NH Agri Business Holdings to expand budget smart farm support to 2,500 farms

NH Agri Business Holdings plans to expand its budget smart farm support program to 2,500 farms this year, 2.5 times more than last year. The initiative aims to lower the barrier to entry for small and midsize farmers by spreading lower-cost smart farming technology.

NH Agri Business Holdings and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held a field forum on smart farming at the Rural Development Administration in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, to discuss ways to accelerate the adoption of smart agriculture.

Budget smart farms cut installation costs below those of standard smart farms by concentrating on functions farmers prefer alongside core smart farm features. NH Agri Business Holdings plans to expand the program — which supported about 1,000 farms last year — to 2,500 farms by year-end, in conjunction with a government grant program.

Participants shared updates on the cooperative's budget smart farm rollout and notable success cases, as well as plans for data-driven smart farming expansion and the development of smart farm models tailored to small and midsize operations.

Attendees also discussed the introduction of new technologies such as agricultural robots, training and follow-up support for smart farm operators, the development of new smart farm models, and ways to expand the scale of support.

Jung Seung-il, head of the production and wholesale division at NH Agri Business Holdings, said the program would help energize the smart agriculture sector. "We will strengthen cooperation with the government and related agencies to create new engines of growth for farming and rural communities," he said.