Naju-si Accelerates Expansion of Local Food Supply for School and Public Meals

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Han-hyeok] Naju City in Jeollanam-do is accelerating efforts to expand the supply of local food for school meals to provide healthy food for elementary school students in the area.

The city recently held a "Public Meal Local Food Usage Expansion Meeting" at the Agricultural Education Center with nutritionists from schools, public institutions, and welfare facilities involved in meal services. On the 24th, it announced plans to expand the local food ingredients, which were piloted at nine elementary and middle schools this year, to 19 schools next year.

This meeting was organized to listen to and build consensus among field officials on expanding the supply of local food for public meals, aiming to revitalize the implementation of the comprehensive regional food plan, the "Food Plan."

Public meal officials expressed high satisfaction with the prompt complaint feedback from the Naju Public Meal Center and the safety-guaranteed local food ingredients, hoping to expand the supply of local food to all school meals in the future.

Previously, since 2018, the city has been supplying local food ingredients to 15 public institutions equipped with group meal facilities through a business agreement to expand local food supply with public institutions relocated to the Innovation City.

Additionally, the supply infrastructure is expanding to include six welfare facilities and three public institutions such as the National Naju Hospital and Jeollanam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services.

In August this year, a local food supply agreement for school meals was signed with the Naju Office of Education, providing fresh and nutritious meals to students at nine elementary and middle schools starting from the second semester.

Based on the agenda derived from this meeting, the number of schools supplied with local food will be expanded to 19 next year.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, "Through the local food certification system to be implemented from next year, we will strive to systematically manage local food agricultural products and further enhance their safety and excellence," adding, "We will strengthen the public supply system of local food, including expanding local food supply for school meals linked to the Naju-type Food Plan."

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Han-hyeok lhh3633@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.