Zambia, Korea Strengthen Ties Ahead of Smart Farming Project Launch
Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Reuben Mtolo, today held a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Mr. Jae Kyung Park, to explore deepening agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in Lusaka, just a day before the official launch of two major initiatives in the sector.
The engagement focused on strengthening partnerships in technology transfer, climate-smart agriculture, value chain development, and private sector engagement, all aimed at boosting Zambia’s agricultural productivity and global market competitiveness.
The meeting sets the stage for the official launch on July 4, 2025, of the Smart Farming for Sustainable Livelihoods Project and the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative in Lusaka.
Supported by the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Smart Farming Project is a four-year initiative targeting the horticulture value chains, with the goal of enhancing resilience, productivity, and sustainability among smallholder farmers.
Simultaneously, the OCOP Initiative, under the FAO’s global framework and funded through Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC), will focus on strengthening Zambia’s onion value chain, selected as the country’s priority product.
Both programmes will be implemented in partnership with Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, through the Departments of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Services, and Agribusiness & Marketing, which will provide technical leadership and coordination.
Minister Mtolo expressed gratitude to the Korean Government for its ongoing support and reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to promoting climate-smart and sustainable food systems through strategic international partnerships.
Ambassador Park praised Zambia’s vision for agricultural development and pledged Korea’s continued commitment to delivering tangible outcomes for smallholder farmers through innovation, capacity-building, and closer cooperation.
