The Chungcheongnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services in cooperation with the Chungnam Industry-Academic Cooperation Agency conducted a tomato harvest training program in the Buyeo Tomato Test Center on 16 August for 30 “marriage immigrants” (foreign spouses of Korean citizens) in Buyeo.

As the number of tomato farming households with over 100 million won in income exceeds 100 in the region, tomato farming is emerging as lucrative business in Buyeo. An increasing number of people who have left for cities return to their hometown of Buyeo to do farming. While labor shortage deteriorates due to aging population and the disproportionate number of women in demographics, foreign women who immigrated to Korea for marriage have been covering the shortage.

The training program, which had been designed against this backdrop, was aimed to support marriage immigrants to settle down and live a stable life in Buyeo. The program consists of the Cultivation Skills from Sowing to Harvesting, Harvest Practice, Farm Management, Networking Session, etc.
An official from the Sedo Agricultural Cooperative said, “We should improve tomato cultivation skills of these women through regular training while helping them feel the pride of being key members of Korean agricultural society.”

A provincial official said, “(The Province) will continuously expand the tomato cultivation training programs not just for Buyeo residents but for people in other areas and also support the marriage immigrants to successfully settle down in Chungnam by providing consulting services on a regular basis.”