Under the hot, scorching sun, an elderly man sprays pesticide on a large, half-empty field. He earns less than 10 million KRW ($7,000 USD) a year. As the average age of farmers rises steadily year by year, these harsh conditions grow more common in Korea. Even if the elderly toil day and night, their incomes fall short of covering even the most basic needs.
Indeed, the agricultural industry faces a large decline due to a dwindling workforce as jobseekers flock to Seoul for white-collar jobs. “Stereotypes that farming is a job for lower class people are stopping people from entering smart farms,” Oh Sangseok, a researcher in agricultural technology, said.
Many farms have recently shut down due to this decline, which caused a significant drop in crop output. As a result of this decrease in production, the price of different vegetation escalated by about 3.59% compared to the previous year. Lettuce prices spiked up 61.1% last year (2024) during the kimchi making [김장] season compared to the previous year, which increased consumer burden.
Smart farms provide an innovative solution for this societal challenge by automating ventilation, watering and lighting. Through a combination of information and communication technology (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI), this modern innovation could automate labor-demanding practices and optimize plant growth schedules.
One example involves vertical plantations, which take crops indoors and artificially control every factor in plant growth. They generate an ideal environment year-round, which ensures consistent quality and produce.
With these advantages, smart farms gained interest among young citizens, especially due to new government support programs for the agricultural industry. Moreover, the 2025 Smart Farm Expo offers an exciting opportunity for the public to learn about the future of this industry.
However, few farmhouses actually adopted this technology due to its high implementation costs. While the Rural Development Administration offers initial support, stakeholders lack the funds to fully introduce and maintain the technology. The lackluster results of the government initiative drags Korea’s agriculture industry behind other nations.
“Korean smart farms are not at a high level compared to other developed countries, such as the Netherlands. Those countries have been studying and developing smart farms for a far longer period than Korea. For them, almost 90% of the work is already automated in smart farms, but we aren’t even close to that level yet,” Oh said. The government must further increase investments in their agricultural initiatives in order to gain success.
Smart farms open the path for mitigating food inflation and bring up-and-comers to the agriculture industry. Oh said, “I want to let people know that the agricultural industry is essential to our society, just as much as doctors and lawyers.” Amidst this burgeoning technology, the government must take action to elevate the social perception of farmers and breathe life into a dying yet fundamental industry.
