(1) Innovative research and development

1. Under our Excellence in Agriculture Plan, the COA set up 10 research groups to explore key areas of agricultural technology. Through surveying domestic and international markets, research and development, promotion, and bilateral issues on animal health and phytosanitation for individual agricultural products, we can better grasp the needs of Taiwan’s agricultural sector. These teams aim to strengthen cooperation between industry and academia, working towards a more efficient, higher-quality agricultural industry and to increase the area of productive farmland, crop values, and exports.

2. The COA has actively advanced our advantage in agro-technology by continuing to encourage innovative research and development. Key achievements of these endeavors have included rapid batch orchid virus testing technology, a new variety of domestic silkworm that can serve as the bioreactor for swine vaccines, squid skin peptide extraction technology, a technical platform for anti-enterovirus 71, a rapid dioxin testing technology in livestock, poultry, and fishery products, water bamboo regulation technology, and a continuous hot water seed disinfection machine.

3. The COA continued to support agricultural intellectual property (IP) management and established an office for agricultural technology industry assisting IP management and technology transfers. Achievements of IP include 103 technology transfers, which netted NT$71.38 million. Intellectual property rights were granted in 39 cases, which included the approval of 25 patents and 14 plant variety rights.  

(2) Industrialization of agricultural science and technology

1. In order to establish Taiwan as a leader in agricultural technology and tropical flower production in the Asia-Pacific region, the COA continued to promote the founding of agro-biotechnology parks across the island. Basic infrastructure construction has been completed on the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park (PABP). Over this past year, 18 additional firms have been approved for relocation to the park, resulting in NT$1.35 billion in revenue. In total, 73 firms have received such approval and NT$4.21 billion has been invested so far. Of these, 21 firms have already moved operations to the park. To promote fishery technologies, the Executive Yuan has allotted NT$1.19 billion to establish an ornamental fish and fish fry research and export center.

2. Tainan County’s Taiwan Orchid Plantation (TOP) has already completed phases one through three of infrastructure construction and 34 firms have been approved for entry, representing 100% of available rental space. Of these, 25 firms have already located to TOP and begun operations. The National Flower Park located in Changhua County has begun operations following the completion of its ornamental tree exhibition area and phase four of construction on the park’s 53.12 hectares. There are 11 firms that have located in the park and begun operations.

3. Pursuant to the Regulations Regarding the COA Counseling Assistance to Promote Agribusiness R&D Capacity, a total of eight agricultural technology research projects were approved in 2009. Over the past two years, a total of 14 such plans have been implemented, attracting a total of NT$69.14 million in private sector R&D investment.

(3) Agriculture E-revolution

1. The COA established a mobile agricultural information platform that utilizes text messages and emails to provide real-time notifications to agricultural workers of plant disease warnings, natural disaster subsidies, and tuition subsidies and scholarships for the children of farmers and fishermen. This system strengthens the government to meet a variety of agricultural workers’ needs. Also, to better have a grasp on the amount of land planted with garlic, oranges, onions, and Chinese dates, the COA utilized PDA and GPS in the field to perform field surveys, increasing the accuracy of data and giving us a head start on adjusting and managing production and marketing of these crops.

2. The COA established a traceability system utilizing RFID and 2D barcode technology that was successfully implemented at a privately-operated commercial orchid nursery, leading to increased automated management of domestic flower and ornamental plant farming and reduced production costs. The COA also established a lychee production adjustment consultation system to provide information regarding flower bud differentiation and cultivation management. Experts could provide real-time cultivation management advices over the Internet to better enable growers to control production and enhance quality.

3. The COA established the Safe Agriculture Web Portal, a one-stop source of information about products that have been certified for safety, while also providing maps of the areas where the goods were produced. The system gives consumers easy access to relevant information and increasing their trust in domestic agro-products.

(4) Transforming and upgrading the industry

1. Under the “small landlords and big tenant farmers program”, the COA established a 40 hectare grain demonstration farm and a 447 hectare contract grain demonstration farm, which developed four new healthy grain products. Researchers also developed low-cholesterol sesame seed oil and high-quality sesame seeds on 200 hectares of contract farmland and bred high-quality peanuts on 50 hectares. The COA promoted cooperation between tea farmers and processors, while also encouraging proper management of 1,822 hectares of tea farms. We helped establish high-standard mango and other fruit orchards, which covered a total of 3,509 hectares. Similar vegetable cultivation facilities were expanded to 390 hectares, while land devoted to high-quality flowers measured 39 hectares. These efforts serve to upgrade the quality of Taiwan’s agricultural production and marketing facilities. Seventy of the total 139 applications received for plant variety rights were also approved.

2. In an effort to computerize the industry, the R.O.C. Swine Association’s website and a breeding pig registration database system were established along with a pig stud database system. Experts held training sessions for ultrasound pork quality testing and beef slaughter and butchering techniques. In addition, beef slaughterhouses, slaughter lines, cutting rooms, and freezers were set up or renovated at the Puzih, Dongshi, and Chiayi meat markets. Lamb slaughterhouse equipment was purchased and installed in the Tainan and Hualien County meat markets to modernize existing facilities and improve efficiency.

3. To upgrade ornamental fish into a key export product, the COA held seven aquarium exhibitions in Taiwan and attended one overseas. The COA also collected basic details on 527 Taiwan fish breeders and assisted breeding groups to attend international exhibitions and open up new markets for their products. In addition, we held 16 domestic fish breeding production and marketing symposiums along with one international symposium.