MAFRA – Ministry of Agriculture Food and Ru : Announces Measures to Develop Agri-Food Industry into High ...

◇ The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA, Minister Kim Jae-su) reported measures to transform the agricultural and food industries into future growth engines by preparing basic solutions to pending issues such as avian influenza (AI) and rice supply, and by completing core tasks for the government.

① Preparing fundamental solutions to pending issues

- In response to total AI for the early termination of AI, the MAFRA will minimize the inconvenience to the public by stabilizing the possibility of additional incidents and by stabilizing the supply of eggs and poultry (April).

- In order to achieve a rice supply and demand balance by 2018, the MAFRA will reduce rice cultivation areas (35,000 ha in 2017), foster the processing industry, expand the supply of waste and welfare rice, etc., induce proper production of rice, and stabilize farmers' income.

* Fundamental measures to stabilize supply and demand of rice in mid-to long-term (February)

- The ministry will improve the consumption and distribution structures by minimizing damage to business items such as flowers, Korean beef, and dining which are affected by the anti-graft law.

* Devising consumption promotion measures by major affected items (January) and mid-to long-term industrial competitiveness improvement measures (March)

② Expansion of results of core national tasks:

- The MAFRA will strengthen customized export support for major markets such as the Chinese and Halal markets, and usher in an era of exporting US$ 10 billion in the export of agricultural products and foods including agricultural materials and brands.

- The MAFRA will expand the supply of smart farms (4,000 ha greenhouses and 730 cattle sheds up to 2017), and develop high value-added, technology-intensive agriculture based on size expansion, and the development of cattle management SW and standardization.

- The MAFRA will solidify customized support based on the results of the sixth industrialization and will transform agriculture into a future-oriented convergence industry by turning tangible and intangible resources such as nature, culture, traditions, etc. into tourism resources.

* Attracting 11 million domestic foreign tourists (200,000 foreigners) to rural districts.

- The MAFRA will increase farmers' income and provide a safety net for them by expanding support for agricultural disaster insurance, etc.; it will prevent disasters and the outbreaks of pests, and strengthen customized welfare support for low-income and aged farmers.

* Launching win-win fund management headquarters (first quarter); and discovering financial projects and various differentiated projects

- The MAFRA will build pre-emptive and autonomous supply-demand stabilization systems by improving the accuracy of observation, and expanding the collection and analysis of information on prices of agricultural products and their supply and demand; and will streamline distribution by improving the wholesale market system, and spreading new distribution channels (170 local food direct sales outlets until 2017).

* Expanding the settlement of accounts, allowing direct purchase of wholesale market corporations and limited sales

③ Expansion of future growth foundation for the agri-food industry:

- The MAFRA will provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs through the agri-food industry; actively nurture core human resources for the future by expanding the number of students at the Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries (390 in 2016, 470 in 2017 and 550 in 2018), and by supporting young farmers with farmland leases

- The MAFRA will foster the food and restaurant industry by promoting promising products such as simple, functional, and elderly-friendly foods, and Korean agri-food products using the Pyeongchang Olympic Games, and will enhance people's health and nutrition by spreading a proper food culture and strengthening safety management.

- The MAFRA will discover new growth engine sectors such as seeds, agricultural products, farm equipment and pets, and foster them as high-value-added industrial items, concentrating on policies and practical R&D in response to the future such as the fourth industrial revolution.

- The MAFRA will strengthen function as work, living, and shelter (80 Clean Water & Green Farming villages) by introducing design concept to rural development and by moving forward with 'Clean Agriculture' such as village and environmental improvement.

* Linking natural resources and base facilities (train stations, theme parks, etc.) and enhancing the value of rural areas.

※ Restoring agricultural trust through the ABC (Act, Believe, and Care) and rural government; and enhancing policy experience through cooperation and sharing of information between ministries and agencies.