Virtual Farm-Based Education on Contagious Animal Disease Control and Prevention is Provided for Foreign Workers in Seven Foreign Languages 

Sejong, 28 April 2025 — On 14 April, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the Livestock Health Control Association (LHCA) started to run a virtual farm-based education programme on the control and prevention of contagious animal diseases for foreign workers and beginning livestock farmers on a trial basis. This education programme will be run until 31 December 2025.

Thus far, there have been cases of outbreaks of contagious animal diseases caused by foreign workers’ and beginning livestock farmers’ lack of knowledge of infection control and prevention rules that they must comply with in livestock farms. The virtual farm-based education programme has been developed to prevent such outbreaks.

Previously, education on contagious animal disease control and prevention has been conducted in the form of in-person group learning or through educational publications. As a result, this has led to less educational effect for foreign workers having difficulties in speaking Korean, as well as for livestock farmers too busy to attend in-person education. In response, the MAFRA has developed a solution that enables trainees to learn basic rules about contagious animal disease control and prevention by themselves through digital games on a virtual farm, such as disinfection of livestock vehicles, changing rubber boots, and how to report any signs of suspected infection symptoms.

The virtual farm-based education programme on contagious animal disease control and prevention can be accessed at http://zep.us/play/jlmEVa with no need to download and install any software onto your mobile phone or computer. Learners can learn anywhere and anytime the following topics: (a) quarantine requirements that must be met to enter the Republic of Korea, (b) how to control and prevent contagious animal diseases for different types of livestock (cattle, pigs, and poultry), (c) how to report any signs of suspected infection symptoms, (d) how to disinfect vehicles and people entering and leaving farms.

The MAFRA has developed the virtual farm-based education programme in seven foreign languages¹⁾ as well as in the Korean language to ensure that foreign livestock workers can learn contagious animal disease control and prevention rules by themselves. Also, leaners who have completed the course can receive a certificate of course completion.

1) English, Chinese, Nepali, Thai, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Burmese