| A Vision and Regional Development Strategies of Korea's Agriculture, Rural Areas, and Food Industry | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Lee, Yongsun | ||
| Views | 93338 | Publication Date | 2016.05.31 |
| Original | |||
|
With rice tariffication in 2014 and the signing of the Korea-China FTA in 2015, Korea concluded free trade agreements with most major countries including the US, the EU, and China, finishing one stage of the agricultural sector's market opening. In an era of full market opening, this study aimed to establish a vision of the future of Korea's agriculture, rural communities, and food industry and present each field's tasks for development and regional development strategies. For this research, we conducted a SWOT analysis of the future environment of agriculture, rural areas, and the food industry based on the results of previous studies and the expert forum, and derived the vision and tasks for development. We utilized KREI-KASMO, the Korea Rural Economic Institute's agricultural outlook model to calculate the estimates of indices for 20 years related to farming and rural regions. To analyze the order of priority of the tasks and the vision, we carried out in-depth expert research and employed AHP. To draw regional development strategies, we commissioned a study to universities and research institutes in three areas. We set the following vision of the future of agriculture, rural communities, and the food industry in 20 years: "the sustainable agri-food industry and livable rural areas." Among the directions for development of each field, "stable supply of safe agri-food" took priority over "future growth industrialization of agriculture," "environment conservation and maximization of multifunctionality of farming and rural regions," and "a reduction in the urban-rural gap and the creation of livable rural communities." This accords with the public opinion survey results, implying that the government policy direction should put top priority on constructing a stable supply system of safe food. As tasks by field for achieving the vision of agriculture, rural areas, and the food industry, training leading agricultural players and human resources, establishing a management system of safe agricultural and livestock products, and creating rural jobs were given priority in terms of both importance and urgency. Therefore, the government should also place top priority on nurturing enterprises that will lead future agriculture, building the safety control system, and creating jobs in rural regions. For regional development strategies, Chungcheongnam-do should set up a food-centered plan to construct a regional circulation system of agri-food, and should strengthen an independent committee's governance function to link existing policies and projects, agents, sectors and fields. For the function of governance, capacity building is important and educational activities for it need to be reinforced. For Jeollanam-do's agricultural development, it will be effective to pursue a strategy for safe, economic, and eco-friendly agro-food by promoting environment-friendly farming. To strengthen environmentally friendly agriculture, it is necessary to reinforce education for enhancing farmers' will to practice and sense of responsibility, nurture talents, and improve a system for developing and disseminating organic farming technologies. The farms in Gyeongsangnam-do are actively cultivating new items such as subtropical fruit and vegetables. This province needs to pursue its development by building a regional innovation system. Regional innovation can result from research dissemination in the field through close cooperation between local agricultural policy and universities and research institutes with expertise and human resources. Researchers: Lee Yongsun, Park Mi-seong, Han Sukho, Moon Hanpil, Park Hanul, Park jiwon, Park Seongjin, Jung Dochae, Chung Daehee Research period: 2015. 7. ~ 2016. 2. E-mail address: yslee@krei.re.kr |
|||