Jeollanamdo (South Jeolla Province) announced Wednesday that its project to build a blockchain-based distribution platform for eco-friendly farm products had won the Ministry of Science and ICT’s “national digital transformation” contest. The province will receive 2.1 billion won in government expenditure.

Jeollanamdo has been developing the blockchain-enabled “distribution platform” model that would standardize and manage diverse history information about production, distribution and consumption processes of eco-friendly agricultural produce under a research service agreement over the last six months. If the platform is finalized by the end of the year, it will become possible to manage production and consumption of eco-friendly farm goods traded for school meals and online distribution in the nation’s southwestern province and trace their history information in real time.

Also, paper certificates will be minimized and handling time will be cut as the platform will make it possible to electronically confirm such records as eco-friendly authentication documents and test reports that must be submitted and issued in every distribution.

Go Gwang-wan, the province’s assistant governor for planning and coordination, said, “The municipal government will do its utmost to create a system in which eco-friendly farm products are managed safely and reliably to provide consumers with safe and clean food and help increase farmers’ income.” /yjk@decenter.kr

Janice Yunji Kim