후계농업경영인 육성사업 진단 및 성과 평가

Abstract

후계농업경영인 육성사업은 우리나라 농업구조개선에 있어 중요한 획을 긋는 정책의 하나이다. 1981년 시작하여 30년의 역사를 가진 이 사업을 통해 육성된 후계농업경영인이 지금까지 13만명이 넘고, 이들 중 장관, 국회의원도 배출되었으며, 상당수가 현재 우리 농업을 이끌어가는 견인차 역할을 수행하고 있다. 하지만 이렇게 역사가 길어져 육성된 인력도 많아지고 이들이 농업계 내에서 차지하는 비중이 높아지다 보니, 후계농업경영인 육성사업의 투명한 집행에 대한 사회적 요구 역시 높아지고 있다. 최근 후계농업인이 겸직을 하거나 융자를 받아 구입한 농지를 시장·군수의 승인 없이 매도하는 등의 사례가 드러나면서 후계농업인 선정과 사후관리 강화와 더불어 이 사업에 대한 다각적인 진단과 분석이 필요하다는 지적이 제기되고 있다. 이 연구는 후계농업경영인 육성사업의 역사와 관련 통계 현황을 체계적으로 정리하고, 관련 실태와 요구를 조사하고, 현행 제도의 문제점을 분석하고, 그 성과를 구체적으로 평가하여, 제도의 발전방안을 제시하였다.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the new farmer fostering program of the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries which began in 1981. For the purpose, the study utilized literature review, expert panel, surveys and case studies. The study reviewed the history of the fostering program, the current operating system of the program, the program evaluation model and domestic and foreign cases of human resource related programs. Problems and needs of the current program and information on program evaluation index development were investigated with several expert panels. To collect quantitative and qualitative evaluation data, a survey of 1224 beneficiaries of the new farmer fostering program and 528 ordinary farmers was carried out in addition to case studies of three local communities in Incheon Ganghwa, Jeonbuk Gimje, and Gyeongbuk Sangju. The new farmer fostering program could be divided into three periods in terms of program goal, budget size, and characteristics: the introduction period (1980s), the development period (1990s), and the adjustment period (2000s). The total budget input during the 30 years was 6,352 billion won in current value, which provided financial support to 130,073 farmers, of which 91.89 percent is operating their farms. The farmer fostering program has positive impact on individual farms with respect to farm size, agricultural income, farmer's self-efficacy, and social relationship; but it also has the effect of increasing the debt (growth). This program had positive impact on regional agricultural gross product per farm and agricultural gross national product. However, this program has the following problems: gradual weakening of economic incentive to induce new farmers; inflexible regional quota; inappropriate selection time; separate supervision with respect to selection of new farmers, lending, and management of new farmers; and lack of support for developing farmer competency. For the development of this program, this study suggested that the program should be a human workforce development program rather than a funding program and that it should focus more on public good than personal growth. Specifically, this study proposes the following measures: ① make the selection of new farmers a regional event; ② assist capital build-up of new farmers who lack farm background; ③ promote support organizations to provide exclusive assistance to new farmers; ④ operate a permanent program evaluation system; and ⑤ provide support to lay down a foundation through which the private sector can lead the fostering of new farmers.

Researchers: Sang-Jin Ma, Dae-Sik Park, Kang-Ho Kim Research period: 2010. 7. - 2010. 12. E-mail address: msj@krei.re.kr