Abstract

Online search and phone interview were performed with expert of Agricultural Technology Centers located in each 44-large-scale eco-agricultural district (LED) in South Korea. Field surveys were conducted with each rice (Oryza sativa L.) farm house of 7-prime LED, with comparing conventional and organic farming systems for soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and the productivity. Only one farm house in Jangheung practised croplivestock farming system, with/without crop rotation for the other farm houses. Soil EC in conventional farming systems had two times higher than those of organic farming systems and LED. A farm house in Suncheon was observed on dominant population of Sphagnum inhibiting rice growth often found in summer, which was mostly eliminated by application of 120 kg muscovite per ha. Based on the field survey, LED farmers’ requests included insufficient poduction of compost from the livestock, labour shortage, complicated distribution systems, price deviation, improper maintenance of facilities, and lack of advertisement and branding of the organic rice. LED farm houses increased to total gross production of $ 13, 725 compared with those of conventional and organic farming systems presumably due to the well-managed rice cultivation, high rice quality and high premium price.