The purpose of this study was to develop strategies to lower entry barriers to farming. For the purpose, this study reviewed literatures, reassessed related systems, analyzed related statistics, surveyed new farmers and conducted case studies.
The literature review identified four factors of entry barriers to farming: economic capital, professional competencies, market and social network. The reassessment of related systems uncovered the following findings: the new farmer supporting system has relatively weak areas such as the market and social network; the central government's new farmer fostering program has a structural barrier to most of new farmers; some recently launched programs for new farmers have limited effects with no standard patterns to follow; agricultural literacy programs to induce people into agriculture are needed. Analysis of related statistics revealed that the natural decrease of farmers due to old farmers' retirement accounts for the recent reduction of agricultural human resources; new farmers usually have limited resources, little experience of participating in agricultural organizations, and no agricultural education background. The results of surveys on new farmers and case studies showed that four entry barriers are valid: new farmers who are planning farming and who are starting up have different barriers from each other; new farmers who have prepared longer time and participate more actively in agricultural organizations are inclined to have lower barriers; and social network is the key entry barrier which should be lowered before other barriers.
These research results led to develop a basic direction of strategies to lower entry barriers to farming: to assist new farmers to accumulate social capital by participating in agricultural organizations and to phase in farming with sufficient preparation. Under this direction, this study conducted case studies of non-agricultural sector and foreign countries and drew the following eleven specific measures to remove entry barriers to farming: ① support the farming apprenticeship of agricultural students; ② stimulate employment in agricultural corporations or big farms; ③ energize central and local networks for new farmers; ④ assist the capital build-up of new farmers; ⑤ develop and supply comprehensive manuals for new farmers; ⑥ provide competency-based financial aid package including educational support; ⑦ provide educational support for secondary and tertiary agricultural students; ⑧ provide education and incentives to agricultural production organizations; ⑨ improve the data collecting system to secure more precise data on new farmers; ⑩ strengthen the agricultural literacy education of the people; ⑪ build up the central and local administrative supporting system for newcomers' entry into farming.
Researchers: Ma Sang-jin, Chung Ki-Whan
E-mail address: msj@krei.re.kr