Council of Agriculture (COA) Minister Su Jia-chyuan held an unprecedented agricultural summit meeting last December 29, inviting all agricultural Director-Generals of Taipei Kaohsiung as well as of all counties and cities’ government to participate.

Su took the opportunity to make those invited become acquainted with the spirit and concrete policies related to the New Agriculture Movement. The occasion served also to bring about a better understanding of the problems in the promotion of agricultural development commonly faced by the local governments.

Minister Su further explained that “Safely Agriculture” is the key to future agricultural transformation. If the agricultural products accreditation and management bill be passed, then it will be easier to effectively put into motion a system for the production and marketing of Taiwan’s good agricultural products. Furthermore, establishing a good market system to sell agricultural products is considered work of greater importance for the future. This applies to expanding the market channels for the sale of agriproducts in domestic and international markets by making good management of agricultural human resources, quality farming products, scenery farming and fishing villages, specialized agricultural production area, leisure farms, even changing unprofitable products to energy products establishing, agricultural farmland banking system, agricultural insurance, and diversification of technological developments. The aim is to create a win-win scenario for both farmers and consumers, even putting Taiwan’s agribusiness on the international competitive market, to literally sell Taiwan’s “agri-culture”.

All agriculture Director-Generals from the local governments enthusiastically proposed ideas in support of the policies of the New Agriculture Movement. They also suggested that the COA take into consideration particular characteristics and differences of each locality when giving assistance and allocating resources such as in establishing local brand products; implementing of measures to promote alertness for signs of bird flu infection, requiring isolation and even slaughter of chickens; reforestation of the farmland in plain area; constructing fishing harbor facilities; and reconstructing damaged irrigation waterways.

Minister Su said that the suggestions, whether commonly shared or unique to the counties and cities, were to be recorded and then referred to the respective offices for evaluation and action.