Nurturing Nature: Korean Agriculture Grapples with Climate Challenges
In the heart of Korea, where lush landscapes once defined agricultural abundance, a silent crisis is unfolding. Farmers on Jeju Island, a symbol of resilience, face unprecedented challenges as climate change and corporate practices take a toll on their livelihoods.
Last spring, a lightning bolt struck farmers on Jeju Island. A peculiar occurrence, resembling a natural anomaly, affected buckwheat crops with "sudden germination," leaving devastation in its wake. This, coupled with hailstorms, rain, and frost, marked a turning point for South Korea's largest island.
As climate change disrupts normal weather patterns, the ripple effects on agriculture are profound. In May alone, 9,628 hectares of farmland suffered damages due to adverse weather, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Hailstorms in June and subsequent heavy rains submerged 36,000 hectares of farmland, leading to the loss of 969,000 livestock.
The consequences extend beyond the fields. A heatwave claimed lives due to heat-related illnesses by August. As nature becomes increasingly unpredictable, farmers find themselves unable to forecast yearly crops, contributing to a decline in income, as revealed by Statistics Korea's 2022 Farm Economic Survey.
The financial impact is substantial. Crop disaster insurance claims surged, with payouts in 2021 increasing by approximately 133 times compared to 2015, covering an area of 230,000 hectares. Decreased yields and poor-quality crops, attributed to the climate crisis, have caused prices to soar. In August 2022, domestically produced apples saw a 56.8 percent price increase compared to the previous year.
As the climate crisis and its repercussions accelerate, the spotlight turns to farmers' rights and food sovereignty. The United Nations, recognizing the pivotal role of family farming, adopted the "Declaration of the Rights of Farmers and People Working in Rural Areas" in 2018. South Korea, with a grain sufficiency of about 20 percent, faces calls to ensure food sovereignty for its people.
In response, the Korean Catholic Church initiated a movement nearly three decades ago to champion organic farming. While the number of Catholic farmers practicing natural agriculture is relatively small, around 900, their impact is significant. They are not only reviving the land with sustainable methods but also safeguarding seed sovereignty by preserving indigenous seeds.
However, challenges persist. Large seed companies, exemplified by global agrochemical giant Monsanto, dominate the market, promoting high-yielding varieties that degrade the land. The need to reduce dependence on such seeds and preserve native varieties becomes paramount.
Christina Kim Min-jeong, a graduate of the Catholic Farmers' School, emphasizes the urgency of this issue. "We need to reduce improved seeds that are not suitable for our land and pollute the land and preserve native seeds. I hope many people will be interested," she adds.
In a world where the future of agriculture hangs in the balance, the call to embrace natural farming methods and preserve seed sovereignty echoes not only for Korea but for the global community. It's a narrative of hope, resilience, and the collective responsibility to nurture our planet.
- #KoreanAgriculture, #ClimateChallenges, #FoodSovereignty, #OrganicFarming, #SeedSustainability
