Government Provides Asset Management Consulting for Return-to-Farm and Return-to-Village Individuals Using Urban Nonghyup

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] The government plans to provide consulting services such as asset management utilizing urban Nonghyup infrastructure and operate the ‘Farming Navigator’ system to assist initial settlement, keeping pace with the annual flow of about 500,000 people returning to farming and rural areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 3rd the establishment and release of the ‘2nd Comprehensive Plan for Returning to Farming and Rural Areas Support (2022?2026)’ containing these details.

This support measure focuses on establishing a system that allows sufficient prior preparation near the place of residence and ensuring stable settlement when returning to farming or rural areas. Typically, preparing to return to farming takes an average of 22.9 months, and returning to rural areas takes 15.9 months.

Through Nonghyup branches (85 locations) in all special/metropolitan cities (7) and all cities (78) nationwide, consulting and education on asset management, farmland, and housing are provided. Additionally, support is given to preparation communities where urban residents with similar interests by region or product prepare together and help each other settle in rural areas. The government acts as the overall coordinator and matches experts by field. The ‘Experience Living in Rural Areas’ project, which was first implemented last year and attracted attention, will also be expanded to 110 villages in 95 cities and counties.

To assist early farming settlement, 250 Farming Navigators will be operated in 127 rural Nonghyup branches, and communities between returning farmers and local cooperative members will be formed. The scale of farming settlement support funds for young returning farmers (up to 1 million KRW per month) will be expanded to 2,000 people this year, and farmland needed by young farmers wishing to start a business will be given priority.

By linking with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s village enterprise promotion project and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ local creator project, opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship for rural returnees will be expanded, and a talent-sharing promotion system will be established to share skills and experience with local residents before migration. Activity expenses will be supported for rural returnees to encourage participation in social economy services (education, welfare, etc.) in rural areas.

Rural spatial improvement projects will be conducted for 40 locations, including relocating, rearranging, and clustering livestock barns and factory facilities. To supply rental housing equipped with residential and living social overhead capital (SOC), about five agricultural and fishing village housing platforms will be selected annually. The Youth Rural Settlement Project will be expanded, and the ‘Returning Farmer’s House’ project utilizing vacant houses in the region will be gradually increased.

By the end of the year, a returning to farming and rural areas platform will be established to gather and provide all information and services such as farmland, housing, and jobs, including policies from each ministry and local governments, and a pilot service will be launched.

Jung Hyunchul, Director of Agricultural Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "The 2nd comprehensive plan focuses on helping people prepare thoroughly in advance for returning to farming and rural areas and supporting stable settlement through securing jobs, supporting farming activities, and improving infrastructure, which are high-demand areas for returnees."

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