로컬푸드를 활용한 지역생협의 활성화 방안

Alternative agri-food movements, such as organic farming movement and consumers' cooperative movement, are still expanding in the 21st century in Korea. But doubts, especially to consumers' cooperative movement, are cast on whether the current rapid growth of physical distribution is on the right track. But the consumers' cooperative movements which aim to create efficiency in physical distribution now run counter to the alternative movements. In some aspects, consumers' cooperative movements may come to a crisis in the near future, because the emphasis on business can bring about the lack of identity as a social movement organization. To overcome these problems, it may be a meaningful attempt for the local consumers' cooperatives to introduce the local food movements in their business realm. The consumers' cooperatives can strengthen the relations between the producers and consumers through the local food movements. In the circumstance of the small scale, which most of the regional consumers' cooperatives confronts, it is better to establish cooperations between the local consumers' cooperatives. Also diversification of business, such as joint use of the physical distribution facilities and box scheme program, can create the new realm of regional consumers' cooperatives.