농촌의 내발적 지역활성화에 관한 한·일 비교 연구(3/3차년도)

Abstract

농업과 농촌지역은 빠르게 변화하고 있다. 고도 경제성장 과정에서 인구와 농지의 유출이 급격하였고, 또 시장개방이 확대되는 가운데 수입농산물과의 경쟁도 치열해지고 있다. 이러한 영향으로 농업과 농촌은 인구의 과소화와 고령화가 진전되는 동시에 계층간이나 지역간의 소득격차도 확대되고 있다. 이에 대응하여 농업의 진흥과 농촌지역의 활성화는 중요한 과제이다. 이를 해결하기 위해서는 다양한 측면에서 접근이 필요하다. 개별경영의 노력만으로 문제해결이 어려운 지역에서는 농업생산의 조직화와 도농교류 등에 의한 지역단위의 고부가가치 창출과 고용기회 확대, 이를 위한 사회조직 개선 등을 통한 지역 활성화의 시도도 필요하다. 이러한 접근방법이 내발적 발전이다. 농촌의 내발적 지역활성화란 지역사회의 주민이 주체가 되어 조직화하고, 지역이 가지고 있는 자연적·인적·문화적 자원을 발굴하되 필요시에는 외부의 지원이나 협력을 얻어서, 지역 내에서 고용을 창출하고 소득을 확보함으로써 지역의 경제·사회·문화적 활동을 촉진시키기 위한 지역개발 전략이다. 이 보고서는 문제의 양상이 유사한 한국과 일본에서 내발적 발전이라는 관점에서 농촌지역 활성화가 진행되고 있는 양국 사례연구를 통하여 농촌지역 활성화의 계기와 조건을 제시하였다.

This research is a comparative study between Korea and Japan on the policies for endogenous rural development. From 2005 to 2007, this research has been carried out in the form of a comparison study with Tokyo University of Agriculture. A literature survey, case investigations, and workshops were conducted throughout the proceeding. The final report is the culmination of three years of research. Based on the concept of internal development which has the five components of ‘leadership,’ ‘organization,’ ‘resources,’ ‘action,’ and ‘external assistance,’ this study analyzed the conditions and chances for internal development through comparative case studies on rural village development, rural-urban exchanges, and local community organization. Because of the high rate of rural-urban migration and the aging of rural communities, traditional social organizations in Korea have become weak and dissolved. In the case of Japan, it is very rare that traditional community organizations still remain. However, social organizations in Japanese rural communities are well organized according to the needs of modern community living in the spheres of autonomous village administration, economics, religion, and culture. The community farming group in Japan could save production cost and prevent the increase of idle farm land in rural community. It is also possible to increase income and employment in the farm sector through the increase of vegetable cultivation after rice and the increase of farm processing and rural tourism. The leaders of group farming in the case of Japan are mostly part-time farmers and new farmers who haven chosen farming as their livelihood after retirement from non-farm business. The experiences learnt from the non-farm sector becomes valuable for vitalizing group farming activities. However, in the case of Korea, the leaders of cooperative farming companies are mostly full-time farmers. Therefore, the new farmers who have experience in the non-farm business sector are not utilized. The leadership of new farmers must be considered for the vitalization of cooperative farming companies in Korea. The community building in Korea and Japan are very similar in objectives, contents, activities, resources, and outside supports. The ways for endogenous rural community development could be classified into four steps according to the process of development and the role play between community people and local government: mobilized, participatory, initiative and autonomous. The facilitators such as NPOs, experts, companies and civic organizations, in particular, play important roles for each step of endogenous development. The activities of civic organizations in the form of NGOs are increasing in Korea, and the weaknesses of rural community activities caused by aging and depopulation are covered by civic organizations such as NPOs in Japan. For the endogenous rural community development in Korea, it is desirable to foster facilitators such as NPOs in Japan and develop various programs for the participation of community people in the course of endogenous community development.

Researchers: Kim, Tae-Gon; Chung, Ki-Whan; Song, Mi-Ryung and Heo Joo-Nyung E-mail address: taegon@krei.re.kr