The Rural Development Administration is expanding the African Rice Seed Production Project (Ricepia) to alleviate food shortages in Africa, with plans to implement the project in seven countries starting this year and expanding to 10 countries by 2025. The project aims to address the increasing rice consumption in Africa and the low self-sufficiency rate of rice-consuming countries through pilot production and technical training. The project is part of the African K-Rice Belt Project and is intended to contribute to solving the food crisis in Africa and raise South Korea's status in the international community.