Research Reports
Challenges of Agricultural and Rural Policies for their Consistency and Continuity
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AuthorSong, Miryung
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Publication Date2013.12.30
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Original
There exist some criticisms of agricultural and rural policy in terms of policy continuity that include unexpected policy changes according to replacement of government or minister, discordance among policy factors causing inconsistency, and lack of consistency between central government and local government occurring in the process of policy delivery. The purpose of this study is to find the problems concerning the discontinuity of policy implementation system and to suggest organization directions to improve reliability, efficiency and rationality of the agricultural and rural policy in the view of policy continuity.
For this research, we examined relevant laws and policies and performed a literature review concerning the policy implementation conditions with respect to policy continuity or policy consistency. We also carried out interviews with several mayors and local government officials in search of local conditions and problems pertaining to continuity of policy implementation. Analysis about a particular policy case(Agricultural policy) and a project case(New-vitality project) was performed as well. In order to evaluate the present policy conditions and to find clues to seek the improvement directions, we conducted first and second round delphi surveys constituting a professional panel of thirty persons in the agricultural and rural policy field. Lastly, using Q-methodology, we tried to draw several important discourses among the professionals and utilized the analytical result to obtain useful perspectives and to check the research direction.
From the results of this study, we suggested organization directions and challenges of agricultural and rural policy for the improvement of policy continuity. The organization directions we propose include; (ⅰ) to simplify the planning system, (ⅱ) to establish a medium or long-term integrated plan which has binding power by means of strengthening the linkage between planning and the budget, (ⅲ) practical constitution and management of committees at each level of government, (ⅳ) to assure that national and local government organizations in charge of agricultural and rural policy maintain responsibilities for a certain period of time, (ⅴ) management of special account, (ⅵ) to expand grants tailored to the particularities of different cases, (ⅶ) to amend the implementation guidelines for agricultural and forestry programs, (ⅷ) to reinforce the evaluation of the outcomes of agricultural and rural policies and the feedback process based on the evaluation results.
Policy continuity doesn't necessarily mean that a certain policy should continue unconditionally. A policy that is out of social and economic validity or that has uncertain outcomes must be revised or terminated. But if a policy is determined based on the right demand and consensus, it is important to organize the implementation system assuring effective and efficient implementation of the policy for a certain period of time. The organization of the system includes modifying the system of laws and plans, reorganizing the organizations responsible for agricultural and rural policy, carrying out budget projects, and allocating effective roles among central government, local government, and private-sector bodies, etc. As the result of those efforts, it would be possible to enhance the policy outcomes and establish policy credibility.
Researchers: Mi-Ryung Song, Joon-Kee Park, Kwang-Sun Kim and In-Hye Kwon
Research Period: 2013. 1～2013. 10
E-mail Address: mrsong@krei.re.kr
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