55th agricultural technology cooperation committee held in Hamamatsu, Japan

Two countries to collaborate on large-scale farm management technology

Soil health management and climate change response strategies shared

This image is not related to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
This image is not related to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

South Korea and Japan have discussed expanding joint research in agriculture, including technology to predict carbon levels in farmland soil and ways to boost soybean productivity. The core aim is to share the research and development experience and technology the two countries have accumulated to address climate change and raise agricultural productivity.

South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday it attended the 55th Korea-Japan Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Cooperation Committee, held in Hamamatsu, Japan, from Tuesday through Thursday, to discuss R&D cooperation in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors.

The meeting brought together relevant agencies including the Rural Development Administration, the National Institute of Forest Science under the Korea Forest Service, and the National Institute of Fisheries Science under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The three joint research proposals the two countries discussed were: development of management technology for large-scale agricultural operations, advancement of a farmland soil carbon estimation system, and sharing of production-site and R&D information to improve soybean productivity.

In the soil carbon estimation area, the two sides discussed ways to advance the technology using the RothC model — a tool that predicts changes in soil carbon storage by factoring in temperature, moisture and clay content. Both countries proposed upgrading a farmland soil carbon estimation system based on the model as a joint research initiative.

Cooperation on soybean productivity was also on the agenda. The two countries explored ways to raise output by sharing production-site data and R&D findings from their respective soybean sectors.

Development of management technology for large-scale agricultural operations was also included among the joint research proposals. The two sides exchanged views on policy and R&D trends in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and discussed the direction of future technology cooperation.

As a special agenda item, the meeting addressed key issues in achieving soil health in East Asia, with both countries sharing their approaches to managing soil for sustainable agriculture.

The Korea-Japan Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Cooperation Committee was established following an agreement at the second Korea-Japan regular ministerial meeting in 1968. The two countries alternate hosting the annual meeting to promote technological advancement and joint research in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Last year's 54th meeting was held in Jeju.

Lee Si-hye, director general for agricultural industry innovation policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said the two countries had maintained close cooperation through the committee for more than 50 years. "We will continue to actively respond to shared challenges such as climate change and agricultural productivity, and steadily expand cooperation in future emerging technology areas," Lee said.


adastra@heraldcorp.com