A lack of planning for farmland use is hampering the rejuvenation of Taiwan's agriculture sector, a professor said yesterday.
National Taiwan University Professor Chen Po-chih (
To remedy this, Taiwan must produce something that other countries cannot produce -- such as the large, juicy and sweet wax apples produced in southern Taiwan which sell for several times the average price of normal wax apples -- he said.
Chen said that higher technology may still be not enough to hold on to previous market shares, adding that human resources in Taiwan must be fully utilized. He said another direction for Taiwan's agriculture development will be to focus on ecology and the provision of leisure services.
Chen made the remarks in a seminar on the prospects for Taiwan's agricultural development. Chen and other experts attended the seminar sponsored by Rural Economic Society of China (中國農村經濟學會) and Sun Yun-suan Foundation (孫運璿學術基金會).
Chen said that the government has permitted farmers to build guesthouses and visitors' centers on their land for tourists, but it has no proper planning to enhance the attractiveness of the program.
Chen noted that the government's new six-year national development plan has set a goal of 5 million visitors to Taiwan. But pointing to heavy traffic and poor construction in cities surrounding Taipei, he said that it is better that Taiwan develop domestic tourism first; otherwise, it will only "lose face" with tourists who see the poor facilities.
Chen said that as more and more farmland is put to other uses, there should be improved overall planning for the sites, similar to the planning that is associated with urban development. Farmland should provide modern facilities so that the public can engage in leisure activities there. High-tech methods should be used in the production of fresh and organic agricultural products, he added.
Chen said that current policy allows farmers to use one-tenth of their farmland for guesthouses and related facilities. He said that most of the structures that now exist on farmland are unsuitable for visitors and that a comprehensive plan for them should be formulated.
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