SEOUL, July 6 (Reuters) - South Korea is set to sign an agreement next week with eight African nations to help boost rice production and cut their dependence on imports, Agriculture Minister Chung Hwang-keun told Reuters, amid concerns over food security on the continent. The minister said during several visits to Africa starting late last year officials told him they desperately needed help. Rice prices had almost doubled due to supply chain disruptions," Chung said, noting how food imports had squeezed the countries' foreign exchange reserves. South Korea has been able to produce enough rice to meet more than 90% of local demand, though still depends heavily on some other food imports. "The K-Rice project will bring outstanding rice varieties and hope to the small farmers in Africa suffering from the climate crisis," Marian Sunhee Yun, the director of WFP Korea Office, said.

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Persons: Chung Hwang, keun, Yoon Suk Yeol, Chung, Rice, Yoon Suk, Marian Sunhee Yun, 1,302.3500, Soo, hyang Choi, Ed Davies, Sonali Paul Organizations: Agriculture, Reuters, Economic, West African States, United Nations, Food, WFP Korea Office, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, Ghana, Guinea, Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, Africa, West Africa, Seoul