The Eco City: One Stop Shop Farming
South Korean agricultural corporation Eco Farm City has developed what it calls “KDS convergence farming,” which systematizes the cultivation, production, processing, manufacture, sales, and retail process of farming into a collective “one-stop system.”
KDS convergence farming combines primary industries--such as agriculture, livestock, and fisheries--with the secondary industries of manufacturing and processing as well as the tertiary service industries. This integration of parts of the supply chain allows the firm to produce and export ecofriendly mineral-loaded food products all year round.
Unlike traditional methods of farming, this new system uses cutting-edge facilities and technology to produce and process pesticide-free food products rich in minerals.
Under the system, Eco Farm City produces high quality ginseng products at its “smart farm plant factories.” It uses a patented material called “Activa,” which is a silicate mineral complex that maximizes the intake of nutrients and accelerates growth.
According to the company, the use of Activa expedites the growth of ginseng. The ginseng roots exposed to Activa also showed higher concentrations of saponin. Unlike regular ginseng, of which only the roots can be used, the leaves and stems of Activa-grown ginseng can also be used.
Meanwhile, the company has also bottled Activa and water solutions as an electrolyte drink product and has started exports. The drink has received recognition from the World Atopy Association, according to the company.
The company currently operates a smart plant factory compound in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. It said it plans on expanding the compound to create a 400,000 square-meter “Eco City.” The compound will not only host the factory, but will also include housing areas, “healing centers,” convention and export centers, leisure areas, and exhibition halls.
Source: Lee Seung-ku, The Korea Herald