In 2012, in one of his first public statements, Kim Jong-un promised the country that it would "never have to tighten its belt again", a reference to the years of famine and economic crisis in the 1990s that left over a million people dead. This year, he made that call again. As a result, North Korean farmers are now feeling the pressure to feed their hungry nation.

North Korea suffers from bad weather, lack of fuel for farming machinery, and a lack of fertilizers. Despite this, there are some signs of improvement. The combined overall crop production for this year and 2013 is expected to increase by 5% to 5.98 million tons, according to a joint report compiled by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Program. However, the report estimated that North Korea would still need to import 340,000 tons of cereals.

Experts agree that if North Korea wants to see any real improvement in agriculture, it will have to make significant changes to its agricultural system. These kinds of changes, however, could move North Korea closer to sanctioning capitalist-style markets and reforms, something it has long resisted. Whether it will happen ultimately rests on the shoulders of Kim Jong-un.

Source: The Guardian