Siheung City Wins Grand Prize at Ministry of Agriculture's "Local Food Plan Best Practice Contest"

"School Meal Surplus Food Donation Project" Receives High Praise

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 14th that it had received the Grand Prize at the "Local Food Plan Task Area Best Practice Contest Performance Sharing Event" hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at the Daejeon Convention Center on the 13th.

On the 13th, officials from Siheung City who won the Grand Prize at the "Local Food Plan Task Area Best Practice Contest" held at Daejeon Convention Center are celebrating their award. Provided by Siheung City

This contest was held for the first time this year, targeting local governments nationwide, to discover creative and sustainable best practices in the field of local food policy.

In this contest, the city was recognized for its "School Meal Surplus Food Donation Project" as an exemplary case. This project collects clean surplus food from school meals that was not served and delivers it to local welfare institutions, providing it to food-insecure groups such as low-income households, single-person households, and elderly households.

Since 2022, the city has promoted the project through its School Meal Support Center. In particular, the city has established systems to ensure safety, including enrolling in product liability insurance, developing hygiene management manuals, building a real-time communication system and regional matching, and providing hygiene education for beneficiaries.

Kim Ikkyum, Director of the Siheung City Agricultural Technology Center, stated, "The surplus food donation project goes beyond sharing; it is Siheung City's practical response to solving food issues in the era of climate crisis. We will continue to pursue food policies that citizens can truly feel in their daily lives."