Image not related to article [123RF]
Image not related to article [123RF]

The South Jeolla-Gwangju Special Integrated City announced Tuesday it will expand its eco-friendly agricultural produce support program for pregnant women — previously limited to South Jeolla Province — to include Gwangju residents.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ran the program as a pilot project in South Jeolla Province from 2020 to 2022. Strong demand from pregnant women led the province to continue it as a self-funded initiative after the pilot ended.

With government funding resuming in the second half of this year, the program will now be extended to Gwangju.

Eligible applicants are those who are pregnant as of the date of application or who gave birth on or after Jan. 1, 2025. Those already receiving benefits under the Nutrition Plus program or the agricultural food voucher support program are excluded.

Gwangju residents can apply through the eco-friendly produce shopping platform "Eco E-Mall" or at their local community welfare center by 6 p.m. on Aug. 14.

Selected recipients can purchase up to 240,000 won ($164) worth of eco-friendly produce packages per year, with the government covering 80 percent of the cost — up to 192,000 won. Recipients pay the remaining 20 percent themselves.

The city plans to complete eligibility verification and beneficiary selection by the end of next month, with supply to Gwangju set to begin in September.

"We will push ahead with the program without disruption to provide healthy food to pregnant women and newborns, and to help boost the income of local eco-friendly farms," said Bae Gwi-suk, head of the city's agriculture and animal policy division.


sij@heraldcorp.com