“RICE FIELD ART” PROMOTES LOCAL COMMUNITIES

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"Rice field art" refers to various scenes created on rice paddies by planting different colored rice plant. These vast art fields have promoted local communities and boosted income for farmers.

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Well-known cartoon characters and a sign for a local event are drawn on a vast 8,000-square-meter rice field. This is so-called "rice field art" created by planting rice varieties of five different colors. This idea was first proposed by a government employee in Goesan-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province. Now it has become a nationwide attraction.

[Soundbite] KIM JONG-HWA(RICE FIELD ART PRODUCER) : "It was featured many times on TV programs and YouTube channels. I believe it draws a lot of tourists."

The Goesan county government obtained a patent for rice field art and shared thetechnique with farmers in the county. Over the past four years, farmers have created rice field art on some 40 locations in 11 cities and counties nationwide, including Yeoju in Gyeonggi-do Province and Gimje in Jeollabuk-do Province. They also made more than 2 billion won in revenue.

[Soundbite] LEE BYEONG-AE(GOESAN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER) : "Farmers make between 300 and 400 million won in earnings by creating rice field art across the nation."

Local agricultural goods have also found new a new market. In return for creating a rice field advert for a retailer, Goesan county struck a deal to sell box lunches made of local agricultural products in some 14,000 convenience stores nationwide.

[Soundbite] LEE CHA-YOUNG(GOESAN COUNTY MAYOR) : "I think rice field art used for advertising companies should be expanded as it also helps promote and sell local agricultural products."

Publicity for local communities, increased income, and new sales outlets. Rice field art has produced these three profitable outcomes and has emerged as a golden goose for local communities.