Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Selects 208 New Smart Farm Youth Trainees

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 30th that it has finally selected 208 trainees for the 'Smart Farm (Intelligent Farm) Youth Startup Long-term Training Course.'

From May 4 to July 3, recruitment was conducted targeting youth aged 18 to under 40, resulting in 431 applicants competing for 208 spots, showing a competition rate of 2.1 to 1.

The average age of the finally selected trainees is 31.6 years, and female trainees numbered 39 (18.8%), showing an increasing trend every year. In particular, 72.6% of the selected trainees majored in fields other than agriculture, indicating that youth from non-agricultural sectors applied seeing the potential of smart farms as future and advanced agriculture.

The selected trainees will receive education at regional Smart Farm Youth Startup Incubation Centers. After preliminary education in August, from September they will participate in a long-term training course specialized in smart farms at the incubation center in the region they applied for.

The incubation center's training course consists of introductory education (basic theory for 2 months), educational practice (farm field practice for 6 months), and management practice (farming and management practice for 12 months). After 8 months of theoretical education and field practice at the incubation center or leading farms, trainees are given the opportunity to conduct farming and management practice for one year under their own responsibility at a smart farm practice farm during the management practice course.

Additionally, during the field practice and management practice courses, trainees can farm while receiving on-site guidance and consultation from smart farm professional consultants. The education content covers all aspects of smart farms including crop cultivation, nutrient solution, controller, sensor management, distribution, and management, operated at the highest level with domestic expert instructors and invited lectures from overseas consultants.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been operating the smart farm long-term training course since 2018. The first cohort of 45 trainees graduated in June this year, and the second cohort of 91 trainees is currently participating in the management practice course. Among the first cohort graduates, 30 started smart farm farming businesses, and 11 were employed at leading smart farms.

Song Namgeun, Director of Agricultural Industry Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Through the smart farm long-term training course, we expect effects such as fostering smart farm professionals who will lead the convergence of agriculture and information and communication technology, and expanding the influx of youth into agriculture and rural areas to respond to aging in agriculture and rural communities." He added, "Based on domestic and international smart farm education cases and expert opinions, we plan to continuously supplement detailed education content, the composition of expert instructors, and equipment necessary for practice."

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