From October 28 to November 14, 2024, the Smart Farming for Agricultural Development in Jamaica and Dominica grant team participated in a knowledge exchange to Korea, with nine representatives from client countries, with the aim of enhancing understanding of smart farming technologies among public and private sector stakeholders and exploring ways to mainstream these innovations in the Caribbean context.
The visit included a workshop facilitated by the Korea Smartfarm Research and Development Foundation (KOSFARM) in collaboration with Seoul National University (SNU).
Delegates also visited several exemplary smart farms, including Farm8 (salad vegetables), Saebom (tomato) and Green K-Farm (strawberry). We also visited the Sangju Innovation Park, an experimental hub for developing diverse smart farming technologies, as well as Daedong Ltd., a leading agricultural machinery company. Additionally, we toured Seoul National University to observe ongoing research on cutting-edge agricultural technologies.
The team also participated in Korea Green Innovation Days (KGID), hosted by the KGGTF, where they presented the progress of this knowledge exchange between Korea, Jamaica and Dominica to promote smart farming.
This exchange served as an important step in helping stakeholders from both countries understand smart farming technologies and consider their applicability within the Caribbean Small Island Developing States context. It also laid the groundwork for incorporating these technologies into policy dialogues.
The grant, Smart Farming for Agricultural Development in Jamaica and Dominica, was approved in 2023, led by Winston Dawes, Senior Agriculture Economist and Ena Shin, Junior Professional Officer