Haenam Sanya Social Cooperative Founding General Meeting, Fostered as a Social Enterprise
Haenam Sanya Social Cooperative held its inaugural general meeting, during which the articles of association were reviewed, executives were appointed, and the business plan was approved. ⓒ Asia Economy
[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] The pilot project for cultivating new forest varieties in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, will be developed into a social enterprise operated by local residents.
According to the county on the 25th, on the 22nd, the founding general meeting of the ‘Haenamsanya Social Cooperative,’ composed of about 60 members including foresters and residents, was held, where the articles of association were reviewed, executives appointed, and business plans approved.
The pilot project for the new forest variety cultivation complex is being promoted by creating a cultivation complex for new forest varieties at the National Forest Variety Management Center and then entrusting the operation rights to a social cooperative formed by the city or county to create local jobs and increase residents' income.
The project cost of 2.5 billion KRW is fully funded by the national government, and Haenam-gun will establish a cultivation complex for high value-added new forest varieties such as bagged shiitake mushrooms, durup, and umnamu over 5 hectares in the Gusi-ri area of Hyeonsan-myeon. The National Forest Variety Management Center of the Korea Forest Service completed the detailed design this year and plans to complete the cultivation complex by next year.
In particular, by forming a social cooperative consisting of foresters and local residents who are central to this project and granting them operational authority such as production and sales, it is expected to contribute to local job creation and the establishment of an income base for foresters.
To form the social cooperative, the Korea Forest Service, consulting firms, and Haenam-gun held eight meetings and training sessions and formed a preparatory committee that conducted six detailed discussions before holding the founding general meeting.
The social cooperative aims to receive establishment approval from the Korea Forest Service in December and obtain preliminary social enterprise certification early next year. In the future, it plans to develop into a social enterprise representing local forestry by producing and selling new forest varieties and forest products, producing seedlings, providing forestry education, and linking forestry resources with experiential tourism.
County Governor Myung Hyun-kwan said, “The new forest variety cultivation complex is expected to be a great foundation for industrialization using new forest varieties and expanding the base of forestry in our county,” adding, “We will steadily prepare by gathering the will of local residents and administrative capabilities to create high-quality, stable jobs within the region and to become a successful social cooperative model where foresters and local residents coexist.”
Preparatory Committee Chairman Moon Hong-sik stated, “We will carefully understand the strengths and weaknesses of cultivation complexes in other cities and counties and strive to become a successful social cooperative model in the forestry sector where high-quality, stable jobs are created and foresters and local residents coexist through linkage with local social enterprises.”
Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun kh0424@asiae.co.kr
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