A policy evaluation of Environmentally Friendly Direct Payment Programme in Korea

Korea’s Environmentally Friendly Direct Payment Programme (EFDPP) provides an incentive and transitional support for farmers who switch to environmentally friendly farming methods. As such, it has made a positive contribution towards preserving the environment in Korea. However, as payments to individual farms cease after three years, it does not provide a permanent on-going reward for the greater provision of agri-environmental public goods once the switch is complete. This chapter reviews the background and objectives of the EFDPP, and its impacts. Since its introduction in 1999, farmers and policy administrators surveyed have evaluated it highly as a programme for promoting environmentally friendly farming. The analysis is then used as a basis for suggesting improvements in the current EFDPP.