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Korea aims to double Nepal's rice yields through new KOPIA initiative
New Kathmandu center to support seed development, mechanization, and self-sufficiency in staple crops
KATHMANDU, Nepal — In countries like Nepal, where nearly two-thirds of the population works in agriculture, boosting domestic productivity is critical, all the more so given its reliance on imports to offset staple crop shortfalls.
Stepping into this gap is the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture, a development program led by South Korea's Rural Development Administration, with a mission to share tailored agricultural technologies with developing nations.
KOPIA currently operates in 20 countries worldwide, including six in Asia, partnering with local agricultural institutions.
On May 29, KOPIA officially launched its Nepal center in Kathmandu, staffed by a director, an agricultural expert and an administrator, to help Nepal overcome structural barriers in agriculture and thus bolster food security.
'Our goal is to help Nepal achieve self-sufficiency in its staple crops,' said Jeong Mi-hye, director of KOPIA's Nepal center. 'We're starting with rice and potatoes, as they are fundamental to both the country's diet and economy.'
According to Jeong, a confluence of factors has long hindered Nepal's agricultural self-sufficiency, such as chronic shortage of fertilizer, limited mechanization and fragmented land plots. Nepal relies on India to fill a 10 percent gap in domestic rice and potato production.
KOPIA's model in Nepal focuses on field testing, seed propagation and technology transfer, with an emphasis on close collaboration with local institutions.
"For potatoes, we're especially focused on clean seed production," Jeong remarked. 'Rather than starting from scratch, we're analyzing previous efforts by development organizations like FAO, CIP and KOICA in potato cultivation."
She also noted that many existing seed programs suffer from poor continuity and a lack of trained personnel. 'Establishing a more sustainable system to manage and retain local personnel is crucial.'
In this regard, though this phase is set for three years, the center is already thinking ahead. 'We need to prepare future initiatives now so the next phase can begin without delay, ensuring lasting impact."
On the rice front, KOPIA, in coordination with Nepal's Agricultural Research Council and regional institutes, plans to introduce high-yield varieties tailored to Nepal's altitudes and climates from the cool highlands to the humid Terai plains, while advancing modernization through large-scale land consolidation and mechanization.
'We plan to package our cultivation technologies into an integrated approach, beginning with pilot projects focused on technology development,' said Cho Gyoung-rae, an agricultural expert at the center. 'Once these methods prove effective, we'll move toward broader implementation.'
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, Korea's average rice yield between 2021 and 2023 was 7 metric tons per hectare, nearly twice Nepal's 3.7 tons. When measured as milled rice, Nepal's yield falls to 2.7 tons per hectare, compared to Korea's 5 tons.
An official from the RDA said that should Nepal expands the use of improved rice varieties and adopts advanced cultivation techniques, yields could increase to around 4.5 tons per hectare.
The new project has secured long-term backing from the Nepali government.
At the opening ceremony in May, Govinda Prasad Sharma, secretary at Nepal's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, called the center 'a turning point' for the country's agricultural sector in its push toward greater productivity.
'The Nepali government will provide administrative and policy support to ensure the long-term success of the KOPIA project,' he said.
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