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, 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.”
