Community Corporation, during a meeting with Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan here on Wednesday.

The Korean official, leading a delegation, said that the two countries can learn much through joint project implementation in hybrid rice production, water management and other resource conservation technologies in rice fields.

The delegation also offered to share their knowledge and experience in designing and manufacturing small- and medium-sized agricultural machinery, which is suited to small farmers.

On the other hand, Pakistan offered to train Korean scientists in “Inte­grated Pest Management” as it has rich experience in the IPM of cotton and rice crops.

The minister for national food security informed the Korean delegation that agriculture in Pakistan was going through a difficult phase as the international prices of agri-products were declining with improvements in farming technologies and other factors.

In the backdrop of these developments, the government has to support the farming community to make use of all available help and technology to ensure high yields.

South Korea can assist Pakistan in adding value to vegetables, fruits, dairy products and meat, and develop equipment for water reservoirs and high-efficiency irrigation systems such as sprinkler and drip irrigation.

Mr Bosan asked the ministry’s officials to prepare a comprehensive plan for export of Pakistani rice, mango, kinnow and dates to South Korea, so that Pakistani farmers could improve their income.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2016