Launch of the "Food Tech Industry Development Council"... Promotion of Support Project Discovery

Playing a Central Role in Fostering the Food Tech Industry

[Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] On the afternoon of the 14th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held the launching ceremony of the 'Food Tech Industry Development Council,' which will serve as the central body for fostering the food tech industry, at the aT Center located in Yangjae-dong, Seoul.

The council consists of a total of 26 members, including related ministries, affiliated organizations, companies, academia, and experts. The related ministries participating include the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and Rural Development Administration, which are responsible for roles such as training convergence specialists, research and development (R&D), fostering the robotics industry, supporting venture companies, establishing food tech standards, and discovering domestic raw materials. Affiliated organizations include the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), which supports overseas expansion of food tech companies, and the Korea Food Research Institute, which is responsible for food-related R&D.

Ten companies from the food tech sector participate, covering areas such as alternative food manufacturing, food distribution, dining robots, and upcycled foods. Experts from various academic fields, including food science, medicine, information and communication technology, and robotics, also participate.

Going forward, the council plans to promote support projects based on corporate demand, centered on six subcommittees in the food tech field. Each subcommittee will meet monthly, and the discussion topics and issues to be resolved will be reported to the council semiannually. Additionally, the council and subcommittees will frequently visit sites to communicate and focus on developing field-oriented policies.

Minister Jeong said in his greeting, "Last year, we laid the foundation for fostering the food tech industry by establishing the 'Food Tech Industry Development Plan,' and this year, we must produce tangible results. To this end, various standards and systems related to food tech must be rapidly organized, and the various policies being promoted by government ministries, such as R&D, corporate support, and workforce development, must be efficiently and organically linked."

Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is delivering a greeting at the launch ceremony of the 'Food Tech Industry Development Council' held on the 14th.