Korea Rediscovers Organic Agriculture

Summary

Korea will host the next Organic World Congress in 2011. The early pioneers of organic farming looked to the East for both evidence and inspiration. Korea now appears to be in the process of rediscovering its organic farming heritage. It is now seeking recognition as an organic producer. South Korea has 46 members of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and North Korea has two members. South Korean organic agriculture increased ten-fold from 2004 to 2009 with 9729 hectares now certified. South Korean organic farms increased six-fold in the period 2004 to 2009, from 1237 to 7507. Substantial further increases in Korea’s organic area seem likely in the immediate future. With Korea’s new-found commitment to organics comes the privilege of hosting the next triennial IFOAM Organic World Congress in 2011. In a further shift towards Asia, the new IFOAM World Board, elected at Modena in 2008, has four board members from Asia. Hosting the Organic Congress is expected to stimulate the Korean organic movement and be an opportunity to display local organic know-how, including organic rice cultivation techniques. Korea’s 17th IFOAM Organic World Congress has the theme “Toward an Environmentally Benign Community”, and the dates are 27 September to 5 October 2011. The Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Moon Soo Kim has a vision of making Korea “the world's most environmentally friendly country by 2011”.