Pocheon-si Conducts 'Smart Irrigation Training for Facility Leafy Vegetables'

Pocheon City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Young-hyun) announced on the 9th that it held a ‘Smart Irrigation Education for Facility Leafy Vegetable Farmers’ on the 6th at the auditorium of the Agricultural Technology Center.

Pocheon City held a "Smart Irrigation Training for Facility Leafy Vegetable Cultivation" on the 6th at the Agricultural Technology Center auditorium for farmers cultivating facility leafy vegetables. Photo by Pocheon City

This education was organized to strengthen the water management capabilities of farmers cultivating facility leafy vegetables and to promote sustainable agricultural technologies. The lecture was given by Won Sung-jae, head of Korea Netafim, covering practical topics such as ▲problems of conventional water management ▲proper irrigation design and technology ▲sprinkler maintenance methods.

The attending farmers felt the importance of modernized irrigation technology and expressed expectations for improvements in the agricultural environment.

Jung Young-won, director of the Pocheon Agricultural Technology Center, said, “We hope this education will improve farmers’ water management skills and serve as an opportunity to increase farm income and save resources,” adding, “We will continue to expand customized education reflecting the practical needs of farmers.”

Meanwhile, the cultivation area of facility leafy vegetables in Pocheon City is approximately 680 hectares. Due to the large amount of agricultural water usage, there are concerns about groundwater shortages.

In addition, issues such as uneven irrigation, water leakage from pipelines after irrigation ends, sprinkler clogging, and filter maintenance difficulties related to irrigation facility design and operation have been pointed out as major challenges for farmers.

To address these issues, the Pocheon Agricultural Technology Center plans to implement a ‘Pilot Project for Establishing a Smart Water Management System for Facility Leafy Vegetables’ targeting 10 farms by 2025.

The pilot project supports irrigation improvement equipment such as semi-automatic cleaning filters, irrigation automation devices, and drip-prevention sprinklers, aiming to enhance agricultural water efficiency, improve crop quality, and reduce irrigation labor.

For more detailed information regarding the project, inquiries can be made to the Horticultural Crop Team of the Technology Extension Division at the Pocheon Agricultural Technology Center.