Taiwan plans rice aid for 17 countries across three regions

Taiwan’s Agriculture and Food Agency plans to send up to 24,876 tonnes of government-held white rice to 17 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia that it says need food assistance. The agency said the rice will be provided free. Taipei Times also reported that Taiwan plans to donate rice to 17 nations.

The Agriculture and Food Agency said the planned donation will not affect Taiwan’s domestic food security or international trade. The article did not identify the recipient countries individually, but described them as being across the three regions and in need of assistance. The agency said the rice underwent food-safety testing in Taiwan and met CNS Grade 2 quality standards.

It also described safeguards for transporting the grain over long distances: the rice was packed in drop-resistant bags weighing either 10kg or 30kg, according to the agency. Loading for shipment had begun, the agency said. The account did not give a delivery schedule or say when the rice would reach its recipients.

It also did not specify how much rice each country would receive. The Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Agency said the announcement was made on World Food Day. The article describes the aid as part of Taiwan’s Food Humanitarian Aid Program, which began providing international food assistance in 2002 and is in its 25th year.

The agency presented the program as assistance for countries requiring food support, while also addressing food safety and domestic supply concerns. Its stated checks include testing and a quality standard, and it said the donation would not affect food security or international trade. The article does not detail how the agency calculated that assessment.

The immediate next steps identified by the agency are shipment preparations: loading had started, and the rice had been packaged for transport. The account provides no further shipment milestones or recipient-by-recipient details.