On November 4, President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the importance of research and development (R&D) investment in his ‘2026 Budget Proposal Speech,’ stating that next year’s budget is the first to usher in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). He highlighted the need to invest in future industries and key technologies such as AI and biotechnology to overcome low growth and drive national growth. The government’s R&D budget for next year has been confirmed at approximately 35.5 trillion won, the largest ever.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has allocated 261.7 billion won for R&D in the agricultural and food sector for next year, an increase of about 15.5% from the previous year. This budget aims to address issues such as the aging population in agriculture, labor shortages, and climate crises by enhancing the technological foundation and accelerating technological innovation. The ministry plans to focus its investments on future growth industries such as smart agriculture and green biotechnology.
The ministry’s R&D budget for next year will be used in five major areas: smart agriculture innovation technology, bioresource industrialization, climate and disease response, future food industry, and innovation ecosystem construction. Additionally, a total of 24.8 billion won has been allocated for seven new projects, including AI-based agricultural transformation technology and intelligent agricultural work automation.
Policy Briefing visited the ‘2025 Agricultural, Food, and Livestock Science and Technology Expo’ to hear from the field about the ministry’s R&D budget for next year. At the event, they met with two companies, Beyond Robotics and Metafarmers, which showcased AI-based agricultural innovation technologies. Both companies argued that agricultural automation technology using AI is a crucial technical solution to address labor shortages and climate change-related food crises.