Drone farming support has recently increased in North Korea as part of efforts to boost crop yields across key regions. Since July, the government has expanded drone use for pesticide and fertilizer spraying. However, while this move has helped selected farms, others argue the support remains unfairly distributed.
According to a source in South Hwanghae Province, the Cabinet’s Agricultural Commission issued new orders through local agricultural committees. These directives require large farms to expand drone technical teams and begin organized spraying activities during optimal periods.
Similarly, a source in North Pyongan Province confirmed that city and county-level management committees received identical orders. The Cabinet’s Agriculture Commission instructed these committees to strengthen drone-based operations and coordinate them with regional schedules for optimal effect.
Following these orders, drone farming support began at major agricultural sites such as Samjigang Farm in Chaeryong County and Sinam Farm in Ryongchon County. Workers at these farms welcomed the relief. “Using drones instead of manual spraying has made our work much easier,” one farmer said. “This is a big help, and we’re happy with the state’s technical support.”
Despite positive feedback from selected farms, resentment is growing in other areas. Many farmers believe the assistance disproportionately benefits a few favored sites. “Only certain farms get this drone farming support, while others must do everything by hand,” complained one South Hwanghae farmer. “This feels discriminatory.”
The inequality is not limited to drones. Large farms consistently receive state resources and attention. Meanwhile, smaller or less prominent farms must fend for themselves, often facing severe shortages of fertilizer, pesticides, and technology.
“In many cases, farms must source their own materials, while management committees handle technology,” explained a source from North Pyongan. “But the state still collects our harvests. We’re expected to be self-reliant for everything else.”
Local farmers haven’t overlooked this disconnect between state messaging and field reality. “The state-run drama showed drones flying over fields, but that’s just fiction to us,” one source remarked. “We’ve only ever seen fertilizer dropped from helicopters, never from drones.”
In conclusion, while North Korea’s drone farming support aims to modernize agriculture, unequal access has stirred growing criticism. Farmers across the country now question the fairness of the government’s allocation of resources and technology, calling for more balanced support across all regions.
