Gochang-gun, Jeonbuk is implementing various policies to attract new young farmers and ensure the stable agricultural settlement of existing young startup farmers.
In particular, systematic policy support that clearly organizes the inflow routes of young farmers and support policies by year has received great response.
According to the Gochang-gun Agricultural Technology Center on the 5th, there are currently about 460 young farmers (under 45 years old registered as agricultural management entities) active in the region.
Previously, since last year, the Gochang-gun Agricultural Technology Center has been creating a ‘Young Farmer Support Card’ to meticulously record the farming status, scale, and product distribution channels of young farmers in the Gochang area.
As a result of managing and fostering the status of new young farmers and those continuing farming through generations (successor farmers), the number has increased from around 300 (2023) to about 460 (2024), significantly expanding the scope of support and management.
In particular, the ‘Young Farmer Upward Support Project,’ which is the first of its kind nationwide, is receiving great acclaim as a detailed customized support policy.
The Young Farmer Upward Support Project provides an additional monthly support of 500,000 KRW for two years as a county-led project to young farmers who have completed the ‘Young Farmer Farming Settlement Fund Support (up to 1.1 million KRW per month for 3 years).’
This project is a special policy unique to Gochang-gun aimed at helping young farmers who have returned to farming with many burdens related to land, facilities, and equipment in the early stages of farming to grow into scaled farmers.
In addition, various programs such as management diagnosis and analysis consulting, informatization education, and club support projects are being operated to help young farmers smoothly enter agricultural management.
Moreover, pure county-funded projects such as startup activation support and young farmer succession support projects are being promoted, and a drone certification class is operated to provide young farmers with opportunities to obtain drone licenses for fostering professional young farmers.
Young farmers are forming drone pest control teams, which is helping to alleviate rural labor shortages and increase young people’s off-farm income, creating a win-win effect.
The county plans to hold young farmer meetings in the future to listen to the practical difficulties of young farmers and provide opportunities to expand farming networks such as mentor-mentee relationships with senior agricultural managers.
Shim Deok-seop, the mayor of Gochang-gun, said, “We will systematically support young farmers entering Gochang to settle stably and implement customized support measures to nurture them as next-generation farming leaders with professional management capabilities.”
Gochang = Kim Jae-gil, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr
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