Jeon Gwang-yeong, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member, Urges Establishment of Measures to Revitalize Agricultural Counseling Centers

Kwang-Young Cho, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Jo Gwang-young, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party, Haenam 2), urged the establishment of measures to revitalize city and county agricultural counseling centers during the administrative audit of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly.

According to the data submitted by Assemblyman Jo Gwang-young on the 7th, as of 2021, there are 150 agricultural counseling centers in 18 cities and counties in Jeonnam, with a total of 129 staff members. Among them, 62, which is half, are retired agricultural experts hired on a fixed-term basis.

They provide telephone and on-site counseling and field visits for the dissemination of new agricultural technologies, including farming consultations, seed distribution, farmer education, and field guidance at agricultural sites.

Assemblyman Jo Gwang-young stated, “Due to a lack of personnel and budget, it is difficult to operate the centers on a regular basis, and measures for rural revitalization such as technology dissemination and farming consultations are not effective,” adding, “If retired agricultural experts are hired on a fixed-term or zero-experience basis to operate the counseling centers smoothly, it will be possible to achieve the intended results such as the dissemination of new agricultural technologies while saving personnel and budget.”

He continued, “Agricultural counseling centers greatly contribute to increasing farm income through agricultural technology and farming consultations in the field, and although I have continuously suggested expanding the operation of counseling centers and increasing personnel for agricultural technology dissemination, the budget for personnel reinforcement has not been reflected,” he pointed out.

He urged, “We must seriously recognize the necessity of counseling centers for rural revitalization and increasing farm income, and if the budget is insufficient, utilize national subsidy projects such as the Senior Career Job Program, and establish measures to revitalize city and county agricultural counseling centers without fail.”

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