Iksan City Establishes 5-Year Plan for Food Tech Development

【Financial News Iksan=Kang In Reporter】 Jeonbuk Iksan City announced on the 29th that it has established a comprehensive 5-year plan for the systematic development of the food tech industry.

Food tech is a new industry where advanced technologies such as information and communication technology (ICT), biotechnology, and artificial intelligence (AI) are integrated into the entire process of food production, distribution, and consumption. It is rapidly growing in various fields such as alternative foods, food automation, and smart packaging.

Based on this comprehensive plan, the city plans to accelerate the creation of a food tech ecosystem by developing alternative food technologies, nurturing specialized companies, training professionals, and building industrial infrastructure.

The 'Food Tech Research Support Center' being built within the National Food Cluster is planned to be completed by next year. This center was selected as the first in the nation through a public project by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It will be operated as a demonstration space for the development of core technologies for alternative foods and the production of prototypes.

In addition, a policy committee for fostering the food tech industry centered on experts will be operated, and the local food tech innovation ecosystem will be activated through professional training and startup support.

Furthermore, the digital transformation of the food industry is being promoted through a metaverse technology demonstration project. By supporting new technology development through demonstrations in fields such as K-sauce, alternative meat, beverages, and packaging, and building an AI big data platform, the city supports the innovative growth of companies through automation and improved manufacturing quality.

Iksan City plans to establish a legal framework by enacting related ordinances and take preemptive measures by establishing a roadmap to lead the market in preparation for the full implementation of the Food Tech Industry Act, which will be implemented in earnest from the end of the year.

Jeong Heon-ryul, Mayor of Iksan, said, "Iksan is the only city in the country with a National Food Cluster, making it the optimal location for the food tech industry," adding, "We will lead the food tech market, which is growing at a high speed of more than 30% annually, and transform the local agricultural and food industry into a high value-added future industry."



kang1231@fnnews.com Kang In Reporter