Farmers are strongly protesting against LG Group’s latest agricultural venture.
Its IT affiliate LG CNS plans to open the Smart Biopark, which has a high-tech greenhouse and facilities for processing, distribution and research and development. Last month, the company said it would invest 380 billion won into the smart farming project in the Saemangeum area in North Jeolla Province.
Farmers are firmly against the chaebol’s entry into farming. In a recent press conference by famers’ organizations at the North Jeolla Provincial legislature, they asked the government to take measures to stop LG’s smart farm project. The Korean Advanced Farmers Federation also protested in Seoul, demanding fundamental legislative measures to bar large companies from expanding into agriculture.
North Jeolla Province has been desperate to attract big corporate investment in the vast area of reclaimed land and the Smart Biopark is exactly the kind of innovative venture that Saemangeum needs. It is regrettable that the project is hitting a snag because of the farmers’ resistance.
The farmers' reaction is understandable since it is natural to worry over their livelihood. But it is also true that farmers’ short-sighted views are preventing Korea’s agricultural sector from catching up with global standards.
Smart farming is the future of agriculture in the connected world. It is time for farmers to break away from stereotypes that farming is only for those who have done it for generations. The aging in rural areas, in particular, highlights the need for rural communities to embrace smart farming more actively.
The farmers and LG CNS need to find a win-win solution to resolve their differences. The company should offer projects that are beneficial to the farmers, such as providing consulting on smart farming. So far, the farmers have refused to take part in dialogue with LG or listen to LG’s explanation that the tomatoes and peppers cultivated from the smart farm facility will be exported to avoid competition with homegrown produce. They should at least engage in negotiations with the company to find mutually beneficial solutions.
The farmers should view the project as an opportunity to upgrade Korea’s agricultural industry and make it more cost-effective, scientific and productive.