As an example of a green development project in the agricultural industry, this research has been conducted to review the possibility of commercialization of molecular farming to produce of raw materials for biopharmaceuticals using the plant factory at Jeollabuk-do, and to propose commercialization strategies of plant molecular farming as the future growth of Jeollabuk-do. To accomplish the study goal, the data of related fields in domestic and international literature was summarized and opinions on the possibility of promoting the project were collected through expert interviews.
This report consists of six chapters as follows:
Chapter one describes the needs of the study, the purpose and scope of the study, and the previous studies. Chapter two reviews a current status of plant factory system in domestic and foreign cases. Chapter three presents a current status of technology development and commercialization in domestic and foreign cases’ molecular farming using plant factory. Chapter four investigates possibilities of molecular farming commercialization for producing biopharmaceuticals. Chapter five suggests directions for implementing molecular farming commercialization in Jollabuk-do. Chapter six presents the summary and conclusion of this study.
The relevant information was summarized by visiting research organizations which are leading molecular farming. Recently, the interest in industrialization of plant molecular farming which produces functional or medical raw materials by grafting high value-added proteins based on convergence technologies such as IT, BT, and NT is expanding. There is a necessity to establish a foundation for future growth in this agricultural industry. The government is currently investing efforts to develop the LED-IT, which is a key component. Jeollabuk-do is enhancing the value added through fusion and convergence of LED technology with agriculture, biology, food, and parts and materials fields. Japan has commercialized plant farming using solar rays in the 1960s. Vibrant studies are being conducted focused on completely sealed plant molecular farming, in response to the need for vitalization of the local economy and to combat climate change. Japan has subsidized this industry. Molecular farming in the US was originally developed to grow food in space, but it has recently progressed to the concept of large-scale vertical farming in urban areas. In Europe, many studies are being conducted to realize more advanced plant farming by employing process and control device automation. Since plant farming have the characteristics of precision agriculture, their products can be safer than general agricultural products, and provide an alternative to traditional open-air agriculture, as well as an important means to realize molecular agriculture.
To achieve these goals, there is a need to design a Korean-style profit model for the plant farming systems, operate it, and promote the appropriate automation. As molecular plant farming produces new functional materials through plants, it has merits of being more economical than the animal system and offers relatively easier separation of end products with a mass production process. However, there is a need to develop technologies to increase the refinement and manifestation level. It has been expected that molecular agriculture will form a global market of 100 billion USD in 2025.
Molecular farming through plant factory can be successful when operated comprehensively with a combination of LED technology and GMO technology. In the case of Jeollabuk-do, a relatively large portion of domestic research results of plant farming and molecular plant farming fields were conducted by the Chonbuk National University and research institutes located in Jeollabuk-do as a special area for LED development related to agriculture and biology. In addition, a synergistic effect from the relocation of agriculture-related organizations such as the Rural Development Administration is expected. Thus, this area has advantages in professionalism and location. It will take time for the industrialization of molecular plant farming to solidify. Thus, it would be proper to set a target date of 2020, and approach the end goals in three steps: initial development with infrastructure (2011-2013), take-off stage (2014-2016), and settlement stage (2017-2020).


Researchers: Kim Chang-Gil, Kim Yoon-Hyung, Jang Jeong-Kyung and Kim Tae-Hoon
Research period: 2011. 1. 〜 2011. 3.
E-mail address: changgil@krei.re.kr