Research Reports
A Public Survey on Multi-functionality of Agriculture
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AuthorOh, Seik
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Publication Date2004.12.01
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Original
ABSTRACT
This study is aimed to survey public opinions on agriculture and agricultural multi-functionality, and to find appropriate measures, based on the survey, to increase nation-wide interest in and support for agriculture. 1,000 people composed of males and females aged between 20 and 50 years old were selected from six large cities in Korea. The survey was carried out through the Internet and telephone interview in July 2004.
The survey finds that most city dwellers highly appreciate commodity and non-commodity outputs of agriculture. Approximately 84% of the people surveyed is found to think that agriculture is important for national economy, and 75% answered that domestic agricultural market has been open to foreign countries too much. Most interviewees (95.3%) agreed that the government should give more support to agriculture to secure agricultural non-commodity outputs.
Among various non-commodity outputs, those surveyed thought that the most important is 'protection of environment and ecology system', followed by 'food security', 'balanced territorial development', 'social and cultural heritage', and 'rural landscape'.
Despite the high-degree awareness of agricultural multi-functionality, however, only 37.5% of the interviewees agreed that it is fine for their children to take a job in the agricultural sector, and only 48.0% was willing to pay more taxes to secure agricultural non-market services.
Based on comparison with previous studies, this study has found that people's determination to protect domestic agriculture has weakened over time. The percentage of those who answered positively to the question 'no more additional opening of domestic agricultural market' has dropped from 83.9% in 1999 to 70.9% in 2004, and the rate of the respondents, who are willing to pay more taxes to protect agriculture, has decreased by 20.4% during the same period.
In order to increase people's interest and support for domestic agriculture, the previous passive act of simple announcement of agricultural policies for farmers should be changed to a positive and realistic tactics of making all the people realize the value of non-commodity outputs of agriculture and its implication for the national economy. To this end, the study recommends as follows: 1) Educate the young generation about multi-functionality of agriculture and its value; 2) Promote relationship and mutual understanding between city and rural people; 3) Implement the campaign to draw nation-wide attention to agriculture and rural regions; and 4) Conduct PR activities through media, the Internet, and social education programs.
Researchers: Se-Ik Oh, Dong-Weon Kim and Hye-Jin Park
E-mail Address: seikoh@krei.re.kr
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