The African Development Bank is presently facilitating a partnership with South Korea that will enable technology transfer to Africa in the area of Agriculture, Green growth, Smart urban transportation management and numerous business opportunities.
The partnership was mulled in Seoul during a meeting on potential technology partnerships between Korea and Africa, where representatives of Busan Metropolitan City, Busan Techno Park and Korea’s Green Technology Center were present.
“What we are facilitating is a win-win proposition,” noted Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank.
He said the future is going to be an exponentially different future and that the Bank intends to explore the creation of a strategic partnership with Korea that could lead to the creation of a Korea-Africa research and training Drone Center, saying that could help pave the way for Africa’s 4th Industrial Revolution.
According to Adesina, “We are determined to expand the use of drones in agriculture in Africa. What we do in Africa today, will determine the global food security tomorrow. It is important that the technological partnership with the Korea translates into capacity building on the ground, through training, so that Africa can industrialize, build or assemble drones.”
Speaking of the partnership, the Director, Global Strategy Division, Green Technology Center, Hyung-Ju Kim, believes that Korean expertise can provide a practical and pragmatic solution to a wide range of Africa’s most pressing technology needs.
He said the African Development Bank could play a major role here. “If we bring technology to the table, the Bank can identify and facilitate bankable projects that can boost technology cooperation between Africa and Korea,” he said.
With funding from the Korea-Africa Cooperation (KOAFEC) fund, the African Development Bank, in cooperation with Busan Metropolitan City, and the Busan Techno Park, has launched, a pilot project in Tunisia using drone technology to develop agriculture, including data collection and analysis, monitoring irrigated perimeters, land degradation, biodiversity, filling and siltation of dams, and overall agricultural production.
Korea and the African Development Bank intend to extend the program to other countries and regions in Tunisia and Africa, and explore the massive market potential of industrial zones in other sectors.