KREI Held FANEA

The Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), jointly with the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development (IAED) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Policy Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (PRIMAFF) in Japan, held the 13th Forum for Agricultural Policy Research in North East Asia (FANEA) on the theme of “Improving Labor Force and Rural Welfare for Enhancing Competitiveness” at the Kensington Jeju Hotel, Jeju-do, May 31.

The forum was attended by about 60 agricultural policy researchers at KREI, IAED, and PRIMAFF. The symposium was divided into Session 1 on “improving workforces for strengthening agricultural and rural competitiveness” and Session 2 on “rural welfare,” and consisted of topic presentations and discussions among experts from the three countries.

Session 1 was composed of the following presentations: “Agriculture Innovation & Young Beginning Farmers” by KREI senior research fellow Ma Sangjin; “Increasing Labor Productivity to Strengthen Agricultural Competitiveness: Comparison and Policy Implications from Major Agrarian Countries” by Dr. Chen Yangfen at IAED; and “Women’s Participation in Family Farm Management” by Dr. Mayumi Sato at PRIMAFF.

In Session 2, KREI research fellow An Sok made a presentation on “Health of Older Adults in Rural Areas and Their Use of Medical and Welfare Services,” Dr. Yukisato Yoshida at PRIMAFF on “Increasing Farming with Disabled People and Its Impact on Rural Community,” and Dr. Xia Ying at IAED on “An Analysis of China’s Rural Welfare from the Perspective of Basic Supply of Public Service in the Rural Areas.”

Heated discussions among researchers from Korea, China, and Japan followed the presentations of the three countries. FANEA has been operated since 2003 to exchange information and materials on agricultural and rural policies and to promote academic activities. The three institutes have held a FANEA international symposium on a common interest of the three countries each year in turn.