South Korea smart farming market
South Korea Smart Farming Market Size and Growth Outlook
The South Korea smart farming market is growing rapidly as the country turns to digital agriculture to solve labor shortages, climate risks, and food security challenges.
According to government‑backed data summarized by Statista, the market size of smart agriculture in South Korea was about USD 239 million in 2020 and is forecast to reach roughly USD 491 million by 2025. Other industry reports estimate the broader smart agriculture and AgriTech market at around USD 356 million in 2024, with potential to exceed USD 700 million by 2033, highlighting sustained mid‑ to long‑term growth.
This momentum is strongly supported by national policy. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has announced a plan to convert 30% of total agricultural output to smart farming by 2027, backed by investments in AI, robotics, and data‑driven solutions. The government’s first Basic Plan for Fostering Smart Farming (2025–2029) aims to build incubation zones, strengthen training for “smart farming managers,” and create a comprehensive ecosystem where farmers and agribusinesses can adopt advanced technologies more easily.
Key Growth Drivers in the Korean Smart Farming Market
- Strong policy support and funding: Dedicated smart farming legislation and multi‑year master plans are lowering regulatory barriers and channeling public investment into infrastructure, R&D, and training.
- Technology adoption (IoT, AI, automation): Sensors, data platforms, smart greenhouses, and automation tools are being deployed to increase yields, reduce water and input use, and improve labor productivity.
- Labor shortages and aging farmers: With an aging rural population and fewer young people entering traditional agriculture, smart farming offers a way to maintain or grow output with less manual labor.dbr.
- Climate and food security concerns: Controlled‑environment agriculture and precision farming help South Korea stabilize production in the face of extreme weather and limited arable land.
As a result, the South Korea smart farming market is shifting from pilot projects to scaled commercial deployment in greenhouse horticulture, open‑field crops, livestock, and vertical farming. This creates growing opportunities not only for farmers, but also for solution providers, system integrators, and content creators who can explain and localize smart farming for Korean audiences.