This study proposes strategies for information requirements analysis (IRA) for successful agricultural management information system (MIS) development. The study frist defines IRA based on literature review and emphasizes the importance of IRA by its position in SDLC (System Developments Life Cycle). Then, the study reviews fifteen cases of agricultural MIS development projects appeared in the report of all the MIS related ARPC(Agricultural R&D Promotion Center) projects from 1995 to 1998 and finds that IRA is not properly performed in most of the projects. Finally, this study proposes seven strategies for IRA for successful agricultural MIS development based on the finding of this study and those from the literature related to IRA methods.

The study uses agricultural knowledge system theory to explore how traditional knowledge applies to the linkage system of agricultural research and extension in rural Korea. By agricultural knowledge system we emphasize the dynamic networks of actors, processes of negotiation, and the diverse ways in which knowledge is constructed and performed. The knowledge systems reflect the idea that the boundaries between knowledge groups are not closed and that there could be considerable overlap between knowledge system. The results of this study are the following : First, we should know that some extension agents clearly value farmer knowledge and try to facilitate farmer-to-farmer communication. Extension plays a significant role in the knowledge-creation process and shaping communities because knowledge processes are embedded in social processes that involve aspects of power, authority, and legitimization. Third, the constructions of agricultural knowledge systems thus include social interactions, communication, and the diverse processes individuals employ create, use, and evaluate multiple types and sources of information through the linkage between agricultural colleges and Rural Development Administration (RDA), establishing the research institution of research and extension linkage, exchange research agent with extension agent, and bottom-up approach. Second, we should know that the focus of traditional knowledge development is rural community development as a community process. Nowadays the sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) cover two lines of inquiry, which are the use of existing standards of intellectual property for the protection of traditional knowledge and that of new legal standards, eventually in the from of sui generis mechanisms of protection.

The purposes of this study were (1) to identify the present situation and pending problems of agricultural education in Agricultural Technology & Extension Center (ATEC), (2) to analyze the satisfaction degree and educational needs of agricultural extension education program, and (3) to draw some implications in the direction of the development direction of agricultural extension, based on the analysis aforementioned. Data were collected through questionnaires from 230 farmers. Based on the results of study, the recommendations were as follows. 1. Increase of income could not guarantee the improvement of QOL. So, ATEC should make some efforts to plan and administer diversified agricultural extension and education programs. 2. Agricultural practice was the most effective educational methods. Especially, for return-migrants and young farmers, applicable educational program should be planned and offered. 3. Education program on agricultural information, especially on the internet use, would be the most attractive program of agricultural extension education in the future.

Evaluation in both an art and a science. The art of evaluation involves working with the management to agree upon purpose and users of results, creating design and gathering information that are appropriate for a specific situation and a particular policy making context. The value of evaluating extension p개grams has received a lot of attentions recently, and many extension educations see evaluation as an integral part of their work. The science of evaluation involves determining standards and developing indicatiors, selecting methods appropriate to gather information in a systematic way, analyzing information to assist in determining the value of the program in an objective manner. First, extension specialists have to consider relative merits about methods of gathering evaluation data. Selection of method should be influenced by the type of information desired, time availability, and cost of using the method. Second, good evaluations involve stakeholders at all stages including planning, implementation, and utilization of results. Third, far from being an "add-on ," evaluation begins with the initial planning of an educational program. Fourth, it is important for extension specialists that although evaluation is valuable and essential in any effective program, one of the biggest mistakes of extension program evaluators in to promise results that cannot possibly solve all the problems of project.

This study examined th socioeconomic returns to agricultural research in Korea, using multivariate time series technique and Akino-Hyami formula. Results showed that the socioeconomic returns were quite competitive with internal rates of 49.18% and 56.04% for agricultural research and horticultural research respectively. The lagged response to the investment in research varied according to the type of production: agricultural production responded to agricultural research shock about three tears after the shock, while horticultural and livestock productions responded only after abort seven, and ten years, respectively. The magnitudes of the impacts of investment, however, showed a similar pattern for the three types of production: after responding to the shock, the impact increased until a peak was reached and then declined and got down to zero after some years. The peak was reached within five, seventeen, and twenty tears after the intial expenditures for agricultural, horticultural, and livestock productions, respectively. Moreover, the impacts disappeared about thirty tears after the initial expenditures for all three types of production. These findings were consistent with the results from previous literature on agricultural research, which indicated that the lag lengths of the response to investments on research were between seven and thirty years.

Globalization and the WTO agenda have aggravated socioeconomic problem in rural Koreas. People think that agriculture is out-of-data industry and rural areas lose their vitality. The main question is: What will be the future of the rural areas? Rural tourism is perhaps one of the solution that help improve the situation in rural areas. Rural tourism is however a complex notion and difficult to implement. This paper is an exploratory study of rural tourism and its application. The objective of this study is 1) to explore the idea of rural tourism, 2) to analyze the planning process, and 3) to examine the application of rural tourism in Mundangri, as a study case.

Recently, rice producers and related institutions have started to brand rice to increase sale. Despite such trend and the significance of rice branding to many parties including policy makers, no previous research has studied the relationship between consumers' psychological and socio-economic factors that underline consumer choice and judgment of branded rice. This paper discusses the variables related to branding through a survey based on 242 convenience consumer samples selected in Seoul metropolitan area in Korea, and presents the results and their implication for future research. The major findings are: 1) Consumers are reasonably well aware of rice-branding practices, and the main source of such information is in-store displays and packages, 2) It appears that consumers in general choose a rice brand based mainly on its taste and nutrition, and 3) the perceived difference among rice brands differs depending on some consumer characteristics. The perceived differences among rice brands in taste and in nutrition are relatively high for brand-loyal consumers and high-income consumers respectively. The perceived difference among rice brands in brand reputation is also relatively high for young, low-income, and brand-loyal consumers.

The purpose of this study is to examine Japonica rice farming of China. Asian rice is divided into Japonica and Indica species. Japonica rice represents only less than 20% of Chinese rice output, but it can compete with Korea rice in both price and quality. The rise of income level has expanded the scale of production of Japonica rice in China. China’s adhesion to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has forced Chinese policy makers to face their obligations and responsibilities such as abolishing subsidies on agricultural exports. But being member of the WTO entry also helps China exercise and enhance its influential place in the global economy. Because of geographical proximity and the fact that Korea is ranked second among countries with which China still has a trade deficit, China may seek and plead for an opening of the protected Korean rice market to stabilize prices and prevent excess supply of Chinese rice. Though Korean rice farmers feel that prices are still low, Chinese rice remains far cheaper than Korean rice with the price gap is still on the rise. In anticipation of such fierce competition, Korea must carefully review its current policies and closely follow the evolution of rice production, marketing, and trade in China. This study also suggests some of the possible research using more recent data that should be conducted in the future.

국제연합 식량농업기구 (FAO)에 의하면 UR 협상과 WTO 체제 출범 이후 농산물 수출국가와 선진국에서의 소득균형은 일반적으로 향상되었으나 순식량수입국가나 개발도상국가에서는 소득균형이 더 악화되고 농업영역의 쇠퇴를 가져왔다. 더욱이 식량안전상황은 농산물의 급격한 수입으로 여전히 불안하고 농가판매의 지속적인 악화, 농촌과 도시간의 소득격차가 큰 것으로 나타나고 있다. 특히 인간의 건강과 환경에 유해한 GMO의 거래는 소비자의 식품안전과 잠재적 위해 때문에 적절한 조치를 필요로 하고 있다. 아시아 지역 개발도상국가들에서의 식량의 안정적 공급과 농촌 지역사회 개발의 핵심적 과제는 인적자원의 개발, 기술역량의 신장, 하부구조의 개선, 농업기술 이전의 효율화 등으로 요약될 수 있다. 이러한 상황에서 농업교육, 연구 그리고 지도, 특히 아시아의 주요작물 영역에 대한 더 많은 투자가 필요하며 많은 아시아국가들에서 우선적으로 요구되는 농촌청소년교육은 빈곤퇴치, 식량의 안정적 공급 및 식품의 안전 그리고 지속적이고 균형있는 농촌개발 등이다. 이를 위한 정부와 국민, 특히 젊고 열정적인 사람들이 함께 협력해야 빈곤퇴치와 식량의 안정적 공급 및 식품의 안전 등 농촌의 사회경제적 발전이 가능할 것이다. 진행되고 있는 WTO 체제 하에서의 아시아 지역 농촌사회 발전과 식량문제 해결을 위해서는 교역과 환경, 그리고 개발의 총체적 접근이 중요하며 식량의 안정적 공급을 위한 농업, 농촌의 하부구조가 열악한 개발도상국 소농에 대한 우선적 배려가 필수적이라 할 것이다. 특히, 농업분야 생산 유통 분야의 개선을 위한 농업교육, 농촌지도의 국가적 강조와 농촌 청소년 교육 훈련과 육성의 중요성에 대한 인식과 이에 따른 국가적, 국제적 협력이 필요할 것이다.