농업‧농촌에 대한 2014년 국민의식 조사 결과

Abstract

2014년 우리 농업계는 한-중 FTA 체결과 쌀 관세화 등 농산물 시장개방 확대에 따른 대응책을 마련하고 이를 기회로 활용하기 위한 논의가 다각도로 이루어졌다. 한편으로는 농업의 미래성장산업화 등 새로운 성장 동력을 확보하기 위한 연구와 여건 조성도 활발하게 진행되었다.

이처럼 농업을 둘러싼 대내외 여건 변화와 정책방향에 대해 국민들은 어떻게 인식하고 있고, 어떤 정책을 주문하고 있는지를 파악하여 연구에 반영하는 것은 정책실효성을 제고시킨다는 측면에서 중요한 일이다. 생산자인 농업인도 농산물 시장개방 확대에 따른 국민들의 소비패턴 또는 의식변화를 반영해 수요자 중심의 농산물 생산과 마케팅 전략을 마련해야 할 필요성이 커지고 있다.

한국농촌경제연구원은 이같은 이유로 매년 말 농업·농촌에 대한 국민의식조사를 실시하여 발표하고 있다. 이번 조사는 지난 수년간 일관되게 실시해 온 의식변화 지표를 포함해 정책현안에 대한 인식, 농업·농촌에 대한 수요 등을 조사문항으로 설계하였다. 특히, 농업·농촌에 대한 한-일 국민의식 비교 문항을 처음으로 추가하여 양국의 의식차이를 파악하였다.

조사는 2014년 10월 하순부터 11월까지 실시하였으며, 도시민 1,500명과 농업인 1,200여 명이 참여하였다.

이 조사 보고서에는 도시민과 농업인의 다양한 정책 건의와 농업·농촌 발전을 위한 제언도 함께 수록하였다.

The 2014 Public Opinion Survey on Agriculture and Rural Areas was conducted to about 2,700 people including 1,500 urbanites and 1,209 farmers by face-to-face interviews and mail for a month from late October 2014. The survey focused on the respondents’ recognition of the value of agriculture and rural communities, changes in awareness of rural life, and demand for agricultural policies.

According to the survey results, a positive evaluation of the value and role of agriculture and rural villages prevailed. The support rate for more taxes for public value and function maintenance of agriculture and rural areas increased, and 50.9% of city people agreed to expanding investment in farming and rural communities. Moreover, most respondents positively evaluated the traditional role of agriculture and farm villages including their value and contribution to the national economy. Nevertheless, a favorable environment is weakening as purchase loyalty to domestic agricultural products is falling. 67.2% of the respondents answered, “The more the agricultural market is opened, the more advantageous it is to consumers,” and those who answered that they would buy domestic agricultural products despite expensive prices decreased to 29.5%. The support rate for expanding the welfare budget for rural areas is 54.2%, much higher than the opposition rate. However, the support rate is on the decline.

The respondents had a positive outlook on agriculture’s future growth industrialization and Korean agriculture’s sustainability. Special crops were pointed out as an item with the highest growth potential, followed by fruit and vegetables. The respondents thought that domestic agrifood safety and rural tourism conditions were improving. Farmers were very interested in the prices of agricultural products and income stabilization plans, and although farmers’ satisfaction with life was on the rise, satisfaction with their job dropped. They showed the most interest in the issue of farm prices, and 68.7% of farms said that they needed to hire workers, and 70.6% of the farms answered that they had difficulties in securing manpower. The respondents considered agricultural market opening, increased production costs, and labor shortage as important factors threatening management. Farmers who were satisfied with rural life quadrupled to 43.8% in 10 years, but only 19.9% expressed satisfaction with their job. When Korean and Japanese agriculture and rural areas were compared, the outlook on rural resources and value maintenance was much more positive in Japan than in Korea. Japan’s support was also higher in assessment of domestic agricultural products’ excellence compared to imports than Korea’s. However, the Japanese were more anxious over future food supply and demand than the Koreans.

Researchers: Kim Dong-weon and Park Hye-jin Research period: 2014. 1. ~ 2014. 12. E-mail address: dongweon@krei.re.kr, frog78@krei.re.kr