SEOUL: South Korea’s agriculture ministry is implementing technologically advanced programs to ensure food security in a country facing challenges that include a declining rural population and climate change.
Stagnating prices for agricultural products have led to decreased profits for farmers, while the world’s lowest fertility rate means that fewer young people are entering the workforce, according to farmers and officials who spoke to Arab News.
To tackle these issues and improve food self-sufficiency, which was 47.9 percent in 2024 according to the ministry, governmental efforts have focused on promoting the adoption of smart farming, improving efficiency and reducing reliance on manual labor to achieve the target of more than 55.5 percent efficiency by 2027.
The ministry “has been continuing efforts to establish a robust food security system,” Seung-ho Choi, foreign press spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, told Arab News.
He added that “the concept of food security will be redefined, measurement indicators will be developed, and effective policy instruments will be created to achieve the target.”
New measures include the regulation of rice supply and demand “to provide post-action safeguards.”
Meanwhile, “sufficient incentives will be provided for crop diversification away from rice, while a new category of ‘supply-adjustment rice’ will be introduced.”
This type of rice is normally used in various types of food processing, but it can be converted for table rice consumption should supply shortages occur.
In addition, greater government support will be provided for product development, contract farming, and related measures to promote domestic wheat and soybean production, Choi said.
The ministry has also been promoting the use of smart farming, involving artificial intelligence, drones and robot technologies.
A five-year plan beginning in 2025 and four Smart Farm Innovation Valleys aim to expand smart farming.
These industrial complexes provide training programs for young people, helping to prepare them for the workforce.
They also offer environments where companies can test new technologies and services before real-world application.
Since 2025, the ministry has also designated horticultural smart farming zones, where smart farms and related facilities are clustered.
This year, the ministry is working to ensure that smart farming technologies can be more widely adopted across open-field agriculture and small and medium-sized farms, while also pursuing qualitative advancement through the integration of AI and robotics into agriculture.
Other farms and rural communities use solar power generation funded by government loans that provide additional income to support locals and encourage job creation.
Technology packages are being offered to key open-field crop production areas, while a new “K-smart farm” model tailors to small and medium-sized farming businesses.
Investment in research and development is also being made to advance next-generation smart farming technologies.
