South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) is accelerating efforts to develop smart agriculture technologies aimed at automating farming practices. (Image courtesy of Rural Development Administration)
JEONJU, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) is accelerating efforts to develop smart agriculture technologies aimed at automating farming practices.
On December 3, the RDA showcased its innovations during a demonstration event in Hamyang County, Gyeongnam Province, attended by over 100 local farmers and industry participants.
The initiative focuses on “open-field smart farming,” a data-driven system that collects and analyzes real-time information on soil, climate, pests, and crop growth. The system enables scientific decision-making, automating the entire agricultural process from planting to harvesting to achieve precision farming.
During the event, attendees explored five key technologies—nursery cultivation, soil preparation, transplanting, irrigation, and pest control—and participated in a test drive of an autonomous tractor.
The RDA estimates that integrating smart farming technologies into open-field onion cultivation could boost productivity by up to 40% while reducing labor requirements by 70%, saving approximately 1.65 million won ($1,260) per 1,000 square meters.
RDA Administrator Kwon Jae-han emphasized the importance of these advancements in addressing regional challenges such as climate change and labor shortages. “Based on results from the Hamyang pilot project, we plan to integrate commercialized smart farming technologies next year through our technology convergence initiatives,” he said.
This initiative underscores South Korea’s commitment to transforming traditional agriculture through cutting-edge technology, enhancing sustainability and efficiency.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
