Gangdong-gu 'Eco-friendly Urban Garden' Allotment

District to recruit participants on a first-come, first-served basis until the 26th... 5 community gardens in Gangil, Gildong, Amsa, Sangil, and Iljasan, one plot per household

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is once again offering residents the opportunity to cultivate fresh and healthy food directly through its ‘urban garden’ program this year.

Participants will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis from the 17th to the 26th, and the gardens are scheduled to open at the end of March.

The gardens available for lease are located in five areas: Gangil, Gildong, Amsa, Sangil, and Iljasan, totaling approximately 1,300 plots. Eco-friendly farming is practiced using the ‘3-no (無) farming method’ which excludes chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and vinyl. Participants will receive one bag each of base fertilizer compost (20kg) or organic fertilizer (10kg) in spring and autumn, and eco-friendly pesticides will be provided as needed. Farming tools are also available for rent.

Any Gangdong-gu resident can apply for up to one plot per household. The participation fees are 70,000 KRW for a standard-sized plot (12㎡), 50,000 KRW for a small Gildong garden plot (7㎡), and 300,000 KRW for a Gangil garden-style plot (80㎡). Discounts of 50% are offered to basic livelihood security recipients, low-income households, and families with three or more children (holders of the Multi-child Card), while families with two children (Multi-child Card holders) receive a 30% discount.

Applications can be made online on a first-come, first-served basis through the Gangdong-gu Urban Agriculture Portal (www.gangdong.go.kr/cityfarm). Seniors aged 65 and older and persons with disabilities who have difficulty applying online may apply in person at the Urban Agriculture Division of the district office (6th floor, 25 Seongnae-ro, Gangdong-gu). However, applications for the Gangil garden-style plots are accepted only in person. Of the 15 plots available this year, 80% will be allocated to the general public, and 20% will be reserved for newlyweds, large families, and multicultural families. Final participants will be selected through a public lottery after application submission.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “More residents are experiencing the satisfaction of growing their own food and emotional healing through the gardens. We will provide multifaceted support so that all residents can easily experience urban agriculture and enjoy a healthy life in harmony with nature.”

Gangdong-gu has been leading urban agriculture, winning the ‘Korea Environment Award’ for nine consecutive years and the ‘Grand Prize’ in Seoul’s district evaluation for urban agriculture for six consecutive years. The district is promoting sustainable urban agriculture policies where people and nature coexist by introducing various resident participation programs, including the nation’s first urban agriculture complex community facility ‘PAMIX Center,’ operating the Urban Agriculture Support Center, and the eco-friendly agricultural products direct sales store ‘Singsing Dream.’