RDA: "Through Convergence Collaboration Projects, Reduce 'R&D and Technology Dissemination' Period from 10 to 5 Years"

The Rural Development Administration (RDA) has decided to drastically reduce the time required for research and development (R&D) and technology dissemination, which typically takes about 10 years, to roughly half that period. The goal is to simultaneously promote R&D and technology dissemination to spread research outcomes to the field in the shortest possible time.

On the 26th, the RDA announced that it will promote a 'Convergence Collaboration Project' based on this plan.

Previously, in November last year, the RDA established and announced the 'Agricultural Research and Development Innovation Strategy,' which aims to strengthen the public nature of R&D in agriculture and create field-centered research outcomes, thereby laying the foundation for future agricultural innovation.

To quickly resolve the core agricultural issues we face, the RDA selected five projects under the 'Crosswise Project,' a national mission-oriented policy-driven project requiring convergence collaboration led by the Convergence Innovation Strategy Team. These include promoting smart mechanization of field crops and revitalizing the powdered rice industry. Additionally, to pioneer creative new technology areas through communication among various experts, six 'Eureka Projects' were selected, such as developing upcycling technology for agricultural and food by-products and creating resource circulation models utilizing feed insects. A total of 435 people from 36 institutions are expected to participate in the 11 projects.

Jo Jae-ho, Administrator of the RDA, explained, "In the existing research system, research projects, technology dissemination projects, and informatization projects are conducted separately, and technology dissemination or informatization projects only begin after the research projects are completed, resulting in long project durations and delayed outcomes. The convergence collaboration projects we are promoting this time feature the simultaneous execution of research, technical guidance, and information projects to spread research outcomes to the field in the shortest possible time." Typically, it takes about 10 years from R&D to technology dissemination, but through this convergence collaboration, the RDA plans to reduce this period to about 5 years, roughly half the previous duration.

The 11 convergence projects were selected through a process where experts from four scientific institutes within the RDA identified problems through horizontal collaboration and reviewed how to collaborate to solve these problems weekly at the 'Key Task Council.'

Furthermore, to ensure accurate field analysis, close communication procedures were also established with provincial agricultural research institutes and city/county agricultural technology centers. Concrete goals, strategies, and roadmaps were also developed for each of the 11 projects to achieve results within the shortest possible time.

Administrator Jo stated, "Globally, social challenges that cannot be solved without collaboration across various fields, such as climate change due to global warming and the resulting food shortages, are emerging one after another. By addressing these through convergence collaboration R&D in advanced food technology and eco-friendly biotechnology industry promotion policies, we will lead exemplary cases of R&D innovation under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

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