The agricultural technology agency of Seoul said Tuesday it is recruiting 20 participants for this year's program to train experts in industries related to entomology.
Selected individuals will go through courses on rearing insects, learn about policies related to industrial entomology and make on-site visits to related organizations, according to the Seoul Agricultural Technology Center under the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The course is to run from May 11 to July 21, with 22 classes and 100 total hours.
The program has been conducted since 2017 with the contribution of entomology experts. Seoulites including those already in a related industry as well as those wishing to launch a career in a related business can submit their application until 3 p.m. on April 28.
Go to the Seoul Agricultural Technology Center's homepage to submit your application.
Residents of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon who have received a recommendation from their agricultural technology centers can also apply, with up to two spots in the program allocated for them.
Commercial rearing and utilization of insects is a fast-growing industry globally. Many regard insects as a sustainable food source of the future, based on their high nutritional value and abundance in supply.
The size of local insect-related industry grew from 30 billion won ($20.2 million) in 2015 to 41.4 billion won in 2020, but growth has slowed since. The market size in 2023 marked 47.3 billion won, up 5.4 percent from the year before, according to the Rural Development Administration.
The RDA last year vowed to expand support for research and development, along with promotion of the sustainable development of the industrial entomology, emphasizing its potential as a food source of the future.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
