Taiwan donated 33,000 tonnes of rice as part of humanitarian aid last year, a 150 percent increase from the 22,000 tonnes donated in 2020, the Agriculture and Food Agency said on Friday.
The surge in rice donations likely reflected worsening global poverty and supply chain disruptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, agency Director-General Hu Jong-i (胡忠一) said.
The suspension of agricultural missions to diplomatic allies due to pandemic travel restrictions might also have contributed to the increase in rice shipments, he said.
Photo: Taipei Times file photo
Citing the motto “Taiwan can help,” Hu said the agency makes food donations with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which keeps Taipei apprised of food shortages worldwide.
Taiwan’s rice donations are distributed as far as South America, and beneficiaries include countries that have no diplomatic relations with Taipei, he said, citing Bangladesh as an example.
The productivity of Taiwanese rice paddies is the result of advanced rice cultivation and breeding techniques, which enable crops to produce two yields per year, he said.
Photo courtesy of the ambassador to Saint Lucia via CNA
Last year, 260,000 hectares were used for rice cultivation, producing 1.38 million tonnes of rice, he said, adding that the harvests added eight months to the country’s strategic food reserve with surplus.
The agency is preparing for stark rise in donations this year due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted food production there, he said.
Separately, Taiwan’s embassy in Saint Lucia has donated equipment for two multimedia classrooms, to help improve basic education and digital literacy in the Caribbean nation.
At a ceremony on Friday, Ambassador to Saint Lucia Peter Chen (陳家彥) presented the first batch of equipment to Saint Joseph’s Convent Secondary School in the capital, Castries.
Former Saint Lucia prime minister and current Minister for Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development and Urban Renewal Stephenson King — who attended the ceremony along with Saint Lucia Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Shawn Edward — thanked Taiwan for its long-term commitment to his country’s development, citing assistance in areas such as public health, agriculture, education, social development and basic infrastructure.
In a pre-recorded statement, US Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Linda Taglialatela said the donation was part of Taiwan’s support for the Saint Lucia ConnectED, a USAID-funded digital education initiative for Saint Lucian youth.
The equipment, which includes 65-inch interactive screens, high-definition cameras and speakers, could be used to facilitate remote classes, musical performances and virtual meetings, the Taiwanese embassy in Saint Lucia said.
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