Sweet potatoes offer potential for inter-Korean cooperation _ 060818
- 6 years ago
Sweet potatoes aren't just sweet and good for your body,... they're also packed with potential for inter-Korean cooperation,... to beat hunger in the North.... and create high value-added products.
Our Oh Soo-young has this story.
A humble vegetable at first glance -- the sweet potato could soon become a promising field of cooperation between South and North Korea, as they improve their ties.
Efforts to that end are already underway.
Since 2013, a group led by Canadian-Korean Park Hyung-sir has shared sweet potato sprouts and cultivation techniques with the North in a bid to tackle the food crisis there.
"Before the two Koreas unify, it's important to tackle hunger and food shortages in North Korea. Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients. They grow in tough conditions without taking up much land or using a lot of fertilizer. By eating well, North Koreans can overcome tuberculosis... which is rampant there."
Tens of thousands of sweet potatoes are being produced in a district called Yeontan, one of the dozen plantations and facilities the group has set up in North Korea.
"Sweet potato farms produce 20 to 30 times the amount of crops seen in corn or potato farms. The North Koreans were astonished. Now, governors from all over the North are coming to learn how to grow sweet potatoes in their own villages."
As the two Koreas move to deepen various exchanges, Park hopes to increase distribution of sweet potato snacks and noodles in North Korea's northern regions, where it's difficult to grow the heat-loving summer crop.
But a researcher may soon have a solution to that problem.
He's developing ways to grow sweet potatoes in colder and harsher climates.
"Compared to other produce, sweet potatoes are able to better withstand harsh environments, such as droughts and cold weather, like they often have in North Korea. But we need cultivation technology to enhance production and harvest. We're working with a Chinese research center and we have resources in the South that would be useful when cooperating with the North."
According to Kwak, North Korea currently produces some 400,000 tons of sweet potatoes a year -- far less than the three million tons South Korea produced in the 1960s.
However, he says the current production rate could double and even surpass that of the South, if the two Koreas work together.
Also, beyond food security, the researcher also sees strong potential to create high value-added products for both home and abroad.
"Sweet potatoes can be grown in polluted land or mines in North Korea. Although they shouldn't be eaten, the starch can be used to produce bioethanol for fuel. We can also use the starch and sugar for health supplements or turn them into materials like plastic."
To harness such potential, Kwak says joint efforts are needed to first identify the types of sweet potatoes suited to the North as well as finetune technology to optimize production levels.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.
Our Oh Soo-young has this story.
A humble vegetable at first glance -- the sweet potato could soon become a promising field of cooperation between South and North Korea, as they improve their ties.
Efforts to that end are already underway.
Since 2013, a group led by Canadian-Korean Park Hyung-sir has shared sweet potato sprouts and cultivation techniques with the North in a bid to tackle the food crisis there.
"Before the two Koreas unify, it's important to tackle hunger and food shortages in North Korea. Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients. They grow in tough conditions without taking up much land or using a lot of fertilizer. By eating well, North Koreans can overcome tuberculosis... which is rampant there."
Tens of thousands of sweet potatoes are being produced in a district called Yeontan, one of the dozen plantations and facilities the group has set up in North Korea.
"Sweet potato farms produce 20 to 30 times the amount of crops seen in corn or potato farms. The North Koreans were astonished. Now, governors from all over the North are coming to learn how to grow sweet potatoes in their own villages."
As the two Koreas move to deepen various exchanges, Park hopes to increase distribution of sweet potato snacks and noodles in North Korea's northern regions, where it's difficult to grow the heat-loving summer crop.
But a researcher may soon have a solution to that problem.
He's developing ways to grow sweet potatoes in colder and harsher climates.
"Compared to other produce, sweet potatoes are able to better withstand harsh environments, such as droughts and cold weather, like they often have in North Korea. But we need cultivation technology to enhance production and harvest. We're working with a Chinese research center and we have resources in the South that would be useful when cooperating with the North."
According to Kwak, North Korea currently produces some 400,000 tons of sweet potatoes a year -- far less than the three million tons South Korea produced in the 1960s.
However, he says the current production rate could double and even surpass that of the South, if the two Koreas work together.
Also, beyond food security, the researcher also sees strong potential to create high value-added products for both home and abroad.
"Sweet potatoes can be grown in polluted land or mines in North Korea. Although they shouldn't be eaten, the starch can be used to produce bioethanol for fuel. We can also use the starch and sugar for health supplements or turn them into materials like plastic."
To harness such potential, Kwak says joint efforts are needed to first identify the types of sweet potatoes suited to the North as well as finetune technology to optimize production levels.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.