{
  "id": 1631571,
  "title": "Korean, African researchers join forces to protect food supplies from pests",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/korean-african-researchers-join-forces-to-protect-food-supplies-from-1631571",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-18T04:27:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/environment-animals/20260818/korean-african-researchers-join-forces-to-protect-food-supplies-from-pests"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The escalating impact of climate change on the proliferation of crop-devouring pests across sub-Saharan Africa has prompted Korea to offer scientific assistance to bolster the continent's vulnerable food security. On Tuesday, the Rural Development Administration (RDA), Korea's premier agricultural research institute, and the Nairobi-based International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) sealed a memorandum of understanding aimed at bolstering joint research initiatives in the realm of insect science and pest management. At the signing ceremony held in Seoul, RDA Administrator Lee Seung-don and icipe Director General Abdou Tenkuano inked the agreement, outlining the forthcoming collaboration between the two entities.\n\nThe partnership will focus on pioneering pest monitoring methodologies, biological control agents, and eco-friendly pesticide development. Moreover, the collaboration extends towards fostering beneficial insects, emphasizing apiculture, crop pollination, and high-value research into insects employed for food, livestock feed, and fertilizers. As swiftly evolving climate patterns fuel the escalation of pest outbreaks throughout Africa, jeopardizing crop yields in the region, the collaboration between Korea and icipe emerges as a vital initiative to safeguard the food supplies of the African populace.",
  "summary": "As climate change accelerates the spread of crop-destroying pests across sub-Saharan Africa, Korea is stepping in with scientific expertise to help secure the continent’s fragile food supply. The Rural Development Administration (RDA), Korea’s national agricultural research agency, said Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nairobi-based International Centre of Insect…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Korean, African researchers join forces to protect food supplies from pests",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/korean-african-researchers-join-forces-to-protect-food-supplies-from",
        "published": "2026-08-18T04:17:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}