Gwangju City to Foster Young Farmers through 'Smart Changnong' Program

Recruitment of Trainees for Agricultural Technology Center Program Open Until the 18th

Photo of youth smart farming education materials. Provided by Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center

Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center announced on the 3rd that it is recruiting trainees for the 'Smart Changnong' program to foster young farmers who will lead the future of agriculture.

The goal of this program is to nurture young professional farmers by enhancing their expertise in the agricultural sector. The course will begin on the 25th and run for about five months until July 22.

The training helps young farmers concretize their startup ideas using agriculture as a medium to generate income. The curriculum includes diagnosing each individual's farming situation, writing a business plan for starting a farm, management, safety training for farmers in various fields, and field trips to learn from outstanding cases of young farmers who have pioneered new markets through marketing.

Applicants must be young farmers who have their resident registration address in Gwangju, are registered as agricultural business entities, or have completed the Young Farmer On-site Mentoring Program at the Agricultural Technology Center and are preparing for farming in a concrete way.

The application period is open until the 18th, and a total of 20 trainees will be selected. Trainees will be chosen through document screening, including the application form and farming plan.

Kim Sira, Director of the Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center, said, "I hope this training will help participants develop the ability to flexibly respond to various situations encountered in the field," and added, "Through this, I hope young people will enhance their competitiveness in agriculture with dreams and hopes, and grow into the generation that will lead the future of agriculture."

Meanwhile, the Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center is promoting systematic, customized education and projects to reduce initial trial and error and help young farmers settle stably in agriculture. The center was selected as an excellent institution for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023 at the Young Farmer Fostering Contest hosted by the Rural Development Administration.