The green light has been turned on for Goheung-gun’s “large-scale advanced agricultural, fisheries and livestock smart farm valley.” Goheung-gun (Governor Gong Yeong-min) is creating a Goheung-type smart agricultural, fisheries and livestock complex of 222ha (600,000-700,000 pyeong) that will lead the future food industry centered around the Smart Farm Innovation Valley located in the Goheung Bay reclaimed land.
Smart farms can revolutionize agriculture by leveraging information and communication technology (ICT) to become data-centric and intelligent. This transformation can address labor shortages, enhance productivity, and make agriculture more competitive. Goheung-gun recognizes the potential of smart farms and is actively promoting their implementation.
Smart Farm Innovation Valley, a state-of-the-art facility covering 33ha, has been established with an investment of 119 billion won. It features a youth nursery greenhouse, rental greenhouse, demonstration complex, and support center, among other amenities. The youth nursery greenhouse provides a platform for training future agricultural professionals and offering practical education.
Furthermore, Goheung-gun is developing a 133-ha advanced export horticultural complex to provide additional opportunities for young people. The expansion is being implemented in phases, with 30ha targeted for completion by 2025, 30ha from 2026 to 2027, and 40ha from 2028 to 2029.
The livestock sector is also being integrated into the smart farm ecosystem. The town has been selected for the Smart Livestock ICT Demonstration Complex Competition and has secured KRW 33.5 billion in project costs. This initiative will establish a smart livestock facility with 25 farms and 2,500 Korean cattle.
The fisheries sector is also embracing smart technologies. Based on a 2019 government plan, Goheung-gun is developing an eco-friendly smart aquaculture cluster. The town has been selected for an eco-friendly aquaculture promotion project and plans to expand its fisheries complex by attracting additional eco-friendly inland and sea surface aquaculture projects.
Goheung-gun Governor Gong Yeong-min believes that the successful implementation of the “large-scale advanced agricultural, livestock, and fisheries smart farm valley” will create job opportunities for 1,000 young people, establish Goheung as a leading center for smart agricultural products, and drive the region’s economic growth.
The expansion of Goheung-type smart farms is one of the three major future strategic industries identified by the local government. It is crucial to support and encourage these initiatives to address population decline and aging and achieve the town’s population target of 100,000 by 2030.