• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.673-684
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• 2021

Background and objective: This study seeks to investigate domestic agro-healing farm resources so that preliminary data can be obtained on the systematic provisions for agro-healing programs in order to improve service quality and to identify the quality of agro-healing policy services. Methods: For this study, owners of agro-healing facilities were asked 24 questions via an online survey. An importance-performance analysis (IPA) was conducted to identify service quality for each policy sector. Results: Respondents' satisfaction levels were low when compared to agro-healing farm owners' perceptions of the above-average importance of each sector. The results from the resource analysis of domestic agro-healing farms indicated that the main operational purposes of farms were, in descending order, experience (90.0%), healing (86.7%), and education (84.0%). With respect to the type of program that was operated, cultivating crops (horticultural therapy) was identified most frequently at 83.3%. Conclusion: As a result of this study, the resources possessed by agro-healing farms were identified. In addition, the results of the IPA analysis in terms of service quality are not as good as expected, and performance levels should be increased to improve this. The results of this study are expected to provide useful information not only to improve the quality of agro-healing services, but also to revitalize the agro-healing industry while developing a systematic agro-healing program.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.663-672
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• 2021

Background and objective: As the 'Healing Agriculture Research and Development and Promotion Act' came into effect on March 25, 2021, social interest in agro-healing has been increasing exponentially. This study was conducted to analyze the priorities of agro-healing classification system and to provide basic data to inform policy directions and related research for the development and activation of agro-healing. Methods: The survey data collected from 18 experts were analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in determine the relative weights of the main and sub-criteria for the classification system. There were three main criteria identified: agro-healing input industry, agro-healing service industry, and agro-healing-related/derived industry. There were also 11 sub-criteria. Results: The top three sub-criteria with the highest complex weights include "community service," "social rehabilitation" and "treatment and rehabilitation," all of which correspond to the main criterion "agro-healing service industry". In addition, the complex weights of the sub-criteria corresponding to the main criterion "agro-healing related/derived industry" are as follows: "other agro-healing support service," which ranked 4th, and "training and education institutions for agro-healing experts," which ranked 5th when prioritizing the criteria. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the main criterion to be considered first in establishing a classification system is "agro-healing service industry". Therefore, it is necessary to continue research on detailed service classifications and systems with verified validity to ensure expertise in human resources, and organization related to social purpose services in agro-healing.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.385-396
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• 2021

This paper investigated the satisfaction of agro-healing and analyzed its willingness to participate in agro-healing in the future. First, a survey of intentions to participate in agro-healing found that the ratio of participation was 55.6% (125 people). It is analyzed that more than half of teenagers who have experienced agro-healing programs are willing to participate again. Second, a survey of satisfaction with agro-healing showed the highest improvement in agricultural awareness, including increased public interest value of agriculture. This can be seen as a way to raise public awareness of agriculture, as well as the effects of mental and physical health recovery, social integration contributions, and social safety contributions. Third, an analysis of the effect of awareness on the willingness to participate in agro-healing showed that the less significant it was, the higher the awareness, the higher the willingness to participate. In other words, various information delivery means, such as public relations measures, should be prepared to raise awareness of agro-healing. Fourth, it can be seen that those with low satisfaction with expected effects such as health recovery, social safety, social integration, and improved agricultural awareness have a clear difference in their willingness to participate in the future. In other words, the higher the satisfaction level of the agro-healing program, the higher the willingness to participate in the agro-healing industry in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2019

This study conducted a survey on the recognition and demand such as recognition level, policy necessity, service demand and policy demand by supply types in order to provide the basic data for successful settlement of agro-healing services. According to the survey on awareness, 45.2% of respondents were aware of the healing farming, and 31.3% of respondents had experience in participating in the agro-healing services. 63.6% of respondents replied that they were experiencing reasons for participating in agro-healing services. Respondents who had no knowledge of agro-healing services responded that 76.7% of respondents said they would not participate. More than two-thirds of respondents in all types indicated that they needed agro-healing services. As a result of evaluating the maximum willingness to pay, there was a willingness to pay for farm work healing about 15,800 won, horticulture healing about 14,800 won, forest healing about 13,400 won, and animal assisted healing about 17,000 won. Improving accessibility and strengthening awareness were high priorities for inconveniences and improvements. 70.1% of the respondents said that policies for agro-healing services are needed. Development of agro-healing programs and contents was the first priority for support policy. The result of this study is expected to provide reference data that can be suggested for agro-healing policy establishment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2023

Although Due to industrial development and urbanization, the number of schools closing due to a decrease in the school-age population is increasing due to the phenomenon of relocation from farming and fishing villages. Closing schools are used as social and cultural facilities, or they are used to generate income by providing education and experiences. Agro-healing is an activity that promotes psychological, social, and physical health by using rural resources. By reflecting the Agro-healing in the services operated by the closed school, the perception of the provision of the Agro-healing service was investigated as a way to provide a therapeutic service to visitors and to increase the utilization of the closed school. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions, a total of 5 questions related to demographic information, a total of 5 questions related to the perception of agro-healing activities in closed school facilities. As a result, 347 people participated in the survey. The higher the awareness of agro-healing, the need for a agro-healing expert, the satisfaction with the use of rural closed school facilities, and the willingness to participate in agro-healing activities, the higher the awareness that the provision of agro-healing services was necessary by the state. Theses results are expected to be useful as basic to data to solve the diverse limitation in rural closed school and agro-healing activities.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2020

Background and objective: Agro-healing is crucial with urban farming in the domestic. It is beyond the conventional agriculture. This study was carried out to assess the 2010s researches on domestic agro-healing and predict the future direction of agro-healing development. Methods: Among the articles published from 2010 to 2018, we collected some articles by searching keywords including agro-healing, garden activity, gardening, horticultural activity, horticultural program, horticultural therapy, plant effect, plant environment, plant growing program, plant impact, social gardening, urban agriculture and vegetable garden activity, selected 83 articles that were evaluated in advance, and analyzed by frequency analysis, t-test, and one-way ANOVA with SPSS 20.0. Results: Agro-healing journal articles were published the most in 2010, and have declined since then. In the classification according to the academic society, most of the journal articles were published by the Society for People, Plants, and Environment. The main targets of domestic agro-healing related to activities and programs were preschoolers, children and adolescents, accounting for 52.4% of the total. By the characteristics of the subjects, agro-healing programs and studies were conducted with special participants who needed special care compared to the general participants. The dependent variables were classified into six areas according to their attributes and the share of psychological and emotional areas was highest (42.6%) among them. In terms of the composition of the program, the share of those with 9-12 sessions was highest (36.7%) and the share of those with more than 20 participants was also highest (39.8%). Conclusion: It is recommended to operate agro-healing programs or industries focusing on the socially disadvantaged including those who have special needs or the underprivileged, but in order to create income for farms and expand the demand for agro-healing, it will be necessary to spread the perception that anyone without any physical or emotional issue can be the targets of and experience agro-healing. To meet the different needs of targets of agro-healing, it will be necessary to conduct objective and practical studies on broader areas and in the process the healing functions of agriculture and the strength of agro-healing needs to be further highlighted.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.173-183
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify differences by business motivation of agro-healing farm s in Korea. A survey was conducted for entrepreneurs in agro-healing farmers with self-administered questionnaires. Main results of this study were as follows: First, business motivation of agro-healing farm s in Korea can be classified to 1) education-oriented, 2) care-oriented, and 3) sale revenue-oriented motivation. Second, care-oriented farms provide healing services to people in need like the disabled. These farms may be required a long-term program such as residence-required format. And these farms need supports of health and medical service personnel or institutions. Third, sale revenue-oriented farms have sources of main income from agricultural products or processed goods made in these farms. Therefore, these farms may be required a business strategy such as product development, marketing rather than agro-healing programs. fourth, the estimation of a Multinominal logistic regression model determines the characteristics of agro-healing entrepreneurs who are most likely to opt for each type motivation of participating for agro-healing farm business. the most important determinants on business motivation of agro-healing farms were 'participants type in programs', 'program operating time', 'supporting health and medical service personnel or institutions' and 'program revenue ratio in farm operating revenue'.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.89-102
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate priority recognition of experts and related facility operators in establishing policies for revitalizing agro-healing services. After reviewing related studies, 5 policy division and 19 detailed sector were drawn, including improving accessibility, improving promotion and information provision method, improved public relations and information provision, diversification of facility and program, financial support, and expansion of expert and specialized institutions. A questionnaire survey was conducted on agro-healing experts, agro-healing facility operators, social welfare experts, and social welfare facility operators. The AHP analysis indicated that agro-healing experts and facility operators had the highest priority in the division of expansion of expert and specialized institutions, while social welfare experts and facility operators had the highest priority in financial support. The IPA analysis was conducted to identify the priority of each policy sector. Respondents recognized above normal importance to policy divisions, but were relatively aware of the importance of improving accessibility, with overall satisfaction level appearing to be moderate. The results of this study are expected to provide useful information for establishing agro-healing policies and for establishing effective strategies.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.445-454
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out physical changes in the blood pressure and saliva cortisol of patients with high blood pressure and diabetes after participating in agro-healing activities. The saliva cortisol and blood pressure of 14 males and females aged 49.79±10.48 on average were measured after participating in agro-healing activities. The saliva collection system was used, and their satisfaction level for the program was also surveyed. Changes in the values before and after participating in the agro-healing activities were compared and analyzed. The cortisol concentration, a stress hormone, was reduced from 6.76nmol/L before the program to 4.86nmol/L after the program, down by 1.9nmol/L, which was a statistically significant difference (z=-3.170, p<.01). In addition, the cortisol concentration was gradually reduced through the entire program from Session 1 to Session 7. Changes in the blood pressure of subjects before and after participating in agro-healing activities were examined, and the total systolic and diastolic blood pressure continuously decreased after participating in agro-healing activities through the entire program from Session 1 to Session 7. Their systolic blood pressure was reduced statistically significantly (z=-1.947, p<.05). Also, participants' satisfaction was analyzed and it was found that more than 95% of participants answered 'satisfied' and 'very satisfied' with agro-healing activities. Therefore, these results indicate that agro-healing activities performed in the healing-farm had a positive impact on the cortisol concentration and blood pressure of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In addition, their high satisfaction for this program seemed to improve the psychological and physiological conditions of subjects.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.355-364
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• 2019

This study was conducted to find out the effects of agro-healing activities and strolling on the physiological conditions of patients with chronic metabolic diseases. A total of 11 subjects participated in agro-healing activities, and their average age was 49.6±11.3. Changes in their salivary cortisol were compared and analyzed before and after participating in the agro-healing activity program, and it was found that the stress hormone decreased after participating in the program. Differences in brain wave between before and after participating in agro-healing activities and strolling were measured, and the ratio of alpha to high beta (RAHB) of subjects increased in most of the measured points after participating in agro-healing activities. In addition, the increase in the value in the temporal lobe (T3) that controls mortor skills and occipital lobe (O2) that controls visual functions indicates that the activities were effective in improving relaxation and stability. The relative low beta (RLB) power spectrum of subjects also statistically significantly decreased in the right occipital lobe (O2) that controls visual functions, the relative mid beta (RMB) and relative high beta (RHB) power spectrum decreased in the left temporal lobe (T3) and the right occipital lobe (O2). These results indicate that the activities were effective in improving relaxation under no stress and tension. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure of subjects after participating in agro-healing activities decreased from the prehypertension level to the normal level. These results indicate that horticultural activities and visual elements in healing farms, such as agro-healing activities and strolling, have positive impacts on patients with chronic metabolic diseases accompanied with diabetes or high blood pressure by increasing the brain activity and psycho-physiological conditions of participants.