Haenam-gun 'I-eum Farm' Increases Residents' Income and Revitalizes Community

Published 17 Nov.2021 14:20(KST)

Establishment of Village-Level Cooperatives for Joint Production and Delivery to Local Food Direct Stores

Education on establishing cooperatives and producing and managing local food is being provided to the community operating Ieum Farm. ⓒ Asia Economy

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Village residents in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do are actively advancing the Ieum Farm project, where they form cooperatives to jointly produce agricultural products.

According to the county on the 17th, through the Social Community Support Center, education is being provided on cooperative establishment, local food production, and management for communities that will operate the Ieum Farm, which will be piloted in Haenam-gun next year.

The target communities began recruitment in September, with about 30 applicants from four communities including Hyeonsan Bunto Village, and education has been underway in earnest since the 11th.

The Ieum Farm is a facility house that supports village communities to jointly produce items supplied to local food direct stores. Village residents form cooperatives to operate it together, and communities that complete the education can apply for the Ieum Farm project next year after establishing a cooperative.

The education mainly covers understanding social economy and cooperatives, community conflict management, cooperative practical work, and understanding the local food system?contents necessary for operating the Ieum Farm.

Starting at a stage where village community activities are becoming active, the Ieum Farm project is expected to become a model that goes beyond community revitalization to a self-sustaining village linked to income generation.

A county official stated, “Through the Ieum Farm, we expect it to be an important opportunity to connect rural and urban areas, producers and consumers, and to create and revitalize community income,” adding, “We will make every effort to lead community revitalization centered on residents in the project implementation.”