■As a result of aging in rural communities, particularly among farmers and fishermen, rural labor shortages are commonplace, thus, medium and long-term policies to address such shortages are required.
○This paper seeks to delve into a range of forward-thinking issues and suggest strategies for tackling the rural population crisis from a medium to long-term viewpoint, rather than concentrating solely on short-term remedies.
■The trend of a persistent aging demographic in rural communities is starkly evident, with 49.8% of residents in agricultural areas and 44.2% in fishing communities being aged 65 and over. This represents a significant concern, especially when compared to the national elderly population ratio of 18.0%.
○Over the past 50 years, there have been dramatic migratory patterns of farm and fishery households from rural areas into urban areas, super-aging has accelerated depopulation in rural communities.
■Rural manpower policies should be directed toward the enhancement of sustainability and competitiveness of agriculture and fisheries, embracing the perpetual social trends of demographic shifts such as continuously low birth rates, increasing willingly unmarried population in adaptive strategies, and population aging in responsive strategies, and also include strategies to mitigate the rapid pace of transformation.
○To tackle the population crisis, characterized by an aging demographic and the migration of young people to metropolitan areas like Seoul and other cities, it's essential to implement policy efforts (mitigation strategies) aimed at boosting the populations in agricultural and rural regions. Concurrently, there is a need for substantial policy initiatives (adaptation strategies) that include restructuring agriculture and fisheries, as well as promoting a shift in perception. This strategy is crucial in responding to environmental changes, such as shifts in industrial structures and advancements in cutting-edge technologies.
■Manpower enhancement and capacity-building by attracting population influx including young people and foreign workers.
○The agriculture and fishery sectors should offer a stable income. Support measures need to reduce entry barriers for young and new farmers and fishermen by decreasing uncertainties about expenses and future prospects, especially in the initial stages. Additionally, these support efforts should extend to providing technical training for professionals in farming and fisheries.
○Job creation for migrant workers needs to be considered to stably deal with labor shortage, and simultaneously, support for their permanent stay to improve their job retention should be provided, and the system should be improved to include the migrants in communities.
■Building smart communities and fostering talent for smart farming and fishery.
○Adopting smart agriculture and fishery, a critical imperative for the future, aims to enhance productivity and competitiveness by integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with farming and fisheries. To achieve this, developing a workforce with digital literacy and strengthening the startup ecosystem are essential steps.
○Smart farming and fishery will be an opportunity to bring digital transition to rural communities, and thus, social, and regulatory innovation should be provided, along with policy support to lead the innovation, including nurturing creative talents or establishing the education system.
■Policy support and system improvement based on mid- and long-term approaches to stabilize supply and demand of agricultural and fishery workforce.
○To effectively pinpoint and resolve the mismatch between the supply and demand of the agricultural and fishery workforce in communities, it is crucial to monitor the workforce and industry conditions within each community. This information should then be incorporated into policy development and improvements.
○To provide comprehensive policies inclusive of people who have returned to farming or rural communities and prospective individuals wishing to return to farming or to rural communities, continuous support should be provided to transform rural communities into attractive areas for residence and work.
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