S. Korea Accelerates Turning Agricultural Production into Smart Farming through Smart Farming Support Centres 

Sejong, 17 June 2025 — On 17 June, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) has designated the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency (KOAT) and the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE) as smart farming support centres responsible for comprehensive and systematic support for growth of smart farming. The KOAT and the KAPE will provide support in terms of controlled horticulture and animal husbandry, respectively. 

A smart farming support centre is a hub agency for fostering smart farming designated in accordance with Article 6 of the Act on Fostering and Supporting Smart Farming. 

The two agencies will play diverse roles to foster smart farming. Such roles include (a) training and producing human resources for smart farming, (b) development of smart farming technologies and promotion of a wider adoption and use of such technologies, (c) fostering an industry of smart farming equipment and services, and (d) collection and analysis of smart farming data. This way, the MAFRA will accelerate turning agricultural production into smart farming.