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Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung had a communication session with farmers about current issues and policies on the 29th at the Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center.
[Photo by Gwangju City]

On the afternoon of the 29th, Kang Gi-jeong, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, communicated with farmers at the Gwangju Agricultural Technology Center under the theme of "Gwangju where the city and countryside coexist harmoniously."

Following the agricultural organization meeting in June, Mayor Kang and the farmers met again to discuss key agricultural policies such as changes in the agricultural environment due to climate change, responses to unpredictable natural disasters, safety measures against fluctuations in agricultural product prices, and technical support due to the aging farming population. The need for measures to address concerns over this year's rice price collapse was also raised.

They also continued the conversation about the achievements and effects of the "Farmer Public Interest Allowance," which Gwangju Metropolitan City introduced for the first time among metropolitan cities during the 8th local government term to secure sustainability and recognition of agriculture's value.

Lee Jun-gyeong, President of the Gwangju Farmers' Association of the National Farmers' Federation, stated, "We have worked hard for a long time to introduce the Farmer Public Interest Allowance, and Mayor Kang Gi-jeong has fulfilled the dreams of Gwangju farmers. The allowance is especially meaningful because it recognizes the efforts and values of farmers who have protected public interests such as food security and environmental conservation."

During the on-site communication, they discussed Gwangju's representative agricultural policies including ▲ Rural Workforce Brokerage Center ▲ Agricultural Disaster Insurance Support ▲ Public Interest Direct Payment System ▲ Support for Bee Stocking and Beekeeping Industry Development ▲ Financial Stability Funds for Rice Farming Households ▲ Activation of Local Food ▲ Agricultural Machinery Work Delegation. The importance of smart farms and other future agriculture combined with artificial intelligence (AI) was also mentioned.

Mayor Kang Gi-jeong of Gwangju said, "Many farmers in Gwangju are working hard, sweating even in the hot summer, to protect the public interest value of agriculture. Any policy can become better when it reflects the voices from the field. We will continue to communicate and hold on-site dialogues going forward."

Attending the meeting were Mayor Kang Gi-jeong, Lee Jun-gyeong, President of the Gwangju Farmers' Association of the National Farmers' Federation, Jeong Mi-ja, President of the Gwangju Federation of the Korea Life Improvement Association, Kim Young-seop, President of the Gwangju Federation of the Korea Rural Leaders Association, Lee Gi-taek, President of the Gwangju Federation of the Korea Successor Agricultural Managers Association, Choi Pan-do, President of the Gwangju 4-H Headquarters, Lee Cheon-jae, President of the Gwangju Federation of the Korea Beekeeping Association, and other farmers.

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