Lee Jungwoo, Director of the Metaverse Science Bureau of North Gyeongsang Province, along with about 10 staff members, visited a grape farm in Hwanam-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, North Gyeongsang Province to assist with grape shoot thinning and environmental maintenance, lending a helping hand to rural labor.
During the volunteer activity, they worked up a sweat to provide much-needed assistance to the farm, which faces significant difficulties during the busy farming season.
The local farmers said, "These days, it's not easy for most farms to find enough workers, so the help from North Gyeongsang Province employees was a big support. Over the past two years, grape prices have dropped significantly, and we expect it will be difficult to increase our income. We hope the province can help us develop export markets."
Employees of the Metaverse Innovation Division of Gyeongbuk Province visited a vineyard farm in Hwanam-myeon, Yeongcheon City, and took a commemorative photo after helping with farm work.
Lee Jungwoo, Director of the Metaverse Science Bureau, said, "I hope even our small contribution was helpful to the farm," adding, "We will relay the difficulties faced by farmers, such as developing new sales channels for agricultural products, to the relevant departments and continue to stand with farmers in overcoming these challenges."
On the same day, staff from the Livestock and Agricultural Distribution Bureau of North Gyeongsang Province also visited an apple farm in Andeok-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, which was struggling to keep up with timely farming due to a shortage of workers, and provided assistance.
Kim Juryoung, Director of the Livestock and Agricultural Distribution Bureau, along with about 40 staff members, visited the fruit farm, which had been struggling with a lack of manpower, to help with apple thinning. During lunch, they shared packed meals with the farmers and listened to their concerns on site.
The farmers expressed their gratitude, saying, "With the frequent rains lately, we were worried that apple work would be delayed compared to last year, but the help from public officials has eased our burden."
Employees of the Agricultural and Livestock Distribution Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province are helping with farm work at an apple farm in Andeok-myeon, Cheongsong-gun.
North Gyeongsang Province is actively promoting a nationwide participatory rural volunteer program, which is open to everyone, during the peak labor demand periods of spring (May to June) and autumn harvest (September to November).
The province has produced and distributed posters and leaflets to about 160 related organizations in Daegu and North Gyeongsang, and is working to spread a culture of voluntary rural labor assistance by collaborating with public officials from the province, cities, and counties, as well as public institutions such as Nonghyup and universities. In addition, recruitment centers have been established in all 22 cities and counties in the province and at the local branches of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation to continuously recruit volunteers.
Those who wish to participate in rural volunteer work are matched first with socially vulnerable farms, such as those run by people with disabilities, the elderly, or women, considering the timing and region, to help them with timely farming.
Kim Juryoung, Director of the Livestock and Agricultural Distribution Bureau, said, "This is the time when rural areas are most in need of labor. We ask for public interest and participation so that we can ease the burden on farms, even a little, and enhance the effectiveness of these volunteer efforts."
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