Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Farmer's Health Center Project (FHCP) in Rural Korea

농업인건강관리실 사업의 비용편익 분석

This study aims to examine the operating status of the Farmer's Health Center Project and the validity of its business using the benefit-cost analysis. As the pilot project of the Rural Development Adminstration from 1996, a total of 884 Farmer's Health Centers were established until 2004. Internal information of the RDA management unit was used for the analysis. A questionnaire with an interview was also performed with 70 over 468 Centers that had been established from 2001 to 2004. Results were as follows. 1) The Center was mainly used by elderly over 60 years, which took 71.4%. Winter was the most popular season for visiting. 2) Approximately 71% of the manager of the Center pointed out the deficiency of fuel cost as the most difficulty in operating the Center. 3) Users were moderately satisfied with facility and the effect of its use, which took 3.5 point over 5 scale. 4) For the cost-benefit analysis on the Centers, both 5% of social discount rate and 15 years of use term were assumed. Subsequently, the Net Present Value was 3,134 million won, which certified the validity of the business.