The Growth of Korean Farming in New Zealand Agricultural Environment

뉴질랜드 농업환경속에서 한인 농업의 성장

This study attempts to explore the relationships of Korean Immigrants with New Zealand agricultural environment, their choice of agricultural occupations and adjustments. New Zealand, based on agricultural products in its economy, was one of the richest countries during the 1950s and 1960s because of its dependency in market to United Kingdom Since 1971 when U.K joined the European Community, its economy was no more strong enough to support the living conditions in the 1950's and 1960's. Therefore, New Zealand Government initiated some programme to assist its farmers. Such supports resulted in severe financial problems of the country. Thus, reforms removing almost all support programmes has been proceeded after 1984. Though horticulture is still lower in New Zealand's exports of agricultural products, its growth has been remarkable. This was results due to the contribution of smallholdings, along with migration from city to urban fringe occurred during the 1970's and 1980's. In the 1900's it has been known that horticulture in the smallholding takes a hard works for old ages, who required further partitions their lands. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of Korean immigrants to New Zealand in the 1900's has been occurred, and this study shows one or two years periods in the search of job in case of Korean farmers. The most attractiveness in agriculture for them was that it provides simultaneously both jobs and housing. Korean farmers' land use succeeds previous owner's land use, and concentrates on green house agriculture cultivating mainly tomato and cucumber. The size of land is quite small and not comparable to New Zealand's average size, but a satisfactory levels are rather high and successful in evaluating themselves concerning current occupations, even though they have rarely experienced about agriculture before. Korean farmers attributes a high satisfaction to agricultural techniques learned from previous owners and a related support authority. The results of this study showed that Korean farmers has been absorbed into New Zealand economy rather than Korean economy. Finally, it has been pointed that the growth of Korean farmers and agriculture in New Zealand is the results of complex factors such as occupations, children's educational opportunity, and the access to the city.

본 연구는 1991년 이후 급속히 종가하고 있는 뉴질랜드 한인 이민자들이 선택한 직업인 농업을 중심으로 어떻게 직업으로서 농업을 택하게 되었는지를 이해하고 적응해 나가는지를 분석한다. 전통적 농업사회였던 시기에 이민이 농업활동으로 이어진데 비해서 뉴질랜드의 이민은 동경하던 다양한 삶의 질의 추구에 그 바탕을 이루고 있다. 본 연구에서는 뉴질랜드의 농업환경의 재구조화와 관련 뉴질랜드의 농업을 간략히 살펴보고 한인들의 생업으로서 농업을 택한 것은 현지에서 경제활동을 모색하다가 가장 적합한 직업과 거주지를 동시에 고려한 결과 농업에 종사하게 되었다. 또한 그들의 직업이 농업 국가인 뉴질랜드의 농업환경과 밀접히 관련되고, 뉴질랜드인의 도시 근교 원예업을 중심으로 한 소규모 농장의 보급과 승계의 결과로 이해되어진다.