Social solidarity economy contest open to 17 rural counties in basic income pilot program

Model links resident spending to local sales, jobs and services

Three counties to share 100 million won; top prize 50 million won and minister's award

A promotional poster for the contest [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
A promotional poster for the contest [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]

South Korea's agriculture ministry is searching for a "rural circular economy" model that keeps spending generated by a basic income program within local communities — channeling it back into sales, jobs and everyday services rather than letting it flow out of the region. The approach connects basic income payments to cooperatives, village enterprises and social enterprises to expand care, food and transportation services that rural areas often lack.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it will run a social solidarity economy contest targeting the 17 rural counties participating in its basic income pilot program, accepting applications from Wednesday through Dec. 31.

The ministry's vision for a rural circular economy works as follows: spending power secured through basic income payments flows into the revenue of local social solidarity economy organizations, which in turn generate jobs and social services for residents.

Local governments entering the contest must submit results from this year showing how they identified and nurtured social solidarity economy organizations in connection with basic income, expanded the range of places where the payments can be spent, broadened lifestyle services, and built public-private cooperation frameworks. They must also present next year's project plans, funding arrangements and strategies for ensuring medium- to long-term sustainability.

The ministry will form a panel of internal and external experts to evaluate both results and project plans. Judges will also assess how effectively basic income payments translated into sales, jobs and service supply at cooperatives, village enterprises and social enterprises, as well as the degree of resident participation and the potential for replication in other regions.

Three counties will ultimately be selected to share a total of 100 million won ($73,500). The top-ranked local government will receive 50 million won and the minister's award, the second-ranked will receive 30 million won, and the third-ranked will receive 20 million won. The grants may be used for projects to invigorate rural economic and social services next year.

Judging will take place in January. If seven or more local governments apply, a written screening will narrow the field to six counties before a presentation round determines the final three. An awards ceremony is planned for late January or early February.

Alongside the contest, the ministry plans to run capacity-building education on the social solidarity economy for residents and communities, and to carry out pilot projects for regional support agencies focused on rural economic and social services as well as demonstration projects for locally tailored service cooperation models.

Jeon Han-young, director general of the ministry's Rural Policy Bureau, said the importance of social solidarity economy organizations is growing sharply as rural areas grapple with aging populations and declining numbers of residents. "We will strengthen the interest and role of local governments so that combining basic income with the social solidarity economy can raise the sustainability of rural communities," he said.


adastra@heraldcorp.com