Jangsu County Achieves First Shipment of Cucumbers Grown in Leased Smart Farm

Emerging as a Hub for Smart Agriculture

Jangsu County in North Jeolla Province has successfully made the first shipment of cucumbers grown in the regionally specialized leased smart farm located in Dosan-ri, Jangsu-eup, which has been promoted to foster young farmers.

Jangsu County has successfully made the first shipment of cucumbers grown in the regionally specialized leased smart farm located in Dosan-ri, Jangsu-eup, which has been promoted to foster young farmers. Photo by Jangsu County

According to the county on December 1, this cucumber harvest marks the second achievement following the tomato harvest in early October, after young farmers who moved in last July began full-scale farming operations.

This first shipment of cucumbers signifies that Jangsu County, which is emerging as a hub for smart agriculture in North Jeolla Province, is seeing tangible results from its smart farm project and stable settlement of young farmers through the harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, and other crops.

It is also the result of young farmers in the smart farm directly exploring highly marketable crops in line with shifting agricultural trends and establishing a stable smart cultivation system based on data-driven growing techniques.

The smart farm complex consists of three glass greenhouses covering a total area of 4 hectares, with 24 young farmers residing in teams, each team comprising three members.

Each team leases approximately 0.5 hectares for three years, gaining hands-on experience in smart farming and operating autonomously. Currently, they are cultivating two crops: tomatoes and cucumbers.

Jo Injun, a young farmer who succeeded in his first harvest after switching crops, said, "I wanted to move beyond tomato-centered cultivation and explore more marketable crops. Thanks to the smart farm system, I was able to prepare for cucumber cultivation, despite it being my first attempt, and I hope to learn, grow, and successfully settle in Jangsu as a young farmer."

The county is supporting young people to gain real farm management experience through the leased smart farm and is also helping them freely try crop changes and improvements in farming methods when needed.

Choi Hunsik, the county governor, said, "Young farmers are becoming a new hope for local agriculture. Diversifying crops is a necessary change for the survival of regional agriculture, and the county will actively support the passion and efforts of young people so that they can bear fruit and settle in Jangsu."

Meanwhile, the county plans to expand the scale of the leased smart farm with a second phase and further advance the local revitalization model based on smart agriculture by linking support for young start-up farmers and local settlement.