• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to analyze the farms growing domestic kiwi fruit 'Gold' on their management performance and efficiency in order to reduce the risks involved with introducing new kind of crops for growing, and suggest improvements. First, the result of analysis showed that domestic kiwi fruit 'Gold' growers' income were higher than the average growers due to the fruit's high unit price and productivity. Second, the analysis of management efficiency resulted in scale efficiency having greater impact on inefficiency rather than pure technical efficiency. As for the analysis of technical efficiency, the depreciation costs of agricultural facilities had the greatest influence on its inefficiency. Third, inefficient farms put in excessive inputs across the board, while labor costs(self labor cost + hired labor cost) were the largest factor of optimal inputs according to the models of technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency. Fourth, because of greater reliance on mechanical tools from rising labor costs, there's a need for individual farms to avoid buying farming equipments and instead share the equipments of nearby farms and agricultural cooperatives, or start renting agricultural machines from companies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 1997

This study is aimed at identifying the value of marginal products(VMP) of agricultural labor, capital and land. The resources are the major portion of input costs of agricultural projects. To appraise economic feasibility of agricultural projects, the real value of the resources would be estimated by VMP of the inputs rather than by distorted actual market prices such as rural wages, rent and interest. To convert the market wage rate into shadow wage rate, covertion factor of 0.90 would be appicable based on the study results. To evaluate the right of way and compensation, VMP of land is recommendable to apply in land pricing rather than actural land rent prevailing in rural area which has been underrated on account of labor shortage and difficulty of farming. Discount rate as a opportunity cost of capital should be applied 7-8% considering the VMP of capital and interest rate of foreign loan from IBRD and ADB. For the successful appraisal of the agricultural projects, the recommendation of this study would be applied in the future.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.397-414
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• 2021

As the agricultural population continues to age, the shortage of labor is worsening. To respond to this, Machinery Operators, those who work on behalf of farmers, are on demand. This study examines the cases in Imsil, Sunchang, and Namwon in Jeollabuk-do, where such agencies are in action, and analyzes the elements of their success and customer satisfaction. A survey was circulated among the farmers who used these agricultural agencies, and a total of 180 responses were submitted. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to prove our thesis. The study shows that the agricultural assistance provided by the Machinery Operators did help in ameliorating the shortage of labor, and resulted in high customer satisfaction. In particular, it was analyzed that Assurance and responsiveness had a significant positive effect on satisfaction. In addition, satisfaction was analyzed to fully mediate between service quality and intention to reuse. This study provides further support for the need to expand the institution of Machinery Operators and to encourage agricultural agencies in order to address the shortage of labor in rural areas due to aging.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.107-114
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• 2023

Garlic is one of the major seasoned vegetables in Korea along with peppers and onions. Although it is a major cash crop, the aging population of farmers and rising labor and production costs are cited as the reasons for the decreasing production. Accordingly, it is necessary to introduce and spread garlic cultivation mechanization technology to reduce the input labor demand. In this study, conducted a field demonstration in Jeollanam-do using garlic harvesting machinery. In addition, it was intended to improve the mechanization rate of garlic harvesting by deriving factors that can apply to garlic harvesting machines in Jeollanam-do and investigating regional adaptability. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the harvesting performance of the garlic harvester and garlic collector in Jeollanam-do met the agricultural machine test standards. In addition, as a result of calculating the input effect of the mechanized work system compared to the conventional garlic harvesting work system, it was found that there was a labor-saving effect of 96.02%.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2020

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), first identified in China in December 2019, has widely spread worldwide and is an ongoing pandemic. It is expected that the ripple effect of COVID-19 on the global economy including the agricultural sector will increase substantially if not properly controlled shortly. This study examines the potential impact of COVID-19 on the Korean beef cattle sector and farm labor demand for Korean beef cattle using a dynamic partial equilibrium model. The agricultural production value and farm labor demand for Korean beef cattle in the scenario assuming pessimistic GDP growth rate (-1.2% in 2020) with no direct supply shocks fell by up to 4.00% and 0.67%, respectively, compared to the baseline which represents the future without COVID-19 outbreak. On the other hand, the agricultural production value and farm labor demand for Korean beef cattle in the scenario assuming both pessimistic GDP growth rate and supply shocks (-12.7% beef imports and + 2.4% feed cost in 2020) increased by up to 12.08% and 1.99%, respectively, compared to the baseline.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 1988

Land reform in Korea was performed in 1949. The formation of owner farmers was the primary objective of land reform. But since land reform, the number of tenants has been increasing, and it reached to 65.7% of total farmhousehold by 1985. To analyze the productivity of tenant farming, 40 farmers in Kumnam, Yeongi Gun and Gongju Gun, Banpo, Chungnam Province, were selected as samples for the empirical analysis. The results of the empirical analysis are summarized as follows; 1. In plain area, tenants input 5% more labor, and 15% less capital than owner farmers. In mountain area, tenants input 15% more labor, and 4% more capital than owner farmers. 2. There is no difference in the output of rice between owner farmers and tenants in both area. 3. In plain area, the physical productivity of labor of owner farmers is 4.6 (kg/hour), and that of tenants is 4.4. And the physical productivity of labor of owner farmers in mountain area is 4.2, and that of tenants is 3.6. 4. The physical productivity of capital of owner farmers in plain area is 17.7(kg/1,000 won), and that of tenants is 20.6. In mountain area, the physical productivity of capital of owner farmers is 18.8, and that of tenants is 17.9.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.205-223
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• 2016

Objective:This study introduced the status of studies and the projects related with agricultural accident prevention carried out by the Rural Development Administration. This study was conducted to promote Korean farmers' agricultural safety activation by analyzing study trends on farmers' agricultural work safety. Background: Agriculture is one of the dangerous industries, and the agricultural accident rate is on the rise, due to recent serious aging and increased female work force. Such a phenomenon emerges as a serious problem from the social perspective, and therefore measures for farmers' healthy and safe agricultural activities and accident prevention are required. Method: This study conducted literature review related with domestic and international agricultural safety and health. This study also examined the hazard factors of agricultural labor and injuries, agricultural safety and health system and policy, support and education for farmers' safety practice, and the status of convenience tools and protection equipment, based on major study activities performed by the Rural Development Administration for recent four to five years. Results: Through the study results, the status of Korea's agricultural safety system, compensation support policy, safety education of farmers for actual practice, and diverse channels including media were confirmed. This study also presented the R&D implementation status on convenience equipment and protective gear to prevent agricultural diseases and safety accidents. Conclusion: This study found out that continuous monitoring and efforts are required to prevent accidents for the Korea's agricultural labor environment and agricultural safety, and that social bond of sympathy formation is demanded through effect analysis on the implemented projects including education and support projects. Furthermore, it can be understood that agricultural accident prevention should be carried out through shift from current government-led top down approach to bottom-up approach from itself. Application: The results of this study can be utilized as useful data for farmers' safety and health.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.81-97
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to analyze the structure of time use by housewives in rural households, and to compare the time use structure of housewives with that of their husbands. To attain this goals, we have selected 108 farmhouses considering agricultural area and size in L993. Data was collected by observing how (i. e., doing what kinds of work) housewives and husbands spend time, Time use was divided into four categories : physiological time, socio-cultural time, household work time and agricultural labor time. The results in this study present a valuable insight to assuage the overloaded works of rural housewives. The major results can be outlined as follows : 1. Rural housewives worked 1.2 times longer hours a day than their husbands did. 2, There existed a severe labour time imbalance between housewives and husbands during the busy farming season. 3. The time use patterns of housewives and husbands were significantly different across agricultural areas. Also, the education level of a housewife was associated with the length of her labor time.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.238-268
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• 1992

Since rural people migrated to urban area as a result of rapid industrialization in Korea, a significant proportion on agricultural labor farces has consistently reduced and therefore incurred labor shortage in rural area which might aggravate the farm household's economy. This sutdy suggests a long run plan of supplying agricultural machines for forage cultivation based on the survery of 102 livestock farm housecholds conducted in 1987, aimed at curtailing the labor costs which would contribute to improving the livestock farming management. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Among the 102 livestock farm household surveyed, 50 farm housecholds were found to cultivate 398a of grassland on average while other 52 farm households produced the forage on the 169a of land under cultivation averagely. 2. Over 50 percent of farm houseolds were reported to have their own agricultural machine for harvesting and cutting, however rates of mechanization in other operations such as mowing and sowing were less than 20 percent. 3. There were more than 50 percent of livestock farm households who have shown their intention to buy and operate their own farming machines when proprer opportunities are given. 4. In order to estimate the long-run demand for agricultural machines for livestock farm household considering current mechanization procedure, data for the machine's optimal capacty, growth of arable acreage for feed stuffs was collected and analyzed. 5. Based on the estimated demand, long range supply plan of livestock farming machines for the period of 1990-2010 was suggested. 6. Finally, measures for technological developement and finanacial support were suggested to implement so as to encourage the farmers' adoption of agricultural machines, and to achieve the goal of mechanization planning for the livestock farm household.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.294-303
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the profitability of four selective mechanization systems in rice cultivation. Methods: Field experiments were conducted in the farmers' field during the wet season (June to November) of 2015 in Bangladesh. Mechanization systems were applied to evaluate four different selective levels (treatment) in eleven consequent operations. Seedlings were raised in a traditional seedbed and trays for manual and mechanical transplanting, respectively. Land preparation, irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, carrying, and threshing and cleaning operations were performed using the same method in all the experimental plots. The mechanical options in the transplanting, weeding, and harvesting operations were changed. The mechanization systems were $S_1$ = hand transplanting + hand weeding + harvesting by sickle, $S_2$ = mechanical transplanting + Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) weeder + reaper, $S_3$ = mechanical transplanting + BRRI power weeder + reaper, and $S_4$ = mechanical transplanting + herbicide + reaper. This experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Power tiller, rice transplanter, BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, self-propelled reaper, BRRI open drum thresher, and BRRI winnower were used in the respective operations. Accordingly, the techno-economic performances of the different technologies were calculated and compared with those of the traditional system. Results: The mechanically transplanted plot produced 6-10% more yield than the hand transplanted plot because of the use of tender-aged seedlings. Mechanical transplanting reduced 61% labor and 18% cost compared to manual transplanting. The BRRI weeder, BRRI power weeder, and herbicide application reduced 74, 91, and 98% labor, respectively. The latter also saved 72, 63, and 82% cost, respectively, compared to hand weeding. Herbicide application reduced the substantial amount of labor and cost in the weeding operation. Mechanical harvesting also saved 96% labor and 72% cost compared to the traditional method of harvesting using sickle. Selective mechanization saved 15-17% input cost compared to the traditional method of rice cultivation. Conclusions: Mechanical transplanting with the safe use of herbicide and harvesting by reaper is the most cost- and labor-saving operation. The method might be the recommended set of selective mechanization for enhancing productivity.