Korean Natural Farming (KNF) involves collecting and culturing indigenous microorganisms
(IMO) and reintroducing them into an agro ecosystem, which has been managed by people.
Nutrients from various composts are applied to a plant using a foliar spray to minimize the use
of off-farm inputs (Park and DuPonte, 2008). This farming approach has been extensively
promoted by Han-Kyu Cho and his followers (Cho and Cho, 2010; Drake, 2012). This farming
approach maximizes the use of on-farm resources, recycles farm waste, and minimizes external
inputs while fostering soil health and is gaining popularity among farmers in Hawai‘i that
are interested in sustainable agriculture. KNF has been practiced for decades in Asia and was
introduced to Hawai‘i in 1999 , and has been adopted by
several farmers in Hawai‘i. However, scientific evidence of the benefits of KNF has been limited.
This article will provide links to information about: 1) the basic procedure to cultivate IMO
and apply this compost, 2) preparation of foliar sprays used in KNF practice, and 3) will summarize
results from three field trials that compared KNF to conventional farming that uses synthetic
chemicals or to organic farming.