S. Korea to help Myanmar in agricultural mechanization

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S. Korea to help Myanmar in agricultural mechanization

(Xinhua) 13:09, September 29, 2013

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YANGON, Sept. 29 -- South Korea will help Myanmar in agricultural mechanization by training Myanmar farmers for the purpose, official media reported Sunday.

According to the agreed minutes of a meeting between Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the latter will help Myanmar establish a training school for agricultural mechanization at Yezin in Zeyathiri township, Nay Pyi Taw Council Area.

Farmland in other Zabuthiri townships in the same area will also be upgraded.

Through agricultural mechanization, the project is aimed at boosting agricultural; production, encouraging the transformation in terms of human resources development and increasing farmers' income.

Under a five-year plan, the KOICA will also fully help establish a Post-harvest Technology Application Center in Nay Pyi Taw and provide farm equipment for killing pests in fruits and vegetables plants, according to earlier reports.

In July, a pilot project of an irrigation technology center in Patheingyi, Mandalay region implemented by World Friends KOICA- Volunteer (WFK-Volunteer) of KOICA was completed and handed over to the Myanmar side.

The project includes IT training center and supporting essential lab equipment.

Moreover, the KOICA will also extend a grant aid to help Myanmar in implementing national statistical system, capacity building strategy for conferences, land reform program for mechanized farming and forest greening under a framework agreement reached in August.

Official statistics show that South Korean investment in Myanmar amounted to 3.02 billion U.S. dollars in 79 projects as of July 2013, accounting for 7 percent of the total foreign input and ranking the fourth in Myanmar's foreign investment line-up since Myanmar opened door in late 1988.

Bilateral trade between Myanmar and South Korea reached 623.98 million U.S. dollars in 2012-13, of which Myanmar's export accounted for 280.77 million dollars while its import, 343.21 million dollars.

（Editor：YaoChun、Liang Jun）