Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province is actively promoting the "Visiting Urban Agriculture Service" in collaboration with city residents.
Yangju City is actively promoting the "Visiting Urban Agriculture Service" in collaboration with urban residents. Photo by Yangju City
The Agricultural Technology Center has hired "Urban Agriculture Managers" this year to support the revitalization of urban agriculture. These managers are running a variety of field-oriented urban agriculture programs, including the distribution of box gardens, the Little Farmer School, Eco School Farm, Pocket Garden Farmer Class, and Healing Office.
Urban Agriculture Managers visit citizens' everyday spaces such as schools, workplaces, public institutions, and welfare facilities to provide customized services directly.
To broaden the base of urban agriculture and make it easily accessible for all citizens, the city is distributing "box gardens," "pocket gardens," and "community gardens." The city also provides technical support for crop cultivation and pest management, and offers the "Healing Office" program for corporate employees to help relieve stress and promote emotional well-being through plants.
Additionally, the "Little Farmer School" and "Eco School Farm" programs, designed for kindergarteners and elementary school students, are receiving positive responses by allowing children to experience soil, grow plants, learn the value of life, and participate in ecology education linked to environmental awareness.
An expert participating as an Urban Agriculture Manager commented, "The time spent tending plants offers citizens a moment of peace and serves as an opportunity to restore the warmth of community."
Yangju City is actively promoting the "Visiting Urban Agriculture Service" in collaboration with city residents. Photo by Yangju City
An official from the Yangju City Agricultural Technology Center stated, "The Urban Agriculture Manager system is not simply about supporting garden management, but plays a role in spreading the value of agriculture into citizens' daily lives." The official added, "In particular, the culture of urban agriculture-where people from all walks of life, including office workers, students, and seniors, communicate and heal through soil-will continue to spread."
The Yangju City Agricultural Technology Center plans to expand training to strengthen the capabilities of urban agriculture professionals next year, and to establish a foundation for revitalizing urban agriculture communities, thereby creating an ecosystem for urban agriculture in partnership with both the public and private sectors.
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