The Department of Agricultural Environment is a national research organization supporting rural area to maintain sound agricultural environment through developing rural resources and new agricultural technologies.
(1) The works of Department of Agricultural Environment focus on ;
- Manage the soil and nutrient levels of agricultural lands and build up the system to make effective use of information on agriculture and the environment
- Utilize climate resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the agricultural ecosystem soundness
- Set up a technology system for low-input, closed-loop, organic agricultural production
- Generate income from agricultural environment resources and establish a foundation of welfare for rural communities
It consists of Soil and Fertilizer Division, and Climate Change Assessment Division and Organic Agriculture Division and Rural Environment & Resources Division.
(2) Soil and Fertilizer Division
We contribute to the rational utilization of agricultural lands and the improvement of rural household income by doing research on farmland soil resources, establishing standards for physiochemical properties, developing optimum management techniques, managing crop nutrition, and advancing fertilizer resources application technologies
1. Updating of soil resource information and expansion of soil information services
This laboratory updates soil information in line with changes in land use, conducts soil surveys on Saemangeum Agricultural and Ecological Lands, makes digital soil maps reflecting soil properties, collects big data for soil security assessment and performs studies on rapid soil survey techniques by using proximal soil sensing.
2. Development of water movement and management techniques and dissemination of current and predictive drought information
This laboratory sets standards on soil physics for agricultural land and develops land improvement technology, develops water management techniques for outdoor and greenhouse cultivation, provides the current and predictive information on drought, assesses soil loss and develops soil conservation practices.
3. Evaluation of changes in agricultural environment resources, performing of soil tests, and development of on-site diagnosis and prescription techniques
This laboratory periodically monitors and evaluates the chemical properties of national agricultural lands, develops technologies to protect agricultural lands from heavy metals, sets soil chemistry standards, supports test-based policies for preserving agricultural environment and performs soil diagnosis and prescribes productivity techniques for farming sites.
4. Improvement of fertilizer application prescription services and support of agricultural environment preservation programs
This laboratory develops integrated nutrition management and assists in providing financial support to farmers by setting the fertilizer recommendation, studying fertigation prescription, modeling the nutrient transport in agricultural lands, calculating the nutrient balance of agricultural lands to provide improvement measures, and performing nutritional diagnosis by crop growth stages.
5. Development of techniques for safe use of organic matter in agricultural land and assessment of soil carbon changes
This laboratory develops technologies to utilize organic resources in agriculture and safe use, sets the recommended amount of organic fertilizer to be applied, evaluates land environmental changes caused by the long-term use of fertilizer and studies and predicts soil carbon changes to maintain the optimal amount of organic matter in agricultural lands.
(3) Climate Change Assessment Division
This division refines agrometeorological data and disaster-related information; anticipates the effect of climate change on agricultural ecosystem and assesses vulnerability and advances the main crops’ yield forecasting information. In addition, it calculates greenhouse gas emissions and fine dust and responds proactively to the new climate regime issues by striving to develop greenhouse gas reduction technologies.
1. Refinement of the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector and development of reduction technologies and putting them to practical use
This laboratory analyzes greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions by establishing National GHG Inventory in agricultural sector and responds to international cooperation(UNFCCC) to improve climate change policies. It contributes to the promotion of ‘Net-Zero’ through the development and application of GHG reduction technologies, and carbon life cycle assessment.
2. Evaluation of fine particulate matter emission in the agricultural sector and assessment of atmospheric environmental impact
This laboratory monitors and make inventory of the emission characteristics of fine particulate matter in the agricultural sector, and is upgrading the calculation of fine particulate matter emissions. Also, it conducts the management of fine particulate matter and ammonia emission information and the assessment of the impact of the atmospheric environment on agricultural areas.
3. Research on climate change at agroecosystem and assessment of climate change impact and vulnerability
This laboratory develops climate indexes for the agricultural water environment, biodiversity and biotic seasons, and assesses the effect of climate change and vulnerabilities. It also develops technologies that can minimize the impact of climate change to maintain the function of agricultural ecosystem services.
4. Production and utilization of agrometeorological and agro-climatic forecast information and advancement of early warning technology for agrometeorological disasters
This laboratory expands and advances the early warning service for meteorological disaster, evaluates agricultural climate resources, and performs climate prediction modeling. Moreover, it develops indexes for abnormal weather and dangers and estimates and assesses local micro-meteorological patterns and risks.
5. Measurement of agricultural production environment based on remote-sensing and advancement of crop yield forecast technology
This laboratory evaluates the yields of main domestic and foreign crops based on remote sensing methods, and monitors agricultural production environments. It also observes and analyzes agricultural disasters by utilizing remote sensing technologies and establishes a base to apply satellite images on the agricultural sector.
(4) Organic Agriculture Division
We develop field-focused, low-input resource cycling technologies to resolve technical difficulties in organic farming and put them to practical use, thereby contributing to the development of eco-friendly organic farming.
1. Publication and distribution of organic farming manuals and books on agricultural technologies: (‘09) 6 books → (‘20) 50 books
his laboratory develops organic farming-based technologies such as organic seeds, biological resource utilization technology, and organic agricultural materials to minimize the damage caused by pests and diseases when growing organic crops. We are conducting research on the development and dissemination of eco-friendly pest and diseases management technology.
Publication of manuals and books on organic farming
2. Study on nutrient management efficiency for organic crop land and agro-ecology
This laboratory develops soil and nutrient management technologies using organic resource to secure soil health. We are conducting researches on evaluating contribution of organic farming to carbon neutral and completing soil quality evaluation system.
3. Practical use of the comprehensive organic crop pest management
This laboratory examines and assesses the effects of the organic farming on agriculture and the rural environment and ecology. Based on findings, it explores how to provide comprehensive technological, social, policy support to make agricultural and the rural environment and ecosystem healthier.
4. Strengthening of domestic and international cooperation on organic farming research
This laboratory is conducting research about the value promotion based on the evaluation of public value using useful biological resources and establishment of organic agriculture digital ecosystem services induce connections between producers and consumers, in order to enhance and disseminate the multifunctional value of organic agriculture.
(5) Rural Environment and Resources Division
Rural Environment and Resources Division aims to contribute to the creation of a rural area where people want to go and live by improving the quality of rural residents’ life and enhancing the utilization value of agricultural and rural resources.
1. Supporting stable settlement of young or female farmers and improving welfare of rural residents such as elderly farmers
The lab is conducting research on the welfare and capacity building for future human resources in agriculture such as female or young farmers, supporting the customized policy establishment through agriculture career system development, and response to aging population for welfare of rural residents. In addition, we are providing social services for incoming rural population returning farmers and marriage immigrants in order for them to stably residents.
2. utilization of rural resources and study on rural spatial planning to make livable rural communities
In response to the depopulation of rural areas and expansion of living services, we are conducting research on the development of rural space regeneration technology to provide basic services and create a pleasant residential environment, preservation and management of local resources such as agricultural heritage and landscape, and field-oriented local community regeneration research.
3. Revitalization of rural healing tourism and improvement of rural tourism quality
We are conducting the research to discover value of agricultural and rural areas and develop tourism services as a place for rest and recreation. We contribute to expanding rural tourism market and creating competitive advantage through rural environment and cultural resource excavation of regional network, development of rural healing and ecotourism content as well as rural tourism business strategy, and quality enhancement.
4. The digitalization of rural resources to improve public value in rural areas
This lab is researching on digitization and management system for various rural resources to expand and enhance public benefit functions in agriculture and rural areas.
In addition, we are conducting a study on social safety net connection and public subsidy based on public benefit functions in agriculture and rural areas through a study on welfare conditions such as farmers and fishermen