ID :
405601
Mon, 05/02/2016 - 03:31
Auther :

Growing number of urban dwellers embrace rural resettlement

By Kang Yoon-seung SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Seo Koo-bon, a 46-year-old office worker living in Seoul, is dreaming of starting a new life in the countryside, hoping to secure a lifelong career and provide his children with a healthier environment. "I have two young children. To support them, I want to find a job in the agricultural sector which usually lasts longer," Seo said. "I do not have a detailed plan yet, but I am preparing to make it happen." Seo was one of several hundreds of visitors to the "Y-Farm Expo 2016," an exposition co-hosted by Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's key news service, and the Agriculture Ministry at the aT Center in southern Seoul over the weekend. At the expo held under the theme of "Return to Farms for the Future, Return to the Countryside for Happiness," officials and farmers from 75 provincial and local governments promoted the advantages of their farm communities to Seo and other Seoul citizens mulling over rural resettlement. Local governments nationwide have come up with various incentives and polices to attract more retirees from cities, as rural communities have been suffering from population decreases. As more farmers get older, the provincial economies have also been facing hurdles in keeping up with growth. According to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of rural citizens aged 14 and below came to 197,000 in 2013, plunging from 6.27 million posted in 1970. The combined number of South Koreans on farms also plunged to 2.84 million over the cited period from 14.4 million, the data also showed. While country-dwellers moved to cities amid the industrial development of Asia's fourth-largest economy over the past decades, South Korea, however, has experienced an increase of people moving back to the provinces over the past few years, signaling a new hope for regional economies. An increasing number of South Koreans have been moving to farms. According to the data compiled by Statistics Korea, the number of households heading from cities to rural areas numbered 44,586 in 2014, up 37.5 percent from a year earlier. Industry watchers say the return-to-farm trend started in the late 1990s. Then, city dwellers were more likely driven out to the countryside amid the economic crisis. The latest influx of South Koreans to farms, however, is different in nature, as they are seeking environmentally friendly lives, putting more emphasis on quality of life than a paycheck, industry watchers added. To induce more people to start a new life on a farm, provincial governments are competing to roll out incentives, boasting of their distinctive strength as new homes for city-dwellers. For example, a handful of towns in South Gyeongsang Province provide a "settlement subsidy" of between 3 million won (US$2,636) and 5 million won. South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju also provides 3 million won for the purchase of equipment, along with another incentive of up to 5 million won for the repair of houses. Buyeo of South Chungcheong Province also provides a subsidy worth 10 million won for the establishment of agricultural-related facilities. As such, the incentives provided by regional governments have eased the financial burden for South Koreans tapping into farms. A visitor receives consulting services at the "Y-Farm Expo 2016" in Seoul on April 28, 2016. (Yonhap) South Korea's top-tier information and communications technologies (ICT) have also made starting an agricultural career easier. While cultivating crops still calls for professional knowledge and skills, the development of so-called "smart farm" solutions, which center on adopting ICT for use on farms, has made it easier for newcomers to manage their farms. These smart farm solutions allow farmers to manage the farm environment, including humidity and temperature, with mobile devices. The agricultural ministry said local farms that adopt smart farm technologies see their production and profits advance 25.2 percent and 30.6 percent, respectively, on average, while personnel expenditures are down 9.5 percent. Hong Young-ki, a researcher at the Rural Development Administration, said the latest development of technologies has made farming easier than ever. "One of our solutions involves providing new farmers with data on appropriate amounts of water, sunlight and humidity," Hong said. "We gather related data from existing farms with the best productivity, and then share it with others." "People tend to lack knowledge and know-how when they first come to farms. But with this solution, they will have better information on managing the amount of water and fertilizer," Hong added. Local supermarket chains also participated in the event, vowing to lend support to new farmers by utilizing their sales networks. Lotte Mart, which also exports South Korean agricultural goods, including rice and strawberries, to other Asian countries, said it plans to pave the way for local farms to tap a wider scope of overseas markets. Rhee Chang-kyun, a spokesman at Lotte Mart, added the company will also promote the consumption of locally-produced goods here, providing farmers with opportunities both at home and abroad. Farmers, however, said the newcomers must make thorough preparations before relocating to the provinces. "It is important for potential farmers to deeply study the products they wish to grow," said Kang Boram, a 25-year-old farmer who cultivates sweet potatoes in North Jeolla Province. She has been running her own farm for three years. "People tend to think that agriculture work will be easy. Others think that any problems they may face can be solved through physical work. Such misconceptions are some of the reasons some farmers fail to start a new life," Kang said. "Farming work also calls for education." colin@yna.co.kr (END)

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