Naju Noan-myeon Gyeryang Village Selected as an 'Organic Ecological Village'

Naju City in Jeollanam-do has selected Noan Gyeryang Village for the ‘2024 Organic Ecological Village Development Project’ hosted by Jeollanam-do.

According to the city on the 8th, this project aims to create successful village models by combining organic farming, which has high agricultural environmental conservation value, with experience and tourism, and to increase farm income through strategies for upgrading agricultural products. It supports facilities and equipment related to organic processing and distribution.

Noanseongdang Church, with a history of 115 years, located in the center of Gyeryang Village, Noan-myeon, Naju City.
[Photo by Naju City]

Since 2009, Jeollanam-do has designated 57 villages within the province as organic ecological villages and plans to nurture 100 villages by 2026.

Gyeryang Village will invest a total of 500 million KRW, including 225 million KRW from provincial funds, to establish eco-friendly agricultural product distribution and processing facilities, cold storage, and equipment starting next year.

The goal is to expand the eco-friendly joint farming area to 30 hectares, increase the number of farms to 30 households, and achieve sales of 400 million KRW by 2026.

Following its designation as an organic ecological village in 2022, Gyeryang Village was selected for the organic ecological village revitalization project in 2023 and is currently promoting experiences such as sweet potato Makgeolli, flavorful doenjang, and kimchi-making using agricultural products produced in the village this year.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Through the spread of eco-friendly organic farming and the creation of added value by combining experience and tourism, I hope Gyeryang Village will lead sustainable agriculture and become a village that rural areas return to, which is the agricultural policy vision of the 8th local government.”

Meanwhile, at the center of Noan Gyeryang Village stands Noan Catholic Church, which has a history of 115 years. Ninety-five percent of the village residents are Catholic believers, and the village has traditionally encouraged eco-friendly farming such as rice, chili peppers, cabbage, and organic pears in connection with the Catholic Farmers’ Association.

Currently, there are a total of 27 farms (13 organic farms, 8 pesticide-free farms, and 8 conventional farms), and a total of 14.3 hectares have been certified as organic and pesticide-free farmland.

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr