Muan-gun Recruiting Volunteers to Support Small-Scale Farmers

Onion and Garlic Harvest Season... Labor Shortage Phenomenon Expected to Repeat

Volunteers are being recruited to help farms struggling with labor shortages during the onion and garlic harvest season. (Photo by Muan-gun)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Hwan-joo] Muan County, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kim San) announced on the 19th that it is recruiting volunteers to help farmers struggling with labor shortages during the onion and garlic harvest season.

Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, it has been difficult for foreign workers to enter and exit the country, and with most farmers being elderly, the shortage of labor during the busy farming season is expected to recur this year as the peak farming season approaches.

Therefore, the county formed a TF team to prepare manpower supply measures and plans to recruit volunteer workers to be assigned to small-scale farms with labor shortages, such as elderly farmers, women farming alone, and small-scale farms.

The volunteer application period is until the 14th of next month, and applications are being accepted at the Agricultural Technology Center (Agricultural Policy Division, Rural Support Division) or at each eup/myeon office.

The labor support period is 30 days from the 21st of next month to June 19th, and volunteer farmers will be notified three days before the volunteer activity.

Volunteers will be issued a certificate of participation, and for public officials, the time will also be recognized as regular learning hours.

In addition, for prospective return-to-farmers who wish to start farming, 50% of the volunteer activity hours will be recognized as education hours up to a maximum of 40 hours, and out-of-county volunteers will be given fresh onions and Hwangtorang rice as gifts.

Governor Kim San said, “Active volunteer activities by local residents and urban citizens have been a great help to farmers struggling with labor shortages,” and added, “We hope that volunteer activities will give hope to small-scale farms suffering from COVID-19 and labor shortages.”

Meanwhile, last year, 211 volunteers from individuals, institutions, and organizations participated in the onion and garlic harvest at small-scale farms in Muan County, greatly helping to alleviate labor shortages during the busy farming season.

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