Gyeonggi-do Expands Opportunity Income for Farmers and Fishermen to 24 Cities and Counties

Gyeonggi Province is expanding the ‘Opportunity Income for Farmers and Fishermen’ support project from 9 cities and counties last year to 24 cities and counties this year.

Opportunity Income for Farmers and Fishermen is a project that provides Gyeonggi Province’s farmers and fishermen with 50,000 to 150,000 KRW per month (600,000 to 1,800,000 KRW annually) in local currency.

It was established to offer better opportunities to farmers and fishermen by rewarding the social value creation of agriculture and fisheries, and to address the aging population problem in rural areas while promoting sustainable agricultural and fishery development.

Gyeonggi Province introduced the Opportunity Income project for farmers and fishermen nationwide for the first time last year, supporting 9,400 people in 9 cities and counties with 4.2 billion KRW. This year, starting on the 4th with Yongin, Paju, and Yangpyeong, it will support 210,000 farmers and fishermen in 24 cities and counties.

Poster for Application of Opportunity Income for Farmers and Fishermen in Gyeonggi-do

The eligible recipients are ▲general farmers and fishermen registered in agricultural and fishery management entities ▲young farmers and fishermen (under 50 years old, but those between 40 and 50 must have been registered in agricultural and fishery management entities for less than 10 years) ▲environmental farmers and fishermen (such as those with eco-friendly certification) ▲returning farmers and fishermen (within 5 years of returning to farming or fishing). Any farmer or fisherman with non-agricultural income under 37 million KRW, who has lived in the relevant city or county for more than one year and meets farming conditions, can apply.

Young farmers and fishermen, environmental farmers and fishermen, and returning farmers and fishermen receive 150,000 KRW per month (up to 1.8 million KRW annually), while general farmers and fishermen receive 50,000 KRW per month (up to 600,000 KRW annually). Payments are made twice a year, in June and December.

Applications can be submitted by visiting the relevant city or county office or the eup/myeon/dong administrative welfare center, or through the Gyeonggi Province Opportunity Income Farmers and Fishermen Integrated Support System (farmbincome.gg.go.kr).

Park Jong-min, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Agriculture, Fisheries and Life Sciences Bureau, stated, "The Gyeonggi Province Opportunity Income support project for farmers and fishermen will be an important step in responding to the crisis of rural extinction and improving the quality of life for farmers and fishermen. We will do our best to ensure that many farmers and fishermen can benefit from this."