Agriculture’s future lies in Big Data

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Agriculture’s future lies in Big Data

Lately, Korean agricultural industry is faced with internal and external environmental changes and challenges such as market opening and aging of the farming population.

With increases in agricultural imports and decreasing production population, the farming production foundation is weakening, and agricultural income has been stagnant for years. Trends are rapidly changing, from producers to consumers. Small farming households that are unable to quickly respond to market demands may suffer financial difficulties.

In order to break through the crisis, Korean agricultural reality should be scientifically and objectively analyzed and new strategies need to be established. Major meteorological factors, farming information, inventory, purchase trends, international market information and import/export trends need to be collected and analyzed.

In the 50th anniversary of its foundation, the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, is resetting the business direction of sustainable farming. The beginning is the establishment of an agricultural products information platform that includes all farming-related information, from production to consumption. Scientific analysis of scattered big data in agriculture will contribute to a stable supply of agricultural products, reduction of distribution costs and increases in the exports of Korean agricultural and food products.

Another challenge in agriculture is jobs. Creating jobs is Korea’s national task and the prerequisite for continued development of Korean agriculture. In late July, the first Agrifood Frontier Leaders Organization (AFLO) reported on the diversification of the Korean agricultural and food product export market, and a second team was launched. It was announced that the AFLO member sent to South Africa facilitated the export of Korean soy milk there. It is a good example that pioneering overseas farming and food products markets can be a promising career.

Agriculture is the oldest industry in the history of humanity, and will last the longest and perpetually continue. No one can live without food. We need to work together to find the answers to the current issues and future direction of the agricultural industry.

*CEO of the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation

Yeo In-hong
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