[2020 National Audit] Budget Share for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Food Drops by 1.5%p Over 10 Years

Budget Share in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Sector Plummeted from 5.7% in 2011 to 4.2% in 2020
"Significant Financial Support Needed to Establish a Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries Foundation"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] Over the past decade, the proportion of the budget allocated to the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food sector relative to the national total budget, as well as the budget under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, has been continuously decreasing.

On the 7th, Eo Gi-gu, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party belonging to the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee (AFMF Committee), pointed out at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' audit held at the National Assembly that "the budget size for the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food sector relative to the total budget decreased from 5.7% in 2011 to 4.2% this year, and the budget under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs decreased from 4.3% in 2011 to 3.1% this year."

As various uncertainties such as the spread of infectious diseases and the increase in natural disasters have expanded recently, mid- to long-term measures to secure sustainability in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food sector need to be prepared, and a significant amount of funding is expected to be required in the future.

In particular, this year, economic difficulties in rural farming and fishing villages have intensified due to heavy rains and climate change, making the urgent need to expand the budget for livelihood stabilization and damage recovery.

Assemblyman Eo Gi-gu emphasized, "Support for rural farming and fishing villages suffering greatly from natural disasters such as cold damage, heavy rain, and typhoons along with COVID-19 is desperately needed," and added, "A substantial financial support is necessary to establish a foundation for sustainable agriculture and fisheries."

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