This study aims to provide basic data that can be used in strengthening international competitiveness of agriculture by promoting locally specialized agricultural production based on local agricultural environments according to natural surroundings and conditions upon responding to FTA in the era of globalization and liberalization of agricultural trade. In addition, since less competitive livestock and fruit industries in the area of Chungnam are expected to suffer a great deal of damage due to the settlement of FTA that will have enormous influence on our economy, it is timely to classify agricultural belts according to their products in order to overcome such harsh reality. As such,8 cities, 8 guns, 24 eups, 146 myeons, and 39 dongs in Chungcheongnam-do were subjected to such agricultural belt classifications.
The detailed study has been conducted as follows.
Firstly, the change and status of agricultural production in Chungnam were observed.
Secondly, the principal component analysis with agricultural products as variables has been conducted, based on which the degree of agriculture has been determined.
Thirdly, agricultural belts have been classified according to the degree of agriculture and the development status of products for each eup, myeon, and dong in Chungnam.
Fourth, the results from above practical study are consequently provided as basic data that can be efficiently applied to the agricultural administration of Chungnam.
The Census of Agriculture in 2005 of the National Statistical Office was used as the data for the analysis, Chngcheongnam-do Statistical Year Book as the data for the change and status. Subsequently, agricultural belts have been classified according to the principal component scores resulting from the principal component analysis by setting up data of the number of farm families, the proportion of farm family, the proportion of full-time farms, economic area per household, areas of livestock production, rice paddy, dry field, orchard, and cultivation under structure, and unit livestock based on eup, myeon, and dong as unit criteria.
The results of the analysis suggested that with respect to the general degree of agriculture, almost all areas except a few locations including Asan-city, Cheonan-city, Geunmsan-gun, and Gyerong-city were found to have high degree of agricultural development in general. Based on such results, classifications have been made as Agricultural Belt, Rice Paddy Belt, Dry Field Belt, Orchard Belt, Cultivation Under Structure Belt, and Livestock Belt. It was found in the analysis that there was no location where all of the areas including rice paddy, dry field, orchard, cultivation under structure, and livestock were simultaneously developed. Dry field, orchard, cultivation under structure, and livestock were developed in Oga-myeon in Yesan-gun while rice paddy, dry field, orchard and livestock are developed in Seonghwan-eup in Cheonan-city and Godeok-myeon in Yesan-gun. In addition, although there was no location where all the areas by the principal component scores based on the degree of agriculture, the area of rice paddy, dry field, orchard, and cultivation under structure, and the unit livestock were developed, it was found that five areas were evenly developed or given higher scores in such locations as Woosung-myeon in Kongju-city, Gwangseok-myeon and Noseong-myeon in Nonsan-city, Hongbuk-myeon in Hongseong-gun, Sapgyo-eup and Oga-myeon in Yesan-gun and Hapdeok-eup in Dangjin-gun.
In the era of localization, the agriculture is positioned so importantly in Chungnam that the fifth government elected by popular vote in Chungnam has put the highest priority on agriculture and fishery in the provincial administration to pursue many positive changes. While the government of Chungnam makes every effort to build the agriculture/fishery with sustainable growth and the farming/fishing communities with high quality of life under the slogans of the competitive agriculture and fishery, liveable farming and fishing communities, and happy farmers and fishers, this study aims to be of help, though small, in deducing undertones in the agricultural administration of Chungnam for balanced development by setting up and classifying specialized areas in Chungnam based on the results of the analysis and grafting a sustainable paradigm based on agricultural belts in accordance with the change in agricultural environment.
While this researcher tried hard to enhance the completeness of this thesis, it was regretable that the most recent trend could not be reflected in this study due to the limited availability of the data. Consequently, the conclusion has been drawn from the above analysis and the currently unavailable data for this study will be continually pursued in due course.