Photo unrelated to article. [Getty Images Bank]
Photo unrelated to article. [Getty Images Bank]

A government program to cultivate young talent in smart agriculture drew 731 applicants for 208 spots, posting a competition ratio of 3.5 to 1. More than six in 10 of those selected came from non-agriculture academic backgrounds.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday it had finalized the selection of 208 trainees for the ninth cohort of the Smart Farm Youth Startup Incubation Center.

Applications were accepted from April 30 through May 29. Candidates were evaluated on their commitment to farming and entrepreneurial potential through eligibility screening followed by document review and interviews.

The average age of those selected is 31. Non-agriculture majors account for 135 trainees, or 64.9 percent, outnumbering the 73 agriculture majors, who make up 35.1 percent. The ministry said the figures show that smart farming is establishing itself as a new startup avenue for young people regardless of academic background.

Trainees will attend an orientation in August before beginning 20 months of education in September at Smart Farm Innovation Valley incubation centers in Gimje, North Jeolla Province; Goheung, South Jeolla Province; Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province; and Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province.

The curriculum combines classroom instruction with hands-on field training, covering smart farm environmental controls, data-driven farm management, crop cultivation, and business and retail operations. The program runs two months of introductory education, six months of guided practical training, and 12 months of independent management-focused practice.

Top-performing graduates will be eligible to move into rental smart farm units within the Smart Farm Innovation Valleys. The ministry also plans to connect participants with policy financing and startup consulting to support young people in launching businesses and settling into farming.

The Smart Farm Youth Startup Incubation Center has been in operation since 2018. Through this year's ninth cohort, the program has selected a cumulative 1,620 trainees, of whom 1,034 from the first through seventh cohorts have completed the course and gone on to careers in agriculture, including launching their own smart farms.

Lee Si-hye, the ministry's director general for agricultural industry innovation policy, said the program "systematically builds specialized competencies in smart agriculture through both theory and field training," adding that the ministry would "continuously advance its field-centered education to develop the expert workforce that will lead the future of smart farming."


adastra@heraldcorp.com