Towards smart farming solutions in the U.S. and South Korea: A comparison of the current status

Authors: O`Shaughnessy, Susan; KIM, MINYOUNG - Rural Development Administration - Korea; LEE, SANGBONG - National Institute For Agricultural Science & Technology; KIM, YOUNGJIN - National Institute For Agricultural Science & Technology; Shekailo, John

Submitted to: Journal of Geography and Sustainability
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2021
Publication Date: 12/26/2021
Citation: O'Shaughnessy, S.A., Kim, M., Lee, S., Kim, Y., Shekailo, J.P. 2021. Towards smart farming solutions in the U.S. and South Korea: A comparison of the current status. Journal of Geography and Sustainability. 2(4):312-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2021.12.002.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2021.12.002

Interpretive Summary: To meet the future demands for food, fiber and energy, agriculture must better match yield potentials with inputs. Smart farming describes innovative technologies that combine information from sensors and big data with communication and hardware technologies to provide automation and control for farming processes. Both the U.S. and South Korea are pursuing smart farming solutions to improve the management of natural resources, strategize against the impacts of climate change and sustain rural economies. However, each country is approaching smart farming solutions in a very different way. South Korea has a national plan that conceptualizes smart farming communities where the farmer is part of a highly integrated food supply chain. On the contrary, there is no national plan in the U.S. to develop smart farm communities, however, the private sector is driving competition for discrete smart farming solutions. Despite the different approaches, continued collaborative research efforts and dialogue of successes and failures between the two countries could facilitate the rate of evolution of successful smart farming solutions that could be adapted to help both countries advance towards sustainable agricultural practices, despite varied approaches.

Technical Abstract: The U.S. and South Korea are known for their innovative technologies and are engaged in developing smart farming solutions to drive sustainable agriculture. While the two countries share underlying motivations to pursue smart farming solutions, each country’s pursuit differs vastly in approach, policy, and implementation. The South Korean government has implemented a national policy to establish smart farming communities; a concept that addresses the entire agri-food supply chain. In the U.S., a national plan to develop smart farming communities does not exist, however discrete smart farming solutions driven mainly by competition in the private sector have resulted in technological solutions that are advancing smart farming concepts. In both countries, private entrepreneurs are helping to drive market adoption. Neither country has fully implemented smart farming solutions, however, collaborative research efforts and sharing of experiences and results could help advance smart farming solutions in both countries.