An Exploratory Study on the Effectiveness and Meaning of Agro-Healing Programs for Persons with Mental Disabilities in Vocational Rehabilitation Facilities
The aim this study was to investigate the effectiveness and meaning of agro-healing programs for people with mental disabilites in vocational rehabilitation facilities. A mixed-methods approach was conducted, including a quantitative study with 12 participants diagnosed with mental disabilities and a qualitative study involving two staff members working at a vocational rehabilitation facilities located in Ganghwa-gun. The main results were as follows. First, the subjective perception of physical health among participants with mental disabilities, measured using a single-item 5-point likert scale, showed an increase after the program compared to the initial state, although the change was not statistically significant by Wilcoxon signed rank test. In contrast, subjective mental health perception assessed using the CES-D-10 and self-care awareness evaluated through a single-item 5-point likert scale were statistically significant positive improvements following the completion of the program. Secondly, opinions on future vocational rehabilitation-related agro-healing programs were high in the areas of plant resources and activities other than agriculture. Thirdly, the perceived effectiveness and meaning of agro-healing programs by staff members were analyzed through qualitative research methods. The findings revealed three main themes: “everyone returns to normal daily life,” “improvement of health for individuals with mental disabilities,” and “the path of life’s challenges and explorations,” along with 10 key sub-themes. Based on these results, practical and policy recommendations were proposed to integrate agriculture and welfare for the vocational rehabilitation of individuals with mental disabilities.
Despite the growing interest in environment-friendly agriculture due to climate and food production issues, the spread of environment-friendly agriculture is difficult in Korea, as the number of environment-friendly farms is decreasing. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the factors that influence the conversion of conventional farms to environment-friendly agriculture and analyze the factors that promote the conversion to environment-friendly agriculture. Based on previous studies, marketability, conversion cost, and public interest were set as factors that promote the conversion to environment-friendly agriculture, and the level of information on environment-friendly agriculture was investigated to determine how it affects decision-making. To this end, a survey was conducted on 500 conventional farm households, and the results were used to perform statistical analyses such as logistic regression analysis. The results of the statistical analysis showed that when each independent variable and moderator variable was set, public interest and marketability affected the conversion intention, and when the analysis included the interaction term, the level of information also had a significant result, indicating that the influence was greater when interacting with multiple factors. In addition, it was found that various factors such as age group and gender intervened in the conversion intention in addition to the initially selected promotion factors. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for future policies and projects to promote environment-friendly agriculture by analyzing the impact of the transition from conventional agriculture to environment-friendly agriculture and the effect of adjusting the level of information.
Importance-Performance Analysis of Smart Farm Education for Young Startup Farmers - Focusing on Graduates of the Jeonbuk Gimje Smart Farm Innovation Vally Training Program -
이창희 Lee Chang-hee , 이호형 Lee Ho-hyoung , 고일권 Koh Il-kwon , 양혜정 Yang Hye-jung , 장동헌 Jang Dong-heon
Recently, Korean agriculture has been facing challenges such as a shortage of labor and low productivity, primarily due to a decline in farming households, an aging farming population, and a reduced influx of young farmers. In response, the government has established four Smart Farm Innovation Valleys nationwide to promote smart farming and is offering educational programs to young people. This study examines the difference between the perceived importance of smart farm education before the program and the level of performance after completing it, focusing on graduates from the Jeonbuk Gimje Smart Farm Innovation Valley. The analysis revealed that the future success of smart farm startups by graduates is highly influenced by government policies. Additionally, it highlighted the need for targeted improvements in areas identified in the importance-performance analysis, such as the duration of the program, course materials, content structure, and instructor expertise. In addition, since the study participants―such as farmers, related personnel, workers, and others―differ in their backgrounds and experiences with crop cultivation education for smart farms, it is important to offer education tailored to different levels in future programs. Consequently, it is clear that the operating organization must make efforts to revise and enhance the smart farm education curriculum.
This study aimed to compare and analyze the perceptions of public officials and farmers regarding the installation of semi-permanent paddy field ridges, focusing on differences in stakeholder awareness between traditional soil ridges and semi-permanent paddy field ridges. Data were collected through surveys and in-depth interviews from a total of 83 respondents, including 31 public officials, 18 farmers not using semi-permanent ridges, and 34 farmers using them. Regarding the perception of ridge management status, 27.8% of non-users considered the management status to be poor, compared to 11.8% of users, indicating a statistically significant correlation with agricultural productivity. In terms of maintenance frequency, 70.6% of users reported no need for maintenance, suggesting labor savings, with statistically significant cost differences between the two groups. Issues in managing soil ridges, such as time consumption, lack of equipment, and labor shortages, showed statistical significance, leading all respondents to express a positive need for semi-permanent ridges. Additionally, while all groups emphasized the necessity of government subsidies for semi-permanent ridge installation, a significant perception gap was observed: 88.9% of farmers were unwilling to bear personal costs, whereas public officials suggested costs of 10,000-20,000 KRW (38.7%) or 20,000- 30,000 KRW (32.3%) per meter. Finally, satisfaction analysis among users revealed that over 88.3% were satisfied with the installation of semi-permanent ridges, indicating that concerns about labor and cost expenditures were alleviated. Semi-permanent ridges are expected to enhance ridge safety, facilitate maintenance, improve water management efficiency, and increase convenience in farming operations. The differences in stakeholder perceptions identified in this study are anticipated to be utilized in the policy-making and implementation process.
Despite existing research findings indicating no significant relationship between immigrant influx and the rise in native unemployment rates, approximately 30% of South Koreans hold a negative perception that immigration leads to higher unemployment among natives. Therefore, this study empirically analyzes the factors influencing this perception by utilizing a multilevel logistic model that accounts for the interaction between individual-level and regional-level variables. The analysis identified eight factors and five groups. The marginal effect was highest for the ‘Negative Views on Immigrants’ group at 57.3%. In other words, when other groups are held at the average, belonging to the ‘Negative Views on Immigrants’ group increases the perception that immigrant inflow raises the unemployment rate by 57.3%. This was followed by the ‘Friends and Leisure Interest’ group (37.2%), the ‘Family-Oriented’ group (34.2%), the ‘Multi-Disciplinary Interest’ group (33.1%), and the ‘Financially Well-Off’ group (25.3%), in that order. Thus, to facilitate the stable settlement of newly arriving immigrants and promote harmony with natives, it is essential to actively publicize policies demonstrating that immigration does not threaten native employment and to develop diverse cultural events and policy initiatives that enhance acceptance of foreigners.
This study examines the social functions of traditional rural organizations under rural decline, focusing on Suri-gye― irrigation associations historically formed to manage shared water resources in South Korea. As small-scale village reservoirs have been replaced by large, mechanized systems, most Suri-gye have disappeared. Despite this trend, the study investigates whether Suri-gye continue to contribute to community cohesion and social well-being. Based on survey data and social network analysis conducted in a village where a Suri-gye is still active, the study compares levels of social health―including life satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and sense of belonging―and the structural positions of individuals within emotional and functional support networks, according to Suri-gye membership. The findings reveal that Suri-gye members report significantly higher levels of social health and occupy more central roles in local support networks. These results suggest that Suri-gye, despite their institutional decline, continue to function as important platforms for community solidarity and mutual support. The study highlights the need to reevaluate the social value of traditional rural institutions and proposes agricultural heritage designation as a strategy to preserve and revitalize rural communities.
Analysis of Climate-Adaptive Spatial Structures According to Regional Characteristics and Extension Types in Rural, Mountain, and Fishing Village - Focusing on the Cases of Gochang, Yeongdong, and Goheung -
김용균 Kim Yong-gyun , 김상범 Kim Sang-bum , 도지윤 Do Jee-yoon
This study aims to analyze the characteristics of residential space extensions in rural, mountainous, and coastal areas in Korea, with a focus on identifying climate-adaptive spatial structures based on regional characteristics. A total of 128 extended rural houses were examined across three representative regions: Gochang (n = 32), Yeongdong (n = 40), and Goheung (n = 56). The study applied a three-step analytical framework: (1) quantitative analysis of extension occurrence and area ratios, (2) functional classification of extended spaces (e.g., storage, sanitary, common, and living spaces), and (3) analysis of extension direction, placement, and dimensional proportions (L:W). Results show that extensions most frequently occurred in storage and sanitary spaces across all regions, reflecting the combined demands of livelihood-related functionality and improved living conditions. In Gochang, extensions were characterized by large-scale lateral expansions―especially for storage and vestibule areas―taking advantage of flat terrain and larger lot sizes. Yeongdong exhibited smaller, function-focused extensions such as square-shaped storage or kitchen spaces due to topographic constraints. In Goheung, extensions were shaped by coastal climate conditions; vestibules were often added as climate buffers, and irregular or vertical extensions emerged due to narrow land availability. This research confirms that rural housing extensions function not only as physical enlargements but also as adaptive spatial responses that reflect local environmental conditions and livelihood practices. The findings provide foundational data for developing region-specific climate-adaptive housing improvement strategies in rural Korea.
Analysis of the Possibility of Utilizing Renewable Energy in Greenhouse Vegetable Cultivation Farms - Focusing on the Results of Measuring Own- and Cross-Price Elasticity of Energy Input Demand -
The purpose of this study is to investigate the own price elasticity and cross-price elasticity for energy factor demand, and the cost elasticity for energy prices based on the results estimated the cost function of greenhouse vegetable cultivation farms. This study uses the raw agricultural income data of the Rural Development Administration in 2022. Through these elasticity measurements, the cost structure characteristics of greenhouse vegetable cultivation farming, such as changes in energy factor demand, the possibility of substituting energy with other inputs, and changes in agricultural production costs, were analyzed when energy prices rise. As a result of the analysis, the own price elasticity value for energy factor demand was relatively higher than the own price elasticity of other inputs, confirming that greenhouse vegetable cultivation farming is more sensitive to changes in energy prices than other input prices, and that energy has a cost structure that is difficult to substitute with other inputs. Therefore, when energy prices rise, it is efficient for greenhouse vegetable cultivation farming, which uses relatively high amounts of energy, to use renewable energy that can reduce energy usage costs, and it was found that energy replacement can be achieved more quickly starting with farms with large farm sizes.
