59% of Return-to-Farm and Return-to-Village Residents Say "Lack of Farming Skills and Experience Is the Biggest Challenge"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] It was found that 2 out of 10 residents in the metropolitan area who received new farmer (returning to farming and rural migration) education in Gyeonggi-do last year actually returned to farming or rural areas. In addition, the biggest difficulty they faced after returning to farming or rural areas was a lack of farming skills and experience.

The Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services announced on the 21st that, according to a survey conducted from the 6th to the 17th of last month targeting 174 graduates of last year's returning to farming and rural migration education, a total of 37 people (21.3%)?including 29 who settled as returning farmers and 8 who settled as rural migrants?had returned to farming or rural areas.

Among those who settled after returning to farming or rural migration, 23 people (62.2%) chose Gyeonggi-do, while 14 people (37.8%) settled outside Gyeonggi-do.

The areas settled within the province were led by Hwaseong with 6 people. This was followed by ▲Anseong (4 people) ▲Icheon and Pyeongtaek (3 people each) ▲Namyangju and Yeoju (2 people each) ▲Gimpo, Yangpyeong, and Yongin (1 person each).

Regarding the type of returning to farming, crop cultivation and production accounted for the largest number with 28 people (85%), followed by processing and sales with 4 people (12%), and employment with 1 person (3%).

The cultivated crops included vegetables (10 people), fruit trees (8 people), food crops (6 people), flowers (2 people), special crops (1 person), and livestock (1 person).

The biggest difficulty when returning to farming or rural migration was identified as a lack of farming skills and experience (59%, 22 people). Next were economic reasons (27%, 10 people) and conflicts with local residents (11%, 4 people).

Among the respondents who returned to farming or rural migration, 46% underwent a preparation period of 12 months, and on average, it took 23 months to return to farming or rural migration.

Seventy percent of those who returned to farming or rural migration responded that they were satisfied, 22% said average, and 8% said they were not satisfied.

An official from the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services stated, "If we provide technical education and farming experience that help new farmers preparing for returning to farming or rural migration, we can increase their satisfaction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.