[Imsil=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik] Imsil County in Jeonbuk is promoting the ‘Agricultural Work Convenience Equipment Support Project’ to improve the quality of life for female farmers and enhance their work efficiency.
According to the county on the 13th, this project aims to reduce the burden of agricultural work and improve agricultural management capabilities as the role of female farmers in agricultural work increases due to labor shortages caused by the aging rural population.
It also supports agricultural work tables, chili pepper harvest carts, rechargeable sprayers, rechargeable transport carts, rechargeable brush cutters, and multipurpose seeders for female farmers to use in various agricultural tasks.
This year, 70 farms were selected last month, and convenience equipment will be provided starting this month. Eligible recipients are female farmers residing in rural or semi-rural areas.
Those registered as business operators in non-agricultural industries and full-time professionals are also included in the support target. The project cost is 500,000 KRW (400,000 KRW subsidy, 100,000 KRW self-payment).
The county has been receiving favorable reviews from farms through various agricultural policies this year as well.
To reduce production costs for chili pepper farms and increase income through higher quality chili pepper harvests, the county is providing support worth a total of 496 million KRW for chili pepper seedling cultivation (joint seedling cultivation, seed costs).
The county’s Agricultural Technology Center is implementing half-price rental fees for all 837 agricultural machines of 22 types across four zones at the agricultural machinery rental centers to assist farmers’ farm management.
Additionally, an agricultural work delegation team for elderly small-scale farmers operates to directly perform tasks such as rotary tilling, ridge making, and plastic mulching for farms owning less than 0.5 hectares and with owners aged 70 or older within the county.
In particular, to help farms struggling with labor shortages, aerial pest control for rice using unmanned helicopters and drones is being conducted as a pledge project of the 7th local government administration, with the control area expanding annually.
Drones, being small and highly mobile, are ideal for pest control in the mid-mountainous agricultural areas of Imsil, and have become a beneficial policy especially aiding elderly farmers with labor shortages.
To solve job issues in agriculture and rural areas, the county is actively exploring ways to utilize foreign seasonal workers, taking the lead in addressing the biggest rural issue of labor shortages.
A county official said, “We plan to continue various customized support to improve the working environment of female farmers in rural areas and enable easy participation in farming activities. We will strive to actively promote various practical farm policies so that many farmers can benefit.”
Imsil=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik sd2481@asiae.co.kr
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