Technical Cooperation Programme in DPR Korea

FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) has been described as “ ..a Catalyst for Development..” Established in 1976 marked awareness by FAO and its governing bodies that the Organization needed to sharpen its capacity for providing quick response technical assistance to member countries. TCP grew out of the recognition that much could be achieved  - and saved -  by the timely provision of assistance in key areas where general development progress was being impeded or blocked by the lack of a crucial intervention. It was a new instrument that was outside, yet parallel to the more cumbersome channels of traditional aid and could therefore respond rapidly and effectively to countries’ most pressing needs.

TCP’s strict and highly selective criteria for funding projects were specifically designed to support urgent, small-scale actions of modest cost, of limited duration and have a catalytic or multiplier effect. Funded from FAO’s Regular Programme budget, TCP operations focus scarce resources in selected areas where they can be used to the greatest effect. Requests for TCP assistance are addressed to the FAO Director-General by governments, which must accord them a high priority so as to ensure the maximum degree of national involvement in and follow-up to projects. The ultimate, if not immediate, beneficiaries must be small-scale producers in the food and agricultural sector, including forestry and fisheries. To ensure a sense of ownership and the sustainability of projects, intended beneficiaries are involved to the fullest extent possible in their design and implementation.

TCP assistance may be granted under seven (7) main project categories: Emergencies, Investment, Training, Project and Programme Formulation, Assistance to Development, Inter-Country Cooperation and Advisory Services. The Programme offers short-term expert and consultant services, practical training and the equipment and supplies considered essential for attaining the objectives of a particular project. The total cost of a TCP project is usually much lower than the maximum ceiling of US$400.000, with the average being about US$220.000 with a project duration not exceeding 24 months. Various forms of expertise are provided by international and national consultants and FAO staff, who collaborate with technical counterparts from government ministries and departments. Whenever possible, TCP projects draw on assistance made available under technical cooperation among developing countries or countries in transition (TCDC/TCCT) arrangements. They are implemented jointly by FAO, through its technical units at Rome headquarters and regional offices, and in the field in conjunction with the national counterpart agency designated by the recipient government.

DPR Korea has been the recipient of numerous TCP projects. These have brought FAO’s expertise and experience to bear on a range of situations in which assistance provided in some key areas has helped to mobilise agricultural energies on a wider scale. Both by design and in practice, the Programme has met unforeseeable needs, filled critical gaps, complements and facilitates other forms of assistance (CAP, bilateral, etc) and seeks to mobilise additional resources for technical cooperation or investment. 

The most recent and current TCP projects being implemented in DPR Korea are listed as follows:

Strengthening Small-Scale Milk Processing Capacity - The overall objective of the project is to develop national capacity for diversifying agricultural production on cooperative and state farms by introducing improved goat milk preservation technologies. The project introduced and developed new technologies to reduce losses and protect goat milk quality during milking and collection; enabled farmer-workers on cooperative and state farms to increase their earnings from goat milk production and provide improved nutrition for their families; established two model dairy units on the Taejam Cooperative Farm and the Pyongryul Specialized Goat (State) Farm, which use improved technologies to process increasing quantities of goat milk into safe and longer-keeping products; provided goat milk handling and processing know-how through training at all levels in the farm-distribution chain; and improved diets by boosting the quantities of nutritious and safe dairy products available through the Public Distribution System for food. The bulk of the equipment had been procured and installed by October 2003.

Participatory Integrated Watershed Management in Upland Areas -  The main objective was/is to assist the Government in its efforts undertaken to reverse the degradation of land resources (soil, water and vegetative cover).

Improvement in Soil Analysis and Fertilization - The main objective is to enhance cereal food production through efficient use of fertilizers by matching the fertilizer recommendation and use with the soil fertility status of farmers’ fields, production targets and resource availability.

Strengthening Capacity in Appropriate Integrated Fish Culture Systems - The main objective is to develop the national capacity to increase the production and productivity of fish in fishponds and integrated livestock-fish systems on cooperative and state farms. The initial sites are Pom An Cooperative Fish Farm and a pilot demonstration unit located at the Pyong Chon Specialised Warm Water State Fish Hatchery.

Conservation Agriculture for Food Security - The overall development objective is to increase food security through the introduction and application of conservation agriculture methods on the cooperative farms. This is to be achieved through contributing to a sustainable and productive double cropping programme.

Emergency Measures for the Control of Siberian Caterpillar - The main objective is to assist the Government with the emergency control of Siberian Caterpillar in coniferous forests of Ryanggang Province , to reduce pest populations to an economically acceptable level and to strengthen national capacity to contain pest outbreaks through in-country training.

Dairy Goat Improvement - The main objective is to support and accelerate national efforts to increase the output of goat milk and meat in the western provinces, thereby contributing to food security and contain any possible damage to the environment. The increased genetic potential for milk goats will be achieved through improved selection and breeding methods.

Marine Aquaculture Development - The object of the project is to introduce and transfer the technology of sea cucumber aquaculture, scallop spat production and pilot level demonstration of kelp-scallop-sea cucumber polyculture in the north-east coast of DPR Korea .

Watershed Development, Phase 2 - The main objective was/is to assist the Government in its efforts undertaken to reverse the degradation of land resources (soil, water and vegetative cover).  

Author - Mr. Michael Stapleton. FAO, DPR Korea, 24 March 2004.