- Korea is expanding domestic forage production to reduce reliance on imported feed and address global supply disruptions and rising costs.
- The Korea Agriculture Technology Promotion Agency and the Korea Dairy & Beef Farmers Association have signed an agreement to scale up local forage supply and promote new livestock technologies.
- Volatility in global grain markets and climate-related disruptions have increased feed costs, prompting efforts to strengthen self-sufficiency and resilience in the agricultural sector.
The organisations signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 17 June to scale up locally produced forage and accelerate the adoption of new technologies in the field.
The agreement reflects growing concern over the cost pressures facing livestock producers, driven largely by dependence on imported feed inputs such as corn and soy.
Volatility in global grain markets, compounded by climate-related disruptions, has significantly increased feed costs, which remain the largest expense for most livestock operations.
By expanding domestic forage production, the MoU aims to reduce exposure to these external shocks.
The initiative aligns with broader government efforts to improve forage self-sufficiency and build resilience within the agricultural sector.
Strengthening the production and distribution of locally adapted forage crops is expected to provide a more stable and cost-effective alternative to imported feed inputs.
Under the partnership, KOAT will work with the association to improve the distribution system for high-quality domestic forage seeds, while also encouraging greater uptake among farmers through targeted outreach and promotion.
Accelerating tech adoption
Alongside forage expansion, the agreement places strong emphasis on accelerating the commercialisation and uptake of livestock technologies developed by the Rural Development Administration (RDA).
RDA said it would lean on the association’s network of farmers to promote the use of new technologies.
By doing so, it aims to create a more efficient pathway from research to on-farm use.
This approach addresses a longstanding bottleneck in agriculture, where technologies developed through public R&D often face delays in reaching commercial scale.
By accelerating adoption, South Korea aims to enhance the competitiveness of its agriculture industry.
“The competitiveness of our agriculture and livestock industry depends on how well we utilise resources produced in the field and how quickly we disseminate excellent technologies to farms,” said RDA president Lee Seok-hyung.
He added: “The Rural Development Administration will further strengthen the foundation for the self-reliance of our livestock industry by reducing the management burden on farms and increasing their income through the expansion of domestic forage supply and the field dissemination of new livestock technologies developed by the government.”
The organisations plan to establish a working-level committee to translate the agreement into concrete actions.
Priorities include the distribution of domestically grown forage in the second half of the year, strategies to promote technologies, and the implementation of joint projects.
