Namwon-si Selected for 'Insect Distribution Business Support' Contest Hosted by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Published 04 Nov.2022 14:57(KST)

[Namwon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Young-gwon] Namwon City, Jeonbuk, has been selected for the ‘2023 Insect Distribution Business Support’ public project to revitalize insect distribution.

According to the city on the 4th, this project is led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and supports insect distribution business organizations with consulting, product development, and promotional marketing expenses to revitalize insect distribution.

This public project was applied for nationwide by local governments last month through a collaboration between Namwon City and Jangsu County, forming the Baekdudaegan Insect Distribution Business Group. After document screening (1st round) on the 18th and presentation evaluation (2nd round) on the 31st, three locations were selected: Namwon City and Jangsu County, Yeongdeok County in Gyeongbuk, and Sacheon City in Gyeongnam.

The city has been fostering the insect industry through the Insect Industrialization Support Project, Useful Insect Breeding Support Project, and Insect Equipment Support Project, and with this public project, it secured an additional total project cost of 240 million KRW to accelerate competitiveness enhancement.

The Baekdudaegan Insect Distribution Business Group plans to develop products by building a network among research institutes such as the provincial Agricultural Technology Center and Sericulture Insect Research Institute, distribution companies, and production farms. They will also conduct promotional activities to improve consumer awareness and overcome the negative image of insect foods by utilizing SNS and YouTube content.

Mayor Choi Kyung-sik said, “Through this public project, we will improve the image of insects as future food resources and establish a foundation to overcome small-scale limitations and lead insect production and distribution.”