(1) Industrializing agricultural production and marketing groups

1. In order to concretely implement President Ma’s commitment to strengthen the commercialization of agricultural production and marketing groups and create sound agricultural associations, the COA assisted small family farms to form agricultural production and marketing groups and drew up a framework to promote their commercialization. In order to better achieve this goal, the COA trained operations managers, gathered qualified teachers, and provided guidance to agricultural production and marketing groups.

2. In 2009, the COA provided guidance to a total of 922 agricultural production and marketing groups on improving equipment and facilities to increase their competitiveness. In order to recognize and award their achievements, the COA honored the 10 highest outstanding agricultural production and marketing groups of 2009, each receiving a certificate and NT$200,000.

3. The COA held eight training sessions, working to improve the ability a total of 187 production and marketing groups. We also established an operations management curriculum and standard teaching materials. The COA established an agricultural management educator database and ten e-courses. In order to further strengthen related knowledge, a comprehensive training and counseling program for production and marketing groups was established, while district agricultural research and extension stations would also provide assistance. 

(2) Development of human resources

1. Invigorating the agricultural workforce

　The COA held a total of 62 introductory and advanced agricultural training programs, enabling 1,553 young people to get first-hand experience and possibly attract them to the agricultural business. A total of 130 young people with a strong interest in agriculture interned on farms, while 11 specialized agricultural training courses were held to train 303 youths and strengthen their agricultural technologies and management.

2. Rural community human resource development

　The COA established mechanisms to enable residents to participate in the planning and implementation of rural regeneration, giving them the knowledge and skills needed to take an active role in the development of their communities. Through existing human resource development framework, the rural communities can marshal their residents to build a consensus on the direction of regeneration and develop the area’s specific characteristics.

3. Narrowing the digital gap in agriculture

　In order to develop a well-trained agricultural workforce equipped for the digital age, the COA developed 116 e-courses, while creating an education platform to provide agricultural workers with a diverse, convenient avenue for self-motivated training. In 2009, 2,547 people spent 3,357 hours on the educational site, which attracted a total of 12,385 page views. 

(3) Establishing a farmer living support system

1. Empowering rural women

　In order to promote life-long learning, the COA has created an educational system to help rural women improve their life management skills and shrink the digital divide. Additionally, 240 farmers’ associations received assistance in improving the 2,408 home economics courses and educating a total of 59,193 women on a variety of topics, such as utilization of local agricultural products, nutrition and health maintenance, care giving for the sick and elderly, and environmental awareness. In addition, the COA held symposiums, demonstrations, competitions, and speeches to expand the knowledge and abilities 3,295 core home economics groups. A total of 1,060 people received home healthcare training and home care management training, improving their chances of employment and ability to care for their own families.

2. Enhancing care for the elderly

　Rural agricultural villages face the serious problem of an aging population, so the COA provided 180 life improvement courses teaching 9,546 elderly residents personal health management and life skills. In 26 areas lacking skilled home care providers, local community centers trained 776 volunteers to visit and monitor elderly rural residents living alone. The volunteers provided a total of 13,764 instances of care or counseling.

(4) Transformation of farmers’ and fishermen’s groups

1. Enhancing management of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations

　(1) The COA completed the elections held once every four years for farmers’ and fishermen’s association representatives, supervisors and directors, and held one training session for them to pass on the responsibilities to the newly elected executives. At the same time, the COA also provided guidance to 32 farmers’ associations on how to operate and develop diversity and market new products in order to improve the service functions and competitiveness.

　(2) Irrigation associations were reviewed regularly in order to increase their operational effectiveness, while they also received NT$2.2286 billion in membership fee subsidies to ease the burden on the 1.41 million member farmers. The COA also provided financial assistance to six irrigation associations facing economic difficulties so they could return to healthy operation.

2. Strengthening agricultural financial institutions

　By the end of 2009, the credit departments of the farmers’ and fishermen’s associations across Taiwan held NT$1.4 trillion in savings, made NT$721.7 billion in loans, and earned NT$3.117 billion in profits. Non-performing loans made up only 4.42% of the total. These figures clearly show that the centralized management of Taiwan’s agricultural financing organizations is effective and is producing significant outcomes. The COA oversaw capitalization of the Agricultural Bank of Taiwan, which increased reserves to NT$20 billion. We also provided guidance to farmers’ and fishermen’s associations to grant NT$36.9 billion in special loans. In order to strengthen the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund services, a total of over 50,000 farmers and fishermen were granted NT$24 billion through the fund. The COA also set up the National Agriculture, Fishery, and Finance Information Center.