Sokors help farmers boost production

MANILA, Philippines—South Korea’s major rural development movement has committed to help improve agricultural production in Sta. Cruz, Zambales, through the sharing of technical knowledge, skills and modern machinery with farmers of the municipality.

Started in 1970 under President Park Chung-hee, Saemaeul Undong or New Village Movement is South Korea’s campaign to boost agricultural production.

Kim Kwan-yong, current head of Saemaeul Undong, said in a press statement he believes that Saemaeul Undong is the key to transforming the farming sector of developing nations like the Philippines.

Kim, also known as “Mr. Saemaeul,” recently sent a team from the Gyeongsangbuk-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, headed by Director General Jang-Heui Chae, to sign a memorandum of understanding with Sta. Cruz Mayor Luisito Marty.

‘‘As a municipality relying mainly on agriculture, we welcome the promise of our South Korean friends to help improve our production by teaching us the modern ways of developing high-yield crops,” Marty said after signing the agreement with Chae.

Through the memorandum of understanding, Marty said he is hoping that cooperation with South Korea could expand in other areas that could help further improve the lives of his constituents.

The signing was held after the visitors conducted a three-day lecture on Feb. 19-21 to introduce South Korean farming technologies on production and management of horticultural plants, including vegetables, trees and mushrooms.

The South Korean delegation also included directors So-Deuk Park, Seong-Yong Choi, Jin-Kwan Lee, president Yong-Dae Kim, Gyeongsangbuk-do Overseas Advisor Charles Hung Soo Park, Park Mong Young, and senior researchers Yong-Seub Shin and Jong-Soo Kim.

During the seminar, the farmers were introduced to different modern machinery for tilling, land preparation, harvesting and maintenance of livestock.

The visitors also discussed the development in cultivation technologies, cultivation methods and the appropriate crop for each kind of soil.

The experts also introduced the rain-proof cultivation and growing of crops, like the ice plant, watercress, strawberry and lettuce, in plant factories through the use of hydroponics.

Farmers were also introduced to other techniques that can be used for cultivation of horticultural crops, improvement of soil quality, heating system in greenhouses, high pressure sterilizing system and hot-air circulation system.