CNU’s environmentally-friendly microbial farming methods are spreading to American farmers.

According to the CNU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (Dean: Ahn Ki-wan), 24 representatives from US farms will take a GCM (Gelatin Chitin Microorganism) tour in Korea to learn more about 'GCM microbial farming' from October 11 to 16.

During the GCM tour, the US farmers will visit farms, which are utilizing the GCM method in Naju, Yeosu, Damyang, Sunchang, Gochang, and Dangjin. They will also take part in the farm tour to learn new farming techniques. In addition, at 4 pm on October 14, they will attend a seminar on farming methods held at the CNU Institute of Environmentally-friendly Agriculture (located in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Building 6).

GCM microbial farming has attracted greater interest from academia and farming industries since it held five special lectures at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Hawaii, Hilo, last year.

This rising interest in the US is attributed to the demand for new alternative farming methods as the costs for farming production have significantly increased due to large-scaled automated farming that relies heavily on chemical pesticides and fertilizers. In addition, consumers’ concerns about the destruction of natural ecosystems and the negative impact on human health have resulted in a calling for change.

The GCM eco-friendly farming method was developed by Professor Kim Kil-yong (Department of Agricultural Biochemistry) and is an environmentally-friendly farming method that maximizes pest control and productivity by cultivating microorganisms that break down and consume gelatin and chitin. In addition, this farming method was proven to be effective in forests with trees such as jujube, walnut, oak, and pine through a joint study with another CNU professor, Ahn Young-sang (Division of Forest Resources).

Currently, more than 12,000 farms are using the GCM method in Korea, and it is known that they are also introducing the method to North Korea.

The GSM tour will be supported by the CNU LINC + Initiative and the research project, “Development of Eco-friendly Standard Cultivation Technology”, governed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs.