Donghae City Opens 'Science-Based Farming Complex' as a Hub for Local Agricultural Innovation

Donghae City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Shim Gyueon) announced on October 20 that it will hold an opening ceremony for the "Donghae City Science-Based Farming Complex" on October 21 at 110 Chogu-dong.

A view of Donghae City Hall.

The Science-Based Farming Complex was established to address local demand for scientific farming, alleviate inconveniences faced by farmers, and strengthen the foundation for eco-friendly agricultural and livestock production.

The Science-Based Farming Complex was built with a total project cost of 5.5 billion won from 2022 to 2025, featuring a two-story, 497-square-meter science-based farming facility and a one-story, 318-square-meter beneficial microorganism cultivation facility. Going forward, it will serve as a hub for advanced agricultural technology support, including soil and livestock manure testing services and the production and supply of agricultural microorganisms.

The science-based farming facility provides soil analysis services, which diagnose nutrient content in the soil and recommend appropriate fertilizer usage to supplement any deficiencies. In addition, starting in November, it will offer livestock manure maturity testing services for livestock farms, which is a mandatory step before applying composted manure to farmland.

The beneficial microorganism cultivation facility supplies four types of microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis, yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and photosynthetic bacteria) free of charge to farmers, enabling various eco-friendly benefits such as soil enrichment, pest and disease control, and reduction of livestock odors. The city also plans to expand supply to the general public in the future.

In addition, the city will establish a 320-square-meter smart agriculture testbed (smart greenhouse) within the complex by 2026, which will be used for farmer experiences and educational purposes. By expanding the smart agriculture infrastructure, the city aims to respond to the changing future agricultural environment and contribute to the discovery of income-generating crops and the dissemination of technology suited to local conditions.

Park Hyunju, Director of the Agricultural Technology Center, stated, "Starting with the opening ceremony of the Science-Based Farming Complex, we will do our utmost to operate the facility smoothly, reduce the farming burden on local farmers, and contribute to further development of the region's agriculture."

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