Young farmers see opportunities in smart farming

Few would hold farming in the same regard as manufacturing, for example, especially in Korea where rapid and intensive growth over the past few decades was underpinned almost exclusively by exports of manufactured goods and services.

No longer is that the case, as evidenced by a growing number of young farmers managing their crops using smart technologies, a strength of Korea known as a global leader in the high-tech industry.

Temperature, humidity and LED lighting are among the critical controllable factors that optimize the production of high-quality popular fruit and vegetables, including strawberries and tomatoes.

"At the touch of a button, practically everything is manageable," said Shin Na-ra, a 23-year-old farmer who owns a smart strawberry farm in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province.

She is among many young farmers who shared their stories of finding interests in the traditional industry, with the assistance of the Rural Development Administration (RDA). The agriculture ministry-affiliated organization celebrated its 60th anniversary on Sept. 1 at its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.

Shin, a public administration major at a Seoul-based university, decided to seek a job in farming, in what she said was an opportunity with great future prospects in the years to come.

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By Lee Kyung-min

Photo: Rural Development Administration (RDA) Administrator Cho Chae-ho, third from right, exchanges opinions with young farmers during a session organized by the RDA at its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Sept. 1. Courtesy of RDA

Source: Korea Times