(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Ju-hong = The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 29th that it has released the "Sixth Five-Year Plan for the Promotion of Eco-Friendly Agriculture" which includes a plan to double the certified area of eco-friendly agriculture from next year until 2030. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has set a goal to increase the ratio of eco-friendly certification to the total farmland area from 2.5% organic and 2% pesticide-free in 2024 to 5% organic and 4% pesticide-free by 2030. To achieve this, it plans to implement four major strategies: ▲ expanding the production base for eco-friendly agriculture ▲ expanding public demand and promoting private consumption ▲ improving the distribution structure ▲ improving the certification system. Firstly, it plans to increase direct payments for eco-friendly agriculture, relax the criteria for the number of times payments are made per plot, and guarantee the number of times organic direct payments are made, in order to encourage new farmers to adopt eco-friendly farming and transition to organic farming. To expand consumption, it plans to resume the national budget support project for eco-friendly agricultural products for pregnant women starting next year and increase the supply of eco-friendly agricultural products to school meals. In the distribution sector, it plans to expand the sales network including online, large-scale supermarkets, and direct transactions, and consider establishing a regional hub logistics center for eco-friendly agricultural products to reduce logistics costs. Additionally, it plans to strategically foster the organic processed food industry. The certification system will be improved to reduce the burden on the field by introducing eco-friendly certification review standards based on the risk level of each farm and considering ways to simplify the certification acquisition process. Along with this, it will continue to promote agricultural environmental conservation policies through reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, strengthening water quality management of agricultural water, expanding the agricultural environmental conservation program, and reforming the carbon-neutral direct payment system. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to establish and operate an "Eco-Friendly Agriculture Development Committee" with participation from both the government and the private sector to implement the plan. juhong@yna.co.kr