Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency: 91 Facilities Nationwide Receive Final "Compliant" Rating
Advancing Beyond Simple Experiences to Become a Specialized Service
The Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency announced on the 24th that, as a result of the review for the "2025 Excellent Healing Agriculture Facility Certification System," a total of 91 facilities nationwide received a final rating of "compliant."
An official from the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency said, "Amid growing interest in healing programs that utilize agricultural and rural resources, driven by recent population aging and the rise in mental health issues, there has been a growing need to establish standards that ensure professionalism and safety," adding, "This certification system has been introduced for the first time in response to social demands to objectively guarantee the quality level of services and to institutionally secure user safety, at a time when healing agriculture is drawing attention as a new alternative for promoting public health."
Deurimtteul Hillingpam, located in Wanju-gun, recently received healing agriculture certification from the Rural Development Administration.
The Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency focused its review on verifying the "specialized healing functions" that differentiate these facilities from ordinary rural experience activities. Healing agriculture refers to services that help restore physical and emotional health through agricultural activities such as plant cultivation, animal care, and participation in farm work. For effective operation, program design based on scientific evidence and the involvement of professional personnel are regarded as key elements.
To comprehensively evaluate facility conditions and operational capabilities, the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency examined a total of 38 detailed items, including the operational infrastructure such as facilities and equipment, the securing of professional personnel, the systematic nature of the operating system, and program composition and effectiveness verification. In particular, it applied both mandatory requirement checks and quantitative scoring, selecting only those facilities that met certain standards.
As a result, a total of 91 facilities received a final compliant rating across all regions of the country: 24 in the capital region, 22 in the Chungcheong region, 16 in the Honam region, 14 in the Yeongnam region, 8 in the Jeju region, and 7 in the Gangwon region. The Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency explained that it is significant that certified facilities were selected in a wide range of areas rather than being concentrated in specific regions.
With this certification, the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency has created a turning point for healing agriculture to move beyond experience-oriented activities and grow into a specialized industry linked to health and welfare services. By establishing a verification system that institutionally manages the entire process from program planning and effectiveness measurement to follow-up management, it has put in place a standardized healing agriculture service system that the public can trust.
Ahn Ho-geun, President of the Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency, said, "This certification is an important starting point for healing agriculture to take root as a professional service," adding, "Through thorough follow-up management, we will continuously improve service quality so that healing agriculture can make a tangible contribution to promoting public health."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
