Urban Youth Becomes Strawberry Farmer in Gangjin After Three Years of Preparation and Settlement

Returning to Farming Through 'Experience Living ? Academy ? Smart Farm' Stages
Crop Selection and Farming Begin with Field Training and Mentoring

A man in his 30s who previously worked in the steel industry in Gwangju has settled as a smart farm strawberry grower in Gangjin County, South Jeolla Province, after completing a step-by-step return-to-farming program. This is a case where the three-year structure designed by Gangjin County-'Experience Living in Gangjin - Return-to-Farming Academy - Rental Farm'-was successfully implemented in the actual return-to-farming process.

A scene of practical cultivation training at the farm of Park Sungchul, a leading farmer for new farmers' field training. Provided by Gangjin County

According to Gangjin County on November 25, the journey of Ma Gyuseon (age 37) began in 2023 with the 'Experience Living in Gangjin' program. He spent two months living in the region, exploring different crops and experiencing life with local residents, during which he became interested in strawberries. He said, "I realized that simply moving down and actually settling are two very different things."

The following year, he enrolled in the 'Residential Return-to-Farming Academy.' Over the course of nine months, he received basic agricultural training, cultivated a small plot, and participated in mentoring with leading farmers, gaining hands-on experience with various crops. Through this process, he ultimately chose strawberries. He commented, "It was a time when I learned not only agricultural techniques but also what it means to live as a farmer."

In 2025, he moved into the 'Gangjin Pum-Ae 10,000-Won Housing,' establishing a residential base, and began cultivating strawberries in a smart farm provided by Gangjin County on a rental basis. He completed the Agricultural Technology Center's field training program for new farmers (160 hours per month in the strawberry sector for six months), during which he was matched one-on-one with a leading strawberry grower to learn the practical aspects of farm management. He continues to maintain his mentoring network and is currently exploring models for the sixth industrialization of agriculture, including distribution and processing.

Ma stated, "I realized during the preparation process that returning to farming is not easy if you only look at the support programs," adding, "Systematic education, hands-on training, and mentoring were crucial in reducing trial and error."

The first strawberries from his smart farm are expected to be harvested in December. Gangjin County aims to create a stable model for return-to-farming and rural resettlement through the structure of 'Experience Living → Academy → Residential and Farm Support.' Ma's case is one of the first instances where this structure has been applied in the field.

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