Suwon Sustainable Development Council and Gyeonggi Agro-Food Distribution Promotion Agency Sign MOU

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] The Suwon Sustainable Development Council and the Gyeonggi Agro-Food Distribution Promotion Agency signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding for Sustainable Food Welfare' at Suwon City Hall on the 30th of last month.

About ten officials attended the signing, including Jo Cheong-sik, first vice mayor and co-chair of the Suwon Sustainable Development Council, and Kang Wi-won, director of the Gyeonggi Agro-Food Distribution Promotion Agency.

The MOU was signed to address blind spots in food welfare in Suwon City by providing food ingredients such as vegetables to community refrigerators and to share the value of a 'sharing culture.'

The Gyeonggi Agro-Food Distribution Promotion Agency will deliver eco-friendly agricultural products (valued at 1.6 million won) including onions, potatoes, and mixed grains to 11 community refrigerators installed in Suwon City and to the Suwon Sustainable Development Council in a total of 4 shipments during November and December (twice monthly).

The agency will also provide support for community kitchens and community restaurants, and plans to continue cooperation on policy, projects, learning, promotion for sustainable food, and food welfare for vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, a community refrigerator is a shared refrigerator where anyone can place food, and those in need of food can take what they need.

Since the Suwon Sustainable Development Council first installed one in Gosaeok-dong, Gwonseon-gu in January 2018, the council currently operates 14 locations and the Suwon Volunteer Center operates 5 locations.

Residents wishing to share food ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, and side dishes can place them in the refrigerator after writing down the food type and manufacturing date or expiration date.

In August, the 'Suwon City Community Refrigerator' project was selected for the Presidential Award at the 22nd Sustainable Development Awards competition hosted by the Ministry of Environment and organized by the National Council for Sustainable Development.