As the global economy has started to worry about the concepts of growth and the environment simultaneously, our administration has promoted 'Low Carbon, Green Growth' as the nation's future vision. Agriculture is not only an essential industry that supports food production for the survival of humankind, but also it provides the appropriate roles for the protection of the environment and has leads to establishment of green industry to balance environmental processes such as supplying oxygen and preserving ecosystem biodiversity.
The Rural Development Administration (RDA) was established in 1962 as an industrial encouragement model matrix, and it has contributed to the development of Korean agriculture through such channels as the 'green revolution' for self-sufficiency in staple grains, and has led a 'white revolution' that encourages enjoyment of fresh vegetables during all four seasons. However, Korean agriculture has had a harder time than ever under rough agricultural market-opening pressure through the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) process after the Uruguay round of agreements.
Making a proactive stance, the RDA has focused its efforts on the improvement and advancement of Korean agriculture despite the existence of non-favorable market conditions and pressure.
NAS under the RDA consists of 6 departments and 1 center, with 526 staff, and is engaged in various research & development undertakings all over the country, guided by national agricultural directions.
The Agricultural Environment Department carries out research that pursues maintenance and preservation of a sustainable agricultural production base and rural environment, including technology development for the management of agricultural resources (soil, nutrients, water), countermeasures against climate change, and a system for low-input, closed-loop, organic agricultural production, generating income from agricultural environment resources, and establishing a foundation of welfare for rural communities.
The Department of Agricultural Biology enhances the competitiveness of industrial insects and agricultural microorganisms through the development and dissemination of technologies using insects, sericulture, beekeeping, and agricultural microorganisms.
The Department of Agro-Food Safety and Crop Protection works to develop management techniques that ensure chemical and microbial safety, integrated pest & weed management, and risk assessment systems for pesticides.
The Department of Agricultural Engineering specializes in automating and robotizing farm work, developing renewable energy and energy-saving technology, managing post-harvest quality, storage, and distribution technology, implementing prevention technology for agricultural disasters, designing customized upland agricultural machines to address the feminization and aging of rural labor, and developing health and safety technology to reduce farmers' workloads.
The Department of Agricultural Biotechnology is a leading national research and development institution that develops domestic agricultural biotechnology with state-of-the-art facilities for modern biotechnology. The department consists of four divisions: genetics, metabolic engineering, genetic engineering, and bio safety.
The Department of Agro-Food Resources strives to develop techniques that serve to increase farming incomes and enhance national health.
The National Agrobiodiversity Center sincerely carries out its mission to apply the diverse natural specialties of living things, ensure the sustainable preservation of biological diversification, and pursue the collection and conservation of more than 266,649 accessions, making it ranked 5th for genetic resources conservation.
As a leading organization of green growth and green techniques, NAS realizes and promotes sustainable agriculture and rural harmony for people and the environment, striving to become one of the world's best high-technology agricultural development organizations.