The worker shortages in the nation’s agricultural industry are nothing new. However, as the shortages vary greatly depending on what crops are being planted — and the scale and type of operations — the urgency for importing foreign workers also fluctuates.
Not long ago, the Ministry of Labor announced that 100 to 200 foreign agricultural workers would be allowed into the country through special projects, and Minister of Agriculture Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) told a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan that his ministry plans to bring in foreign workers on a trial basis.
It thus seems inevitable that agricultural workers will be allowed into the country. Whether they support the policy or not, Taiwanese farmers feel that the government must implement controls and complementary measures properly, while the general public feels that the hiring of foreign agricultural labor workers should be avoided in order to not affect job opportunities for local workers.
At the moment, most Taiwanese farmers are smallholders and the scales of their operations are rather modest. Since labor shortages are seasonal, most farmers would be unable to absorb foreign workers’ costs throughout the year, such as accommodation, transportation and insurance. However, larger agricultural enterprises have a higher demand for labor and foreign workers, and could therefore be of great benefit to their operations.
The government’s policy for bringing foreign labor into the agricultural sector to assist businesses has been criticized for not considering the needs of smallholders. To alleviate this criticism, the government should consider smallholders’ needs in laying down rules. For example, the draft measure allows a Taiwanese farmer to employ only one foreign worker for every four local workers hired.
While bringing in foreign workers is the simplest and fastest way of resolving the current labor shortage in the nation’s agricultural sector, it could also have several negative consequences, such as varying quality of workers, runaway workers, an impact on social order and an outflow of agricultural techniques and species.
From this perspective, when the government approves foreign worker applications in the future, a strict review process should be implemented, as well as restrictions on the number of foreign workers allowed. Local farmers should be allowed to apply for this service only if they cannot hire local workers at regular wages, and no applications should be made with the intention of reducing labor costs.
In order to avoid uneven work quality, foreign workers should be well-selected and trained. Those with practical experience or an understanding of farming will be able to perform their duties better.
For the sake of the long-term development of the agricultural sector, it is necessary to plan the training of local agricultural workers and encourage young people to return to their hometowns to engage in local agricultural affairs. The government has tried to achieve this through various programs, such as the small landlords, big tenants (小地主大佃農) program, business startup loans for youth and the promotion of farming experience camps. The government hopes to actively encourage young people to return home and engage in agricultural affairs in order to boost vitality in farming villages and operation ideals, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
However, the effectiveness of such programs is somewhat limited due to various problems, such as farmland, rent, technology, production, marketing and information. Also, farmer retirement and nursing mechanisms are absent. Take farmers in the EU for example, where those above the age of 65 can only receive annual pensions, not direct subsidies.
The fact that older farmers remain the main force in the nation’s agricultural sector is unfavorable to the promotion of innovative agricultural practices. To encourage young people to come back to farming communities, certain complementary measures will be needed, such as improving facilities, housing and schools, so that their return is as smooth as possible. The government should also give thorough consideration to the question of how to build a more humane and friendly working environment.
At a time when the global environment for agricultural operations is rapidly changing, bringing in relatively cheaper foreign workers might help temporarily resolve the agricultural labor shortage in farming communities. However, doing so may bring other problems with it, such as a talent gap, outflow of technology, a rising unemployment rate and a deteriorating social order.
If we want to overcome the labor shortages in the agricultural sector, farmers, enterprises and officials all need to adopt new thinking and creative methods. Some possibilities include: agricultural research; development and promotion of energy and water-saving methods; mechanization of agricultural production techniques and equipment; saving manpower through the use of big data; increasing farmers’ incomes by encouraging high-quality products; and inviting young people to participate in reform on grassroots farmers’ associations.
The government should not kill future opportunities for the agricultural sector for the sake of convenience.
Du Yu is chief executive officer of the Chen-Li Task Force for Agricultural Reform.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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