Public Information Campaigns
Publicizing major policies
To keep the public informed about agricultural and rural-life policies, in 2010 the COA called 127 press conferences, issued 494 press releases, and publicized major policies through a variety of coordinated and integrated methods. Our efforts included the following:
One major focus of information work has been to encourage people to build healthy sustainable rural communities with higher quality of life. For example, the COA held a series of tree-planting activities, simultaneously promoting the three goals of lower carbon emissions, improvement of air quality, and better quality of life for residents. To draw attention to climate change issues, the COA held a conference at which—under the guiding principles of health, efficiency, and sustainability—participants discussed ways to make agriculture more resilient, as well as ways to develop low-risk, low-carbon, and innovative agriculture, in order to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural development in Taiwan.
Another major policy we are actively promoting to the public is the "Quality Agriculture Development Program." Two of the main pillars of the program are informing urban citizens about leisure and recreational opportunities in rural areas and about particularly interesting rural products. Tapping into the demand for activities that bring people closer to nature, we promote things like forest walks, recreational fishing, flower shows, whale watching, travel along the beautiful East Coast of Taiwan, and visits to rural communities where people can experience a more leisurely, close-to-nature way of life.
The COA also holds promotional events to draw attention to agricultural products that the COA is, as a matter of policy, promoting for their particularly high quality or promise. In 2010 these events included an exhibition of "Classic Rice," an exhibition of the "Top 100 Products from Farmers and Fishermen's Associations," an awards ceremony for top-quality seafood, a ceremony to issue CAS certificates, an event to judge and exhibit wines and liqueurs made by "Farm Wineries," and more.
MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC ISSUES
The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with mainland China
In coordination with the signing of ECFA with mainland China, in April of 2009 the COA began dispatching staff to rural communities island-wide to explain the new agreement and related policies. Thus far 1,425 explanatory seminars have been held, reaching 109,829 persons. The COA has also produced pamphlets, reports, responses to commonly asked questions, and other printed materials to explain ECFA-related policies. We have also conducted interviews with the media and made TV advertisements in an attempt to alleviate concerns among farmers and help the government to promote ECFA policies. We have given special attention to the benefits Taiwan receives from ECFA (such as, for example, the decision by the mainland, with no added conditions, to give tariff-free privileges to 18 agroproducts, creating new export opportunities for Taiwanese agriculture).
The Rural Regeneration Act
Rural regeneration is one of the 12 major infrastructure projects of President Ma's Administration. To this end, the COA actively pursued legislative passage of the Rural regeneration Act. The draft was sent by the Executive Yuan to the Legislative Yuan on October 24, 2008. The Legislative Yuan held two sets of public hearings, in March and April of 2009. Eight different versions of the law were eventually deliberated.
While the legislature was deliberating the various bills, the COA worked to gather opinions specifically focused on sustainable development. We held over 800 public hearings, meetings, and seminars, and the various versions of the Act were then revised accordingly. Items were added covering such subjects as citizen-participation mechanisms, manpower training, green architecture, and renewable energy infrastructure. The Act was ultimately passed by the legislature, and it was promulgated by the president on August 4, 2010.
Post-Morakot reconstruction efforts
Typhoon Morakot, which struck Taiwan in August of 2009, was a serious blow to agriculture, causing NT$19.411 billion in losses to this sector. In the early period after the disaster, emphasis was placed on preventing outbreaks of disease. Measures were taken on the principles of broadness, speed, and streamlined process. Since then, we have continued to assist farmers, fishermen, and raisers of livestock in reconstruction. The COA mobilized its affiliated agencies and set up 15 technical-service groups to provide technical consulting services in post-disaster reconstruction. We have also undertaken measures to make access to financing easier, and strengthened efforts to market products from disaster zones. As a result of the joint efforts of citizens and government, production has been substantially restored.
To raise public awareness of the great progress made thus far in post-Morakot reconstruction and of the situation still faced by affected farmers, fishermen, and livestock raisers, the COA has run public information campaigns through TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. We have also arranged for reporters to visit disaster zones to see how reconstruction is progressing on-site. Through media platforms to make more people aware of the situation, we have helped in the sale of agro-products from disaster zones and thereby provided substantial help to that part of the rural economy.
To keep the public informed about agricultural and rural-life policies, in 2010 the COA called 127 press conferences, issued 494 press releases, and publicized major policies through a variety of coordinated and integrated methods. Our efforts included the following:
One major focus of information work has been to encourage people to build healthy sustainable rural communities with higher quality of life. For example, the COA held a series of tree-planting activities, simultaneously promoting the three goals of lower carbon emissions, improvement of air quality, and better quality of life for residents. To draw attention to climate change issues, the COA held a conference at which—under the guiding principles of health, efficiency, and sustainability—participants discussed ways to make agriculture more resilient, as well as ways to develop low-risk, low-carbon, and innovative agriculture, in order to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural development in Taiwan.
Another major policy we are actively promoting to the public is the "Quality Agriculture Development Program." Two of the main pillars of the program are informing urban citizens about leisure and recreational opportunities in rural areas and about particularly interesting rural products. Tapping into the demand for activities that bring people closer to nature, we promote things like forest walks, recreational fishing, flower shows, whale watching, travel along the beautiful East Coast of Taiwan, and visits to rural communities where people can experience a more leisurely, close-to-nature way of life.
The COA also holds promotional events to draw attention to agricultural products that the COA is, as a matter of policy, promoting for their particularly high quality or promise. In 2010 these events included an exhibition of "Classic Rice," an exhibition of the "Top 100 Products from Farmers and Fishermen's Associations," an awards ceremony for top-quality seafood, a ceremony to issue CAS certificates, an event to judge and exhibit wines and liqueurs made by "Farm Wineries," and more.
MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC ISSUES
The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with mainland China
In coordination with the signing of ECFA with mainland China, in April of 2009 the COA began dispatching staff to rural communities island-wide to explain the new agreement and related policies. Thus far 1,425 explanatory seminars have been held, reaching 109,829 persons. The COA has also produced pamphlets, reports, responses to commonly asked questions, and other printed materials to explain ECFA-related policies. We have also conducted interviews with the media and made TV advertisements in an attempt to alleviate concerns among farmers and help the government to promote ECFA policies. We have given special attention to the benefits Taiwan receives from ECFA (such as, for example, the decision by the mainland, with no added conditions, to give tariff-free privileges to 18 agroproducts, creating new export opportunities for Taiwanese agriculture).
The Rural Regeneration Act
Rural regeneration is one of the 12 major infrastructure projects of President Ma's Administration. To this end, the COA actively pursued legislative passage of the Rural regeneration Act. The draft was sent by the Executive Yuan to the Legislative Yuan on October 24, 2008. The Legislative Yuan held two sets of public hearings, in March and April of 2009. Eight different versions of the law were eventually deliberated.
While the legislature was deliberating the various bills, the COA worked to gather opinions specifically focused on sustainable development. We held over 800 public hearings, meetings, and seminars, and the various versions of the Act were then revised accordingly. Items were added covering such subjects as citizen-participation mechanisms, manpower training, green architecture, and renewable energy infrastructure. The Act was ultimately passed by the legislature, and it was promulgated by the president on August 4, 2010.
Post-Morakot reconstruction efforts
Typhoon Morakot, which struck Taiwan in August of 2009, was a serious blow to agriculture, causing NT$19.411 billion in losses to this sector. In the early period after the disaster, emphasis was placed on preventing outbreaks of disease. Measures were taken on the principles of broadness, speed, and streamlined process. Since then, we have continued to assist farmers, fishermen, and raisers of livestock in reconstruction. The COA mobilized its affiliated agencies and set up 15 technical-service groups to provide technical consulting services in post-disaster reconstruction. We have also undertaken measures to make access to financing easier, and strengthened efforts to market products from disaster zones. As a result of the joint efforts of citizens and government, production has been substantially restored.
To raise public awareness of the great progress made thus far in post-Morakot reconstruction and of the situation still faced by affected farmers, fishermen, and livestock raisers, the COA has run public information campaigns through TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. We have also arranged for reporters to visit disaster zones to see how reconstruction is progressing on-site. Through media platforms to make more people aware of the situation, we have helped in the sale of agro-products from disaster zones and thereby provided substantial help to that part of the rural economy.
