"In the era of climate crisis, the safety of agricultural workers cannot be ensured by individual efforts alone. It now requires national management. Ensuring the safety of farmers is essential for securing the sustainability of agriculture and realizing the public value of food security. The Rural Development Administration (RDA) plans to expand the deployment of heat illness prevention agents and agricultural safety managers nationwide starting next year to build a safety net for farmers."
Concerns about agricultural safety have grown as extreme heat has been recorded across the country, including a record high of 42.5 degrees Celsius in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, this summer. Farmers, who are often older and work outdoors, are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Lee Seung-don, head of the RDA, recently spoke with Aju Economic Daily about the importance of protecting the lives and safety of farmers to secure the future of agriculture. He emphasized that the health of farmers is the "most important asset" for agricultural development, a conclusion he reached after visiting over 100 sites since taking office on August 15, 2022. He also stressed that the safety of farmers is a public issue, not just a private one, given the increasing severity of extreme heat each year.
To minimize crop damage caused by abnormal weather, he mentioned the need for technological innovation. The RDA plans to expand early warning services for extreme weather and enhance systems to assess risks. He also promised to promote climate-adaptive varieties and establish a sustainable agricultural foundation resilient to climate crises by reflecting climate change scenarios in the development of new cultivation areas.
Below is a Q&A with the RDA chief.
- It has been a year since you took office as RDA chief. How do you reflect on the past year?
"The past year has been a time of relentless effort to solve the difficulties in agriculture and rural areas through technology. In my first year, I visited 101 sites to communicate with farmers and agricultural industry stakeholders, striving to address agricultural and rural issues promptly.
This year, I am working to ensure that the research achievements accumulated over time translate into actual income increases and management stability for farmers, as well as tangible results for the public. We are focusing on integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to help agriculture leap into a new industry, and we plan to actively utilize the agricultural satellite launched in July to support key policy needs such as agricultural supply management and disaster response."
- According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 15.4% of heat illness cases last year were among agricultural workers. What measures is the RDA implementing this year to protect vulnerable farmers, such as the elderly?
"From May to September, as the heat arrives, the central government and local rural development agencies have established 'heat illness prevention measures for farmers.' We have operated a 'heat disaster response situation room' based on the heat wave alert level and checked the heat illness response system with local rural development agencies. We provide weekly updates on the occurrence of heat illnesses in the agricultural sector and collaborate with the Korea Meteorological Administration to disseminate daily 'heat impact forecasts' to relevant agencies and local governments.
This year, a significant change is the selection of new heat illness prevention agents from agricultural learning groups, who have been deployed to the field. Since May, we have trained 1,149 leading farmers who are well-acquainted with rural areas and have high activity levels, placing them in 91 cities and counties. They are checking high-risk exposure sites such as rice paddies, fields, and greenhouses, and distributing heat illness prevention supplies at community centers."
- Last November, you announced the 'AI Integration Strategy for Agricultural Science and Technology.' What changes has this strategy brought to rural development projects?
"AI is no longer just a supplementary tool; it has become an essential foundation for research, technology dissemination, and administrative tasks. We have encouraged rural extension workers nationwide to utilize 'AI Isak' (an AI language model for farmers) when providing technology dissemination and farming consultations. This allows farmers to access verified agricultural technology information more quickly and conveniently, regardless of time and place.
By the first half of this year, we conducted 28 training sessions on AI utilization for 107 senior officials and all staff, working to establish an AI culture. The ultimate goal of this AI integration strategy is to accelerate the development and dissemination of technologies needed in the field."
- Compared to rice farming, the mechanization rate in field farming is still considered low. How is the mechanization of the entire process from planting to harvesting of major field crops progressing?
"The mechanization rate in field farming has made meaningful progress, rising from 63.3% in 2022 to 67.0% in 2024, but it is still low compared to rice farming (99.7%). The mechanization rates for labor-intensive stages such as planting, transplanting, and harvesting are even lower.
Our goal is to complete the development of machinery for the entire production process of the eight major field crops, including garlic, onions, radishes, cabbage, and potatoes, by next year. The developed technologies will be prioritized for dissemination through new technology dissemination projects and expanded nationwide in connection with agricultural machinery rental programs. We aim to reduce labor burdens and increase productivity to create tangible changes for farmers."
- The RDA is developing and disseminating various agricultural technologies. How do you see the impact of these technologies on reducing production costs and increasing farmers' income?
"At the research planning stage, the RDA conducts cost-benefit analyses and expert evaluations to review marketability, productivity, and spillover effects, adjusting research directions and budgets to prioritize economically viable projects. After technology development is completed, we analyze the technological value and production and employment effects of new varieties and patented farming techniques to use as objective evidence for technology transfer and field dissemination.
This year, we are strengthening economic analysis before and after technology dissemination to verify whether the developed technologies lead to actual reductions in production costs and increases in income. We have developed and distributed a checklist to assess the economic viability of farming technologies before dissemination. In the future, we plan to analyze the income improvement effects before and after technology adoption in demonstration farms to reflect this in pilot projects."
- Climate change is shifting the suitable cultivation areas for existing crops and increasing growth damage. How is the development of climate-adaptive varieties being pursued?
"Due to the warming of the Korean Peninsula and the intensification of abnormal weather, the growth damage of existing crops is increasing, making the development of climate change-adaptive varieties and the provision of cultivation area information urgent. The RDA is continuously developing about 18 climate-adaptive varieties each year that are resilient to high temperatures, drought, and pests.
Examples include the summer apple 'Golden Ball,' which has good high-temperature coloring, the heat-resistant cabbage 'Haradue,' and the cold-resistant onion 'Wolmi Yellow.' We are also distributing future cultivation area maps for each crop that reflect climate change scenarios to help farmers and local governments respond proactively to shifts in suitable cultivation areas.
In the future, we will continue to promote innovations in digital precision breeding and speed breeding technologies to solidify a sustainable agricultural foundation resilient to climate crises. We plan to strengthen the field dissemination of developed climate-adaptive varieties."
- What are the upcoming tasks and goals?
"In the second half of the year, we will first strengthen the field-oriented agricultural safety management system. Heat illness prevention agents selected nationwide will closely support vulnerable groups, such as elderly farmers, and agricultural safety managers will proactively address risk factors to prevent agricultural accidents.
We will also realize AI-based future agriculture and expand K-agricultural technology globally. We aim to enhance the agricultural technology-specialized AI agent 'AI Isak' so that farmers can utilize tailored farming technologies anytime, anywhere. We plan to support rural development in Laos and Bangladesh in collaboration with the Saemaul Undong Central Association and KOICA."
Concerns about agricultural safety have grown as extreme heat has been recorded across the country, including a record high of 42.5 degrees Celsius in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, this summer. Farmers, who are often older and work outdoors, are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
Lee Seung-don, head of the RDA, recently spoke with Aju Economic Daily about the importance of protecting the lives and safety of farmers to secure the future of agriculture. He emphasized that the health of farmers is the "most important asset" for agricultural development, a conclusion he reached after visiting over 100 sites since taking office on August 15, 2022. He also stressed that the safety of farmers is a public issue, not just a private one, given the increasing severity of extreme heat each year.
To minimize crop damage caused by abnormal weather, he mentioned the need for technological innovation. The RDA plans to expand early warning services for extreme weather and enhance systems to assess risks. He also promised to promote climate-adaptive varieties and establish a sustainable agricultural foundation resilient to climate crises by reflecting climate change scenarios in the development of new cultivation areas.
Below is a Q&A with the RDA chief.
- It has been a year since you took office as RDA chief. How do you reflect on the past year?
"The past year has been a time of relentless effort to solve the difficulties in agriculture and rural areas through technology. In my first year, I visited 101 sites to communicate with farmers and agricultural industry stakeholders, striving to address agricultural and rural issues promptly.
This year, I am working to ensure that the research achievements accumulated over time translate into actual income increases and management stability for farmers, as well as tangible results for the public. We are focusing on integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to help agriculture leap into a new industry, and we plan to actively utilize the agricultural satellite launched in July to support key policy needs such as agricultural supply management and disaster response."
- According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 15.4% of heat illness cases last year were among agricultural workers. What measures is the RDA implementing this year to protect vulnerable farmers, such as the elderly?
"From May to September, as the heat arrives, the central government and local rural development agencies have established 'heat illness prevention measures for farmers.' We have operated a 'heat disaster response situation room' based on the heat wave alert level and checked the heat illness response system with local rural development agencies. We provide weekly updates on the occurrence of heat illnesses in the agricultural sector and collaborate with the Korea Meteorological Administration to disseminate daily 'heat impact forecasts' to relevant agencies and local governments.
This year, a significant change is the selection of new heat illness prevention agents from agricultural learning groups, who have been deployed to the field. Since May, we have trained 1,149 leading farmers who are well-acquainted with rural areas and have high activity levels, placing them in 91 cities and counties. They are checking high-risk exposure sites such as rice paddies, fields, and greenhouses, and distributing heat illness prevention supplies at community centers."
- Last November, you announced the 'AI Integration Strategy for Agricultural Science and Technology.' What changes has this strategy brought to rural development projects?
"AI is no longer just a supplementary tool; it has become an essential foundation for research, technology dissemination, and administrative tasks. We have encouraged rural extension workers nationwide to utilize 'AI Isak' (an AI language model for farmers) when providing technology dissemination and farming consultations. This allows farmers to access verified agricultural technology information more quickly and conveniently, regardless of time and place.
By the first half of this year, we conducted 28 training sessions on AI utilization for 107 senior officials and all staff, working to establish an AI culture. The ultimate goal of this AI integration strategy is to accelerate the development and dissemination of technologies needed in the field."
- Compared to rice farming, the mechanization rate in field farming is still considered low. How is the mechanization of the entire process from planting to harvesting of major field crops progressing?
"The mechanization rate in field farming has made meaningful progress, rising from 63.3% in 2022 to 67.0% in 2024, but it is still low compared to rice farming (99.7%). The mechanization rates for labor-intensive stages such as planting, transplanting, and harvesting are even lower.
Our goal is to complete the development of machinery for the entire production process of the eight major field crops, including garlic, onions, radishes, cabbage, and potatoes, by next year. The developed technologies will be prioritized for dissemination through new technology dissemination projects and expanded nationwide in connection with agricultural machinery rental programs. We aim to reduce labor burdens and increase productivity to create tangible changes for farmers."
- The RDA is developing and disseminating various agricultural technologies. How do you see the impact of these technologies on reducing production costs and increasing farmers' income?
"At the research planning stage, the RDA conducts cost-benefit analyses and expert evaluations to review marketability, productivity, and spillover effects, adjusting research directions and budgets to prioritize economically viable projects. After technology development is completed, we analyze the technological value and production and employment effects of new varieties and patented farming techniques to use as objective evidence for technology transfer and field dissemination.
This year, we are strengthening economic analysis before and after technology dissemination to verify whether the developed technologies lead to actual reductions in production costs and increases in income. We have developed and distributed a checklist to assess the economic viability of farming technologies before dissemination. In the future, we plan to analyze the income improvement effects before and after technology adoption in demonstration farms to reflect this in pilot projects."
- Climate change is shifting the suitable cultivation areas for existing crops and increasing growth damage. How is the development of climate-adaptive varieties being pursued?
"Due to the warming of the Korean Peninsula and the intensification of abnormal weather, the growth damage of existing crops is increasing, making the development of climate change-adaptive varieties and the provision of cultivation area information urgent. The RDA is continuously developing about 18 climate-adaptive varieties each year that are resilient to high temperatures, drought, and pests.
Examples include the summer apple 'Golden Ball,' which has good high-temperature coloring, the heat-resistant cabbage 'Haradue,' and the cold-resistant onion 'Wolmi Yellow.' We are also distributing future cultivation area maps for each crop that reflect climate change scenarios to help farmers and local governments respond proactively to shifts in suitable cultivation areas.
In the future, we will continue to promote innovations in digital precision breeding and speed breeding technologies to solidify a sustainable agricultural foundation resilient to climate crises. We plan to strengthen the field dissemination of developed climate-adaptive varieties."
- What are the upcoming tasks and goals?
"In the second half of the year, we will first strengthen the field-oriented agricultural safety management system. Heat illness prevention agents selected nationwide will closely support vulnerable groups, such as elderly farmers, and agricultural safety managers will proactively address risk factors to prevent agricultural accidents.
We will also realize AI-based future agriculture and expand K-agricultural technology globally. We aim to enhance the agricultural technology-specialized AI agent 'AI Isak' so that farmers can utilize tailored farming technologies anytime, anywhere. We plan to support rural development in Laos and Bangladesh in collaboration with the Saemaul Undong Central Association and KOICA."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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