농지의 체계적 관리를 위한 농업진흥지역 지정·운영 개선 방안

Abstract

농업진흥지역 지정 면적은 2004년 92.2만 ha를 정점으로 점차 감소하고 있다. 동 기간 전체 농지 면적 중에서 농업진흥지역이 차지하는 비중도 50.2%에서 47.9%로 감소하였다. 이에 대해, 일부에서는 식량 자급을 위해 농지보전 면적이 확대되어야 한다는 주장이 있고, 다른 한편에서는 진흥지역 내 농지 소유자들의 경제적 손실에 대한 잠재된 불만이 농업 정치적 대변자들을 통해 표출되기도 한다. 또한 과거 생산주의와 효율성에 중심을 둔 농정 기조에서 환경성과 안정성 강화를 기반으로 하는 지속가능 농정으로 전환되면서 농지보전에 대한 패러다임 전환이 요구되고 있다.

이 연구는 농업진흥지역 지정제도 시행(1992년) 후 25년 정도 지난 현 시점에서 농지정책의 중장기 방향과 정책 수단에 대한 진지한 고민이 필요하다는 인식하에 현재 농지보전 정책의 근간인 농업진흥지역 제도를 중심으로 점검하고, 농지정책의 목표(우량농지 확보와 개발수요 대응) 실현을 위한 제도 개선 방향 및 대안이 무엇인지를 제시하고자 하였다.

Background of Research The agricultural development region scheme was introduced in 1990 for the purpose of securing good agricultural land and improving agricultural productivity, and agricultural development regions were specifically designated in 1992. However, due to the changes in economic conditions, the purpose of quantitative and qualitative securing of agricultural land was not sufficiently achieved. Unplanned barns, warehouses, farmhouses, processing facilities, and public facilities are impeding the conservation of good agricultural land in the agricultural development region. In addition, with the recent discussions on the reform of the direct payment system, there has been discussion on how to integrate rice fixed (decoupled) direct payment and dry-field farming direct payment into a Public-purpose Direct Payment System (tentative name). - Direct payment is changing the farm paradigm to enhance not only farmland maintenance and management but also environmental protection. - Therefore, the farmland conservation system should be improved to contribute to the transformation of the agricultural paradigm. Therefore, after 25 years since the implementation of the agricultural development region program in 1992, we are now evaluating the farmland conservation policy, especially the agricultural development region program, and seeking for ways to improve the system.

Research Method The research is conducted through literature review, overseas field survey, basic statistics and quantitative analysis of spatial data and raw data related to farmland information. In the literature review, the problem of the farmland conservation system represented by the current agricultural development system is analyzed through the review of domestic and foreign preceding research to find ways to conserve the good agricultural land. - The status of the conserved farmland and the operation of the specific agricultural district system in Taiwan, which is similar to the agricultural situation in Korea, was investigated through overseas field survey. In order to identify the current status and problems of agricultural development regions, relevant GIS spatial data and raw data of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), Rural Development Administration (RDA), Korea Rural Community Corporation, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are collected and analyzed. - The agriculture database by MAFRA, the database of agricultural management, the GIS data for the agricultural development region by the Korea Rural Community Corporation, the continuous cadastral map and officially assessed land price data by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the land suitability grade per land category and slope GIS data by the Rural Development Administration and GIS data of Environmental Conservation Value Assessment Map by the Ministry of Environment were used. - Based on the constructed data, the research methodologies such as crossing method, human development index and nonparametric estimation method were utilized to identify the size of area appropriate to be conserved. -Logit analysis was conducted to analyze the factors affecting land use change.

Analysis of Use of Farmland in Agricultural Development Regions About 3,000ha of farmland in agricultural development regions is being used every year for the purpose of public facilities and barns, agricultural facilities (warehouses, processing and drying facilities), farmhouses and farmers' community facilities, which are not directly related to agricultural production, and this hampers farmland conservation in agricultural development regions. In terms of the standard of land development, the land use restriction does not consistently apply to the agricultural development region as conservation area. - Agricultural land reserve has limits as conservation area because the acceptable level of land development is too high compared to the agricultural development region. Farmland conservation contributions are levied on agricultural land owners for the purpose of restraining diversion of farmland, but the effect of restraining agricultural land diversion is not significant at the current imposition method and levy level. - Farmland in agricultural development regions with lower official prices is preferred.

Analysis of Designation and Lifting Status of Agricultural Development Regions Although it is possible to designate the agricultural development region by the request of residents, so far there has been only one case that the land became an agricultural development region by the request of residents as the compensation for the loss caused by land use restriction according to regulations is insufficient. The criteria for designation of agricultural development regions are based on farmland grouping standards which vary by land zone (over 10ha of plain area, over 7ha of middle area or over 3ha of mountain area) - However, the lifting requirement is 3ha regardless of the land zone. Therefore, there are some zones that do no meet the designation standard, but do not satisfy the lifting standard. As of 2018, 78.5% (81.5% when including agricultural facilities) is being used for the purpose of agriculture, after the lifting of agricultural development regions in 2007 and 2008. - Farmers in underdeveloped areas may express complaints such as a decrease in direct payment amount due to the lifting of the agricultural development region, and it is necessary to reflect local characteristics in the conditions for lifting the agricultural development regions.

Agricultural Land Subject to Conservation by Indicator The paradigm for the conservation of farmland needs to be changed as the past agricultural policy based on productionism and efficiency has been transformed into a sustainable farming based on strengthening environmental protection and stability. - In addition to the current agricultural land grouping and land productivity standards, areas with high environmental and public benefit effects of agricultural land should also be actively conserved and managed. The area of cultivation suitable for rice paddies and fields in agricultural development regions is 346,000ha, accounting for 43.8% of the total area of agricultural development regions, 790,000ha. - Therefore, it is necessary to make efficient farm land use decision in consideration of such cultivation land when using farmland for non-farmland use type farming activities such as barns, cultivation greenhouse, etc. in agriculture development regions.

Implications of Major Countries regarding Farmland Conservation In the case of Japan and the United Kingdom, they clarify the areas to promote agricultural development (Japan designates 89.6% of the whole farmland for agricultural land use and the UK promotes the entire rural land), and link with various national and urban plans. - In particular, Japan has designated specific areas within the agricultural land area as special land if necessary for agricultural development. In the UK, farmlands (grades 1, 2, and 3a) which are excellent and highly utilized are actively conserved and for projects where agricultural land development is inevitable, priority is given to lower grade land (grades 3b, 4 and 5). - Taiwan is promoting the establishment of a virtuous circle system that enhances the comprehensive rural development plan and the integration of agricultural production, rural life and environment ecology in the designation of a specific agricultural district. Summary and Implication 1: Improvement of Criteria in Agricultural Development Region Designation From the point of view that even the farmland outside the agricultural development region should be actively conserved and managed, the criteria in the designation and lifting of agricultural development regions shall be any grouped land over 3ha regardless of its land zone. By doing this, the area to be an agricultural development region can be expanded and consequently, the agricultural development region will be expanded. Designation of agricultural development regions and agricultural protection zones shall be mandatory in all areas according the Farmland Act. Other use areas shall be designated selectively according to local characteristics (e.g., agricultural facility districts) instead of being designated uniformly for all cities and counties. - It operates flexibly in such a way as to allow the necessary usage classification (e.g., landscape such as Daraknon which is a long terraced rice paddy field, facility-agricultural district, livestock district, etc.) according to local agricultural characteristics. - However, activities other than agricultural production can be directed to non-cultivated sites within the agricultural development region. Also, it is necessary to apply some activity restriction according to usage classification (only certain relevant development activities are permitted) in order to have legal binding power.

Summary and Implication 2: Improvement of Agricultural Development Region Operation Plan The agricultural development region accepts the activity limitations of the current agricultural development region and allows only those activities directly related to agricultural production and farmland improvement. - The first grade farmland (about 44,100ha), which has good environmental value according to the National Environmental Assessment standard, shall be also actively incorporated into the agricultural protection zone by restructuring it for the designated purpose of the agricultural protection zone, and the name of the agricultural protection zone shall be changed to the agricultural environment protection zone. And the enacted agricultural environment protection zone applies the act limitation more strictly than the existing agricultural protection zone. - In the “Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Manure”, an agricultural development region shall be added to the designated area for livestock farming restraint, and the development activities requiring construction permits and architectural designs under the “Building Act” shall need the permission for farmland conversion. Farmland owners in agricultural development regions are given a transfer income tax exemption in terms of compensation for regulatory losses. The exemption is achieved by applying a special deduction rate for long-term holdings in transfer income tax. - The inheritance and gift tax deferment program shall be introduced so if a farm owner, who has inherited agricultural land in an agricultural development region for 20 years or more, continues to use farmland without converting the farmland, his/her payment of inheritance tax (gift tax) is deferred and the tax payment is waived after 20 years. - In order to compensate the loss caused by land use restriction in the agricultural development region, the farmland management fund shall be used to pay the farmland owners with farmland conservation direct payment of 200,000 won per ha. In order to inhibit the farmland conversion in agricultural development regions from the viewpoint of protection of the good agricultural land, the principle of not allowing 100% reduction for the land conversion in agricultural development regions is suggested. - Even in the case of facilities for public use or farmers' convenience, 100% reduction is not allowed in agricultural development regions. Instead, a maximum of 50% reduction is applied. In the situation where the system guaranteeing the implementation of the agricultural land utilization plan is not available, it shall be operated in connection with the urban management plan for the improvement of land use. - In terms of securing efficiency of investment and loan for the farmland maintenance project at the regional level, when farmland conservation contribution is imposed, the relevant local government shall be obligated to support part of agricultural production base maintenance cost by utilizing farmland management funds.

Researchers: Chae Gwangseok, Kim Hongsang, Sung Jaehoon, Kim Booyoung Research period: 2018. 1. ~ 2018. 10. E-mail address: gschae@krei.re.kr