The North Korean government is rumored to have purchased large tracts of land for the purposes of growing rice in Zimbabwe, according to reports on Zimbabwean news site The Telescope News.

Citing an unnamed Asian diplomat in Brussels, the report says the North Koreans have purchased land in the Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central provinces, described as “among Zimbabwe’s most fertile farming areas”.

“We have credible information about North Korea seeking land to grow rice,” the source is quoted as saying, “in Mashonaland East or Mashonaland Central under highly mechanised irrigation equipment possibly obtained from China”.

“Zimbabwe has tremendous potential to