The Council of Agriculture (COA) sponsored the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region (FFTC) to organize the “International Workshop on Collection of Relevant Agricultural Policy Information and Its Practical Use” at COA’s conference room 1011 between June 24 and 25, 2014. The purpose to organize this workshop is to facilitate the exchange and sharing of different countries’ agricultural policy information in the Asia Pacific region, as well as to strengthen the effect of “Asia-Pacific Information Platform on Agricultural Policy” constructed by FFTC. This workshop invited a total of 10 international agricultural policy experts from 8 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and Taiwan, to have academic information exchanges, seminars and practical experience sharing on the basis of dissemination and promotion of agricultural policy information.

　This workshop specially invited Dr. Sei-Kyun Choi, President of Korean Rural Economic Institute (KREI), to deliver a keynote speech titled “KREI and Its Involvement in Establishing National Agricultural Policy.” KREI is an institute funded under the establishment of Korean prime minister’s office, having about 100 researchers to study important issues related to Korea’s agricultural economy. Inviting Dr. Choi to deliver a speech in Taiwan is expected to exchange opinions mutually with our experts and scholars via his sharing of experience in cooperation between KREI and Korea’s government. Moreover, it is expected to help domestic industrial, governmental and academic circles better understand agricultural policy for the countries in the Asia Pacific region. In addition, this workshop also invited 40 domestic experts and scholars to participate in discussions and promote the Information Platform on Agricultural Policy. The platform is expected to exchange information and connect to the world.

　The COA stated that since the website of Information Platform on Agricultural Policy (http://ap.fftc.agnet.org) was set up in 2013, it has collected 182 articles related to agricultural policy of different countries in the Asia Pacific region. Through the Internet, domestic and foreign researchers or policy advisors are able to use all information on the platform free of charge. This time, by means of inviting cooperative experts on agricultural policy information platform to convene in Taiwan, it aims to exchange information on the formulation and development of agricultural policy in different countries, increase efficiency of collecting information in the future, and thus strengthen international cooperation in the Asia Pacific region. The goal is for all countries to realize the effectiveness of sharing resources and manage the Information Platform on Agricultural Policy in a sustainable way. (Information related to the workshop is also published on the Asia-Pacific Information Platform on Agricultural Policy, http://ap.fftc.agnet.org/ap_seminars.php?id=1)