[Our African Product] (21) "Using K-development learned at Seoul National University to create a KDI in Burkina Faso"

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Intern Reporter Kyungbin Lim = "Agriculture should be treated as a profitable industry, not just a simple means of livelihood, in order to reduce poverty and drive economic transformation in Africa." Justine Bongkongu (31), a native of Burkina Faso, made this statement in an interview with Yonhap News held at a café in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, on the 6th when asked about the direction of African agriculture. He received a master's degree in applied and development economics from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Seoul National University last year. Bongkongu introduced, "I learned various contents from agricultural policy to natural resource management and impact assessment methods, and development economics," and "I chose this major with the conviction to contribute to reducing poverty and rural development in Africa." His master's thesis was on "The Role of Education in Increasing Household Income and Reducing Poverty in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA, 8 countries using a common currency in West Africa) Region." He explained, "By applying econometric techniques, I analyzed data such as household income in the UEMOA region," and "The research results showed a significant correlation between education level and income." He added, "This means that educational investment in relatively low-educated rural areas and vulnerable groups is important," and "The example of Korea's development through investment in human capital can serve as a model for the UEMOA region." Born in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, and having studied in the capital, Abidjan, Bongkongu moved to Burkina Faso in 2013 after completing high school. He then received bachelor's and master's degrees in agricultural economics and natural resource management from Thomas Sankara University, named after the former president who was called the "Father of Burkina Faso." During his university studies, he became aware of the realities faced by the rural areas of his home country, Burkina Faso. Bongkongu said, "I grew up in a farming family," and "Although more than 80% of Burkina Faso's population is engaged in agriculture, farmers are among the poorest groups." He continued, "Seeing this paradoxical social reality, I wondered 'Why are the people who feed the country the poorest?'" and "To solve this problem, increasing the income of farmers..."