Mayor Kim Jangho: "Youth-Led Agricultural Growth Through Communication, Empathy, and Support"
Public-Private Joint Task Force Formed, Youth Council Operated... Support System Strengthened
Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province is accelerating its preparations for the future of agriculture with the goal of fostering 1,000 young farmers to revitalize rural areas.
In line with the central government's goal of fostering 30,000 young farmers, Gumi City is implementing a comprehensive support program?including funding, education, and farmland?to help ensure stable agricultural startups. The city is also pushing forward the "1,000 Young Farmers Development Project," aiming to inject new vitality into agriculture and rural communities and nurture influential young leaders in the field by 2030.
The project was officially launched in March with customized training programs to strengthen the capabilities of young farmers. In April, a roundtable was held with Mayor Kim Jangho and young farmers to discuss various strategies for the growth of agriculture and rural areas.
During this event, open communication took place on Gumi City's agricultural policies, including discussions on the role of youth and their expectations from the city. Participants shared various challenges and suggestions, such as difficulties in passing on farming techniques.
Currently, there are 512 young farmers (up to age 39) in the city, accounting for about 2.1% of the total farming population of 24,000. Although 115 young successor farmers have been selected and supported, the aging of rural communities is accelerating.
Moving forward, the city plans to create and expand various initiatives to help young people settle in local agriculture. These include operating a task force team, enacting support ordinances, expanding specialized education, regularizing roundtable meetings, forming a youth council, and conducting joint benchmarking, all while collecting feedback and broadening support programs.
To focus on strengthening the capabilities of young farmers and supporting their settlement in agriculture, a joint public-private task force team was formed in April to establish step-by-step support measures. Starting in the second half of the year, the city plans to expand specialized education through a revamped training system, operate a youth council, and enact support ordinances to better meet the needs of young farmers.
Based on these efforts, Gumi City aims to foster 1,000 young farmers by 2030, expand smart farms and the return-to-farming movement, nurture youth agricultural corporations, and create funds and housing. The city will focus on technology dissemination, securing farmland, financial support, and improving living conditions to actively foster future agricultural leaders who will drive the region forward.
Mayor Kim Jangho stated, "Future agriculture is truly a blue ocean, and young, talented individuals must become the core of the agricultural sector through various support measures and projects." He added, "We will devote our efforts to the 1,000 Young Farmers Development Project so that young people with limitless ambition can become the driving force for the growth of agriculture and rural communities."
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