In order to assist the farmers and fishermen affected by the typhoon, the COA utilized broad, rapid, and straightforward measures to deal with the disaster. We immediately dealt with dead livestock, poultry, and fish and removed driftwood.

(1) Removal of dead animals and disinfection

　The COA’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine assisted in the cleanup and destruction of dead livestock and poultry and the disinfection of affected areas. In the five counties and cities most seriously damaged by the typhoon, a total of 1,434 households were cleaned and disinfected, with a total of 156,227 heads of livestock and 7,176,121 poultry were removed. At the same time, the Fisheries Agency assisted in Pingtung County to remove 1,515 tons of dead fish. The COA also provided disinfectant to residents to strengthen post-typhoon follow up sanitation and visited affected livestock farms to prevent outbreaks of diseases.

(2) Providing cash relief

　The COA actively worked with related agencies to quickly survey damaged areas and confirmed the areas which would receive assistance within 24 hours following the disaster. Utilizing a broad, rapid, and straightforward approach to post-disaster relief, we mobilized all available personnel to assist in the effort. Financial assistance were made right after the relief applications. If approved, money was transferred to the local township or village treasury, where it was then transferred to the affected person’s personal account. A total of NT$5.3 billion in assistance has been handed out so far.

(3) Establishing industry assistance measures

　A key goal of our efforts was to enable the victims of Typhoon Morakot working in the agricultural industry to quickly rebuild and get back to work. In some cases, a farmers land may meet related laws, but due to land ownership or industry registration issues, they do not qualify for financial assistance under the Agricultural Natural Disaster Relief Regulations. The COA drew up special industry assistance measures to help in such cases.

(4) Providing financial benefits to agriculture

　1. In order to ease the debt burden of disaster victims, on September 12 the COA promulgated the Regulations Governing Subsidies in Cases Where Collateral Used to Guarantee a Loan has Been Damaged or Destroyed in a Disaster Area. In addition, the credit departments of some farmers’ and fishermen’s associations also faced serious losses from the disaster, so the COA established a special budget to compensate these credit departments for damages to their physical equipment, so they could quickly rebuild their offices. To educate agricultural workers and financial institutions regarding the new assistance measures, the COA held 11 informational meetings in September to discuss Typhoon Morakot agricultural financial assistance measures and also published a pamphlet to outline the measures in detail. We look forward to working hand in hand nation’s affected farmers and fishermen to help them get through this difficult period.

　2. To enable disaster victims to quickly resume work, the COA provided low-interest natural disaster relief loans to 2,439 agricultural households, who received NT$2.9 billion in financing. Also, to ease existing financial burdens, payment of the principle for earlier Policy-Oriented Special Agricultural Loans were delayed by two years and no interest will be accrued during this period. A total of 5,084 loans totaling NT$5.9 billion qualified for this assistance.

(5) Implementing agricultural production adjustments

　1. Following Typhoon Morakot, the COA distributed public grain 11 times, totaling 24,148 metric tons, while restricting the quantity, prices, and quality of rice for export. We assisted 10 farmers associations to warehouse 1,100 metric tons of cabbage and 100 metric tons of bok choy from June to October 2009. Following Typhoon Morakot, a total of 1,154 metric tons of the vegetables were released to Taipei markets from August 8 through September 3. The prices of vegetables in Taipei’s markets hit their peak on August 18, with the average price reaching NT$38.2 per kilogram, while they stabilized thereafter. Compared to NT$47.4 and NT$55.5 per kilogram, the highs in 2008 and 2007 respectively, 2009’s prices remained relatively stable.

　2. In order to ensure a stable supply of products to fish markets, the COA gathered and analyzed market prices. During the most productive period of the season, the COA provided guidance to fishermen and related organizations to hold promotions, put fish in cold storage, or make into processed goods, in order to prevent a glut on the market. If prices rose unusually high, the market was adjusted accordingly through the release of warehoused goods and supplies of alternative fish.

　3. In the three months following the typhoon, the COA kept close watch on the supply and demand in the market for pork. While there was a period of increased prices, the average prices stayed between NT$63 to NT$70 per kilogram. For poultry, the COA implemented a variety of measures which included increasing the number of native chickens supplied and releasing stored meat, so the total supplied reached 2.3 million each week, while farm prices remained at about NT$65 per kilogram. Eggs were supplied at a rate of 80,000 cases or higher and the farm price was NT$52.5 per kilogram. The supply of other products such as broiler chicken, mule duck, and milk was in line with pre-disaster levels and prices also had no obvious changes.

(6) Establishing post-disaster reconstruction technical service groups

　Following Typhoon Morakot, the COA set up 15 technical service groups to assist in post-disaster reconstruction across the entire agricultural sector. In total, they gathered together 2,215 times providing assistance in 2,827 places and responded 303 times to resident requests. The groups also provided assistance to 527 agricultural companies and organizations, 1,057 production and marketing groups, 26,503 farmers, regarding 26,747 hectares of land. They also helped 29 fishery production and marketing groups and 453 aquaculture households, enabling 750 hectares to return to fish farming. In addition, the groups aided 619 livestock and poultry farms.

(7) Removing driftwood

　Following the disaster, the central and local governments worked closely together on relief and reconstruction efforts. The highest priority was to clear fishing ports and agricultural fields of fallen trees and driftwood. By August 18, fishing port waterways were cleared and by the end of September farmers could once again work their fields. All areas had been cleared by the end of December, aside from parts of Chishan and Yanpu Townships and the Kaoping River floodplain. Rather than waste the cleared wood, the COA took advantage of this resource to establish a commemorative park.

(8) Dealing with barrier lakes

　Typhoon Morakot brought an extremely large amount of rain, causing landslides and debris flows that blocked river valleys and streams, leading to the formation of 16 barrier lakes. Beginning on August 14, the COA’s Forestry Bureau gathered and collated all related information, using various methods to monitor and manage the lakes located in national forest lands under Bureau control. Related agencies and experts gathered to research and draw up the Plan of Alert, Monitoring and Emergency Evacuation Maneuver on Barrier Lakes, which was approved by the Executive Yuan on September 7 and revised on October 26 that will be implemented accordingly.

(9) Early warnings for potential debris flows

　The COA reviewed and revised rainfall threshold values for debris flow warnings in a total of 62 localities. Following Typhoon Morakot, emergency flood prevention measures were put in place and on August 24 the rainfall threshold values were revised downward in some areas (6 counties and 25 townships; for example, Jiasian Township’s threshold was reduced from 450mm to 250mm). During 2009, 6,009 individuals were mobilized as part of COA debris flow emergency response teams and emergency contact people were contacted 146,336 times. Over the year, a total of 659 code red warnings were issued, while code yellow warnings were issued 653 times. During the typhoon, heavy machinery support was dispatched 1,420 times, while 9,100 people assisted local governments in evacuation and emergency response, which reduced possible casualties by approximately 1,046 people.