Thirty people yesterday received Rural Elite Awards from the Council of Agriculture (COA) for their contributions to the life, economy and ecology of rural areas.
Only 30 people were selected from 253 nominees for the award, now in its third year, council data showed.
Winners will have a chance to travel to rural areas in Japan to learn from their international peers, the council said.
Photo: Yang Yuan-ting, Taipei Times
The youngest honoree is 31-year-old Lee Chih-lun (李誌倫), part owner of an organic farm collective in Miaoli County’s Jhuolan Township (卓蘭).
The son of two farmers, Lee nine years ago received support from the council’s “Rural Up” youth competition to start planting bamboo, passion fruit, mushrooms and other crops.
Through the experience, he learned not just about agriculture, but also food processing and marketing, the council said.
A graduate of Chaoyang University of Technology’s Department of Visual Communication and Design, Lee realized he could put his skills to use as convener of an agricultural collective.
He worked with 80 partners to create a farm where visitors can camp and experience rural life.
The farm produces more than 100 herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables every year that visitors can eat or use for cooking.
Since everything is produced organically with an eye to active ecological restoration, many protected animal species can be found there, including fireflies.
Most employees at the farm are in their teens or 20s, and come from a wide variety of backgrounds, offering a friendly atmosphere to visitors, Lee said.
Except for the level 3 partial lockdown last year, Lee said that the farm has seen about 30 percent more visitors on weekdays than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now that the borders are about to reopen, Lee said he is excited to introduce international tourists to rural Taiwanese culture.
Another recipient, Chen Yu-chai (陳玉釵), is the director of the Keliao (蚵寮) community in Yunlin County’s Kouhu Township (口湖).
Apart from promoting local products and helping farmers develop clientele, Chen also set up a rural community center in her home’s former pigsty.
Twelve years ago she converted the pigsty into the “Keliao School,” providing afterschool care and counseling for children, as well as activities and meals for seniors.
The center has since become a collective home for children and seniors in the community, the council said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President