Gyeonggi Province is accelerating the development of agricultural technologies to achieve 'carbon neutrality by 2050'.
On August 13, the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services announced that it will focus on developing core technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities and strengthen related research collaborations.
The main initiatives include: ▲ technology for utilizing manure biochar ▲ establishment of a greenhouse gas inventory platform for the agricultural sector ▲ development of rice cultivation technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing organic resources.
Manure biochar is a carbon-fixing material produced by pyrolyzing cattle manure at high temperatures. When applied to crop cultivation, it enables long-term carbon storage in the soil, thereby reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
As of 2023, Gyeonggi Province generated 7.73 million tons of livestock manure, ranking second nationwide. Converting manure into biochar reduces its volume to one-fifth, and each ton of biochar can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2 tons. This approach enhances both the efficiency of livestock manure management and carbon reduction.
Currently, the Agricultural Research and Extension Services is developing crop-specific optimal utilization technologies for cabbage, corn, and other crops. Last year, it began developing technology for mixed use of livestock compost. Starting next year, the research scope will expand to include low-carbon soil management technology that combines green manure crops and biochar.
The greenhouse gas inventory platform is an integrated system that calculates emissions from various agricultural sources-such as water management in rice paddies and fertilizer application in farmland-by emission source, and verifies and manages the results of greenhouse gas reduction activities.
Application of Crop-Specific Optimal Utilization Technology for 'Manure Biochar' by Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services
Alongside technology development, research collaboration networks are also expanding. On April 15, the Agricultural Research and Extension Services signed a memorandum of understanding with Hankyong National University, the only national university in the province, for research collaboration on carbon neutrality in agriculture.
Under this agreement, the two institutions will strengthen cooperation in areas such as developing nutrient management technologies for farmland to address climate change, conducting research on greenhouse gas reduction, training research personnel, and exchanging academic information.
Additionally, to strengthen dedicated and field-linked research on climate change response in agriculture, the Agricultural Research and Extension Services reorganized its existing 'Agro-product Safety Team' into the 'Agricultural Climate Change Team' on August 12.
Sung Jehoon, Director of the Agricultural Research and Extension Services, stated, "We will identify and distribute effective carbon reduction technologies in the agricultural field to enhance the province's capacity to respond to climate change and contribute to realizing sustainable agriculture."
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