Rice-growing champion Huang Kun-bin (黃崑濱), better known as “Uncle Kun-bin,” died on Feb. 20 at the age of 92.
I knew him, but he did not really know me. After watching the 2004 TV documentary about him, Let It Be (無米樂), I occasionally drove to Jingliao Village (菁寮) in Tainan’s Houbi District (後壁) to buy rice from him, and I would always benefit from our conversations.
The last time I saw Huang was in late September two years ago.
He still joked with me as I bought rice and took pictures with him, but as a professional physical therapist, I could tell that his physical strength was deteriorating, as he moved the bags of rice in his shop less vigorously.
When I went to buy rice from him again last year, I met his wife and later learned from the newspaper that he was ill and in bed.
In Let It Be, directors Yen Lan-chuan (顏蘭權) and Chuang Yi-tseng (莊益增) highlight the predicaments facing Taiwan’s agricultural industry by documenting the daily lives of four farmers in the village.
The problems they picture include the outflow of young people and the aging population, low prices of local agricultural products, and the inability to compete in price with foreign agricultural products after Taiwan had joined the WTO in 2002.
Despite the country’s large areas of farmland, the average income of farming households is relatively low, affecting young people’s willingness to return home after their education to work in agriculture. As a result, large areas of farmland lie uncultivated.
With his love for his profession, Huang continued farming as he aged, because no younger members of his family were willing to take over.
After he auctioned off his prize-winning rice for NT$1 million (US$35,328 at the current exchange rate), he used the money to set up the Let It Be Rice Promotion Association to help the local farming community.
He devoted his life to Taiwan’s agriculture, while the government has overemphasized the technology industry.
Take, for example, water shortages in the past few months: After weighing the pros and cons, the government decided to sacrifice the agricultural sector to save water for technology firms, which is a biased policy.
Land planning should be balanced, because the nation cannot rely completely on imports for its food supply.
Many young people prefer nontraditional food, such as bread and other foods made of wheat flour, which in the past caused a surplus of rice production.
After watching the documentary, I have tried to buy Taiwanese rice if available and eat more foods made from local rice, in the hope of helping improve the economic situation of the nation’s farmers.
Hopefully the government will implement a policy to encourage people to eat more Taiwanese rice.
After all, the nation’s rice is fresh and delicious, and our consumption would help develop the agricultural industry.
Most wheat flour is imported, and pasta dishes and bread often contain added sugar to enhance the taste. People who often eat wheat-based food might consume more calories and easily gain weight.
Huang is no longer with us, but his promotion of local farming will live on through his association, leading the public to protect the nation’s farmland.
Cho Chiung-yu is an associate professor at National Cheng Kung University’s Department of Physical Therapy.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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