Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Designates 'Gangjin Yeonbangjuk Ecological Circulation Waterway Agricultural System' as Important Agricultural Heritage

Moat view near the South Gate of Jeolla Byeongyeongseong (Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 27th that the Gangjin Yeonbangjuk Ecological Circulation Waterway Agricultural System has been newly designated as a National Important Agricultural Heritage (No. 16).

The National Important Agricultural Heritage refers to agricultural heritage designated by the government as having value for preservation and transmission, among tangible and intangible agricultural resources that farmers have long formed while adapting to the environment, society, and customs in the region. Designations have been made since 2013, with a total of 15 sites designated. The newly designated National Important Agricultural Heritage was finally decided after evaluating its value through two advisory meetings of the Agricultural Heritage Advisory Committee and on-site investigations following applications from cities and counties at the end of June last year.

The Gangjin Yeonbangjuk Ecological Circulation Waterway Agricultural System is evaluated as an agricultural heritage embodying the wisdom of farmers who overcame the natural environment of the Gangjin-gun area, which has wide farmland but lacks water, by exchanging (circulating) water between Yeonbangjuk canals for double and triple use. It is an agricultural waterway system of great preservation value that still supplies water to the Handeul Plain (about 2,209 hectares) to this day.

In particular, the Hamel-style waterway, which uses about 100 weirs made of stones and soil along the river and first utilizes water for household use through the waterways before directing it to farmland and the Byeongyeong Fortress moat, is evaluated as a unique ecological circulation waterway system rarely found in other regions.

Additionally, the agricultural community culture such as the traditional ‘Garaechigi’ fishing method, which involves draining water after rice harvesting from October to November every year and catching fish using a traditional rake, is still maintained. The special landscape of the Handeul Plain, the second largest plain in Jeollanam-do, and Yeonbangjuk (3.4 km) has also been formed.

For the newly designated ‘Gangjin Yeonbangjuk Ecological Circulation Waterway Agricultural System,’ a National Important Agricultural Heritage designation certificate will be issued, and a budget will be supported for three years for the restoration, excavation, and succession of agricultural heritage resources. Through this, it is expected to contribute not only to enhancing the unique brand value of the region but also to revitalizing the local economy by increasing rural residents’ income.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "Agricultural heritage is a living asset where agricultural activities take place, so sustainable preservation and management are very important," and added, "Local governments should not simply use agricultural heritage as a tourism resource but actively cooperate with local residents to preserve and manage it so that the value of agricultural heritage can be passed on to future generations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.