Korea expands farm technology support for war-scarred South Sudan

Korean peacekeepers, working under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, are utilizing advanced agricultural science to bolster food security in a particularly vulnerable region. This initiative, spearheaded by Korea’s Rural Development Administration in collaboration with the military’s Hanbit Unit, merges high-yield crop technologies with civil-affairs operations.

The goal is to empower local communities to achieve long-term agricultural self-sufficiency. Instead of solely providing short-term food aid, the Korean agricultural experts are embedding effective farming techniques into military civil assistance efforts, creating a scalable model for military-led development aid.

South Sudan, which attained independence in 2011 after enduring years of conflict, is currently grappling with severe food insecurity. This is exacerbated by seasonal flooding, internal instability, and economic shocks. The ongoing crisis in neighboring Sudan has further exacerbated the situation. Since 2023, over 1.4 million refugees and returnees have crossed the border into South Sudan, dramatically increasing demand for basic food staples in an already strained local economy.