Haenam County in South Jeolla Province has organized an event to explore the future of agriculture in response to climate change and to assess the practical applications of advanced agriculture utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
The county announced that the '5th Forum on Climate Change in Agriculture' and the '8th KSAM Agricultural Robot Competition,' held on November 10, concluded with participation from over 200 agricultural experts and practitioners nationwide.
This event aimed to address changes in the agricultural environment due to the climate crisis and to propose directions for the advancement of smart agriculture through AI transformation (AX) and robotics.
Co-hosted by Haenam County, Seoul National University, the Korean Society of Agricultural and Food Science, and the Korean Society of Agricultural Machinery, the event brought together university and research institution experts, industry representatives, and policy makers to discuss technology development and practical applications for climate change response in agriculture.
The forum particularly focused on strategies utilizing AI and data-driven agricultural technologies in light of increasing uncertainties in agricultural production environments due to climate change.
During the forum, Professor Kim Jong-min from Kyung Hee University presented on 'Agricultural AX: Are We Collecting the Right Data?' highlighting the importance of data collection and utilization in the agricultural AI transformation process.
Following this, Professor Kim Rak-woo from Seoul National University discussed engineering research for smart farms aimed at climate change response, while Professor Moon Min-kyu from Kangwon National University presented on enhancing flowering observation and prediction of honey plants using multidimensional data and building an integrated database.
Professor Kim Tae-gon from Jeonbuk National University proposed a policy linkage model for a joint farming diffusion support project to implement smart agriculture in response to the climate crisis, emphasizing the need for policy support and the dissemination of advanced agricultural technologies.
In a comprehensive discussion, Park Young-jun, Vice Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Seoul National University, moderated a dialogue with presenters on climate crisis response strategies through agricultural AI transformation and the roles of government, industry, and academia.
Students from Haenam Hwa-won High School also participated in the forum, reflecting on the impact of the climate crisis on future agricultural environments and the necessity for sustainable agriculture.
The 8th KSAM Agricultural Robot Competition, held in conjunction with the forum, showcased agricultural robot technologies applicable to real farming scenarios, including autonomous driving and precision farming.
The participating robots demonstrated automation technologies for agricultural tasks through field demonstrations and competitions, presenting technical possibilities to address labor shortages due to declining rural populations and aging demographics.
Agricultural robots, in particular, garnered attention as practical technologies that can reduce the burden of repetitive farming tasks and enhance work efficiency.
Haenam County aims to leverage this event to connect the technological capabilities of universities and research institutions with local agriculture, expanding the practical application of climate change response technologies and advanced agricultural machinery.
Myung Hyun-kwan, the mayor of Haenam County, stated, "Through this forum and competition, Haenam County has proven to be a key hub for South Korea's agricultural climate change response and advanced smart agriculture. We will continue to develop a leading model for sustainable future agriculture based on close cooperation with universities and research institutions."
Meanwhile, Haenam County continues to facilitate exchanges in policy, research, and technology in the agricultural sector through the Climate Change Response Forum and Agricultural Robot Competition, seeking future agricultural development directions linked to climate crisis response and agricultural AI transformation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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