I. High-grade Agriculture Development and International Competitiveness Upgrade

A. Agricultural Technology R&D speedup

1. Agricultural technology R&D: Enhance R&D for crop breeding, production technique improvement and organic cultivation, and upgrade seedling reproduction and production systems. Improve fertilization and farm soil management. Enforce chemical use control and research for inspection of chemicals in agricultural imports. Develop agricultural mechanization R&D, agricultural protective materials, safety inspection of agricultural products and freshness maintenance. Enforce protection of intellectual property rights of agricultural technology research results and administration of technology transferal and application. Train agricultural hi-tech talents and strengthen cooperation with advanced countries and international organizations on agricultural technology.

2. Fishery technology R&D: Conduct surveys, evaluation, cultivation, administration and development for offshore and deep-sea fishery resources. Develop reproduction of high-grade fry for aquaculture, water use efficiency in aquaculture, and improvement of fishery product quality, distribution and safety inspection. Apply biotechnology to breed new aquarium fish species and develop production and management of sea-cage farming at sea to elevate management efficiency. Develop energy-saving fishing vessels, facilities and high-efficiency fishing equipment.

3. Animal husbandry R&D: Improve livestock breeding, reproduction, production, management, diversity and quality upgrade. Apply biotechnology, metering and information technology to improve livestock growth and upgrade quality of fodder and hay and relevant safety inspections.

4. Food technology R&D: Develop high-grade group food, instant food and health food to meet consumer demands. Develop mass processing techniques for domestic agricultural products and create refined and diversified foods with high added value.

5. Agricultural biotechnology R&D: Develop key biotechnologies. Create high-value products and biological agricultural materials, disease control biotechnology, and safety evaluation and inspection of genetically modified products, and build hi-tech agriculture. Develop floral seedlings, biological agricultural chemicals and animal vaccines, livestock artificial reproduction and the aquacultural biotechnology industry.

6. Automation of agricultural, fishery and animal husbandry industries: Develop agricultural mechanization, high-efficiency environmental control systems for livestock production, and automated processing and marketing and disease control to elevate agricultural management efficiency.

7. Technology and agriculture: Develop convenient agricultural value chain control information systems and promote electronic management of agricultural resources and environment. Build the management information system on agricultural eco-tourism.

8. Disease control R&D: Develop animal and plant disease monitoring and risk-evaluation. Enhance animal and plant disease diagnosis and verification, prevention measures and related product control, and pesticide and germicide technology. Develop animal medicine production, related quality and safety inspection, and inspection of chemical residues in animal products and meat hygiene.

9. Agricultural environment technology R&D: Reduce agricultural operations and recycle resources to create sustainable agriculture. Enhance research on pollution control and environmental impact from agricultural chemicals and fertilizers.

10. Improvement of use of water resources: Improve irrigation and drainage facilities and operation management. Develop high efficiency water-saving irrigation systems for dry seasons.

11. Forestry technology R&D: Enhance research for watershed management in forests, forestation and disaster prevention, and maintenance and use of water resources. Improve forest management and conservation and forestry product processing techniques. Apply aerial technology for the purveyance of natural resources and national land, and for early detection of natural disasters.

12. Improvement of biological diversity, biological information and conservation and use of natural resources: Conduct surveys on resources and ecology of wild fauna and flora. Enhance research for biological diversity and conservation and use of genetic resources. Conduct biological resources analyses, surveillance and management study to restore degenerated ecosystems or endangered species. Perform risk evaluation on invading biological species and establish surveillance standards and control measures.

13. Agricultural policy research: Enhance research for agricultural policies and systems, industries and resources, agricultural product marketing systems, agricultural financing tactics, farmers’ welfare, international agricultural trade and negotiations, etc. and make counteractive strategies in response to the international agricultural climate.

14. Agricultural promotion research: Plan development of agricultural manpower and rural and farmers’ organizations and set up high-efficiency agricultural promotion systems to revive rural communities. Strengthen agricultural administration, technological development and industrial structure, and interactions between agriculture and businesses to industrialize research and development and establish knowledge-based economy.

B. Improvement of facilities of agricultural research and extension stations

1. Relocate Kaohsiung Agricultural Research and Extension Station to improve the environment for research and development and performance.

2. Plan establishment of the National Aquacultural Genetic Resources Center to provide the right environment to preserve important aquaculture specimens to save endangered species and upgrade aquacultural breeding skills.

3. Promote basic construction for technological research and development at livestock research institutes to upgrade agricultural hi-tech R&D and application and assist livestock businesses to transform.

C. Pingtung (Pindong) Agricultural Biotechnology Park: The key responsibility of the park is to develop agricultural biotechnology for seedlings, breeding stocks for livestock and poultry, aquacultural fry, functional food, biological agricultural chemicals, biological fertilizers, animal vaccines, and tests for animal and plant diseases. The goal is to become a professional biotechnology park with combined functions of R&D, production and marketing.

D. Taiwan Orchid Biotechnology Park: The park will be specialized in producing orchids, using professional, international and integrated strategies to promote Taiwan orchid industry toward vertical integration of R&D, production and marketing while at the same time bringing in advanced technology and management resources from overseas to improve global competitiveness and establish Taiwan as a kingdom of orchids.

E. National Flower Park: The park will combine production and sales of flowers with tourism to open a new frontier for the flower industry and build a national-level flower city with multiple functions of production, marketing, display, education and leisure tourism.

F. Culinary and Medicinal Herbal Biotechnology Park: The key task of the park is to develop biotechnology for culinary and medicinal herbs and health food to lay the foundation for medicine and health food industries to upgrade traditional industries into hi-tech industries with economic and tourism values.

G. Ocean Biotechnology Parks: The key tasks of these parks are ocean biotechnology R&D, inspection and testing, mass-production and bringing cultural added value to guide aquacultural and food processing businesses in the vicinity to become satellite farms and cooperative venders and initiate industrial upgrades and transformation.

H. Promotion of Digitalized Agriculture

1. Assist production and marketing organizations and farmer groups to establish agricultural community information networks, promote online operation and make agricultural information accessible and applicable.

2. Acting in line with government plan for document eletronification, continue to promote electronic documentation between farmer groups and develop shared software for farmers’ and fishermen’s associations to upgrade administrative efficiency.

3. Enhance functions of the International Agricultural Information Service Network and conduct training programs for farmers and related personnel to improve their ability to make use of information technology.

4. Promote management and application of important agricultural knowledge, establish agricultural knowledge databases, extend applied knowledge management information system and accelerate accumulation and dissemination of agricultural knowledge.

I. Establishment of Agricultural Value Chain

1. Promote corporatized agricultural operations, improve agricultural environment, assist farmers to integrate resources and technologies in accordance with product features, target clientele, geographic conditions and marketing channels, develop differentiation tactics and establish market-guided industrial value chain to increase profits.

2. Promote regional integrated development demonstrations, evaluate regional agricultural resources and key industries, establish fundamentals such as the production profile system, standard operation mode, professional production and marketing knowledge, and management of information and corporatized operation to build advantages in regional agricultural economic development.

J. Development of High Quality Health Food Industry

1. Improve general environment for production and marketing of rice, integrate farming, production, storing and sales, enhance promotion for quality rice, and extend both domestic and international markets while ensuring food safety and economic benefits.

2. Improve production and marketing system of healthy seedlings and upgrade seedling quality to establish a solid foundation for agricultural industries.

3. Promote renewal of fruit tree species, install quality fruit groves, develop high quality fruit businesses and reduce uncompetitive fruit groves.

4. Provide Assistance for installation of greenhouses for flowers and facilities for post-picking processing and upgrade refrigeration techniques and ensure flower production and quality for both domestic and international markets.

5. Provide assistance for installation of greenhouses for vegetables, controlled mushroom nurseries, and develop vegetables and mushrooms of high economic values.

6. Improve production management of grains, promote new breeds and develop small amount but diversified quality grain products.

7. Promote health management of tea plantations, technical demonstrations, quality control of tea merchants and their cooperation with tea farmers, and establish supply chain of high quality teas.

8. Promote mechanization of crop production and marketing, cultivation with automation and precision facilities, and upgrade management efficiency and product quality.

K. Use and Adjustment of Wet and Dry Rice Fields

1. In accordance with regional product and environment features, guide transformation of rice fields to produce of potential local specialties to justify use of land resources and rural labor to increase farmers’ income.

2. Encourage fallowing on legitimate rice fields, coarse cereal fields and leased sugarcane fields, conduct soil turning, plant green fertilizers and maintain ecological landscapes to sustain agricultural land.

L. Promote Internationalization of Taiwan Fishery to Become a Major Fishery Country

1. Make active efforts to take part in international fishery organizations and train specialists in international affairs to maintain industry sustainability.

2. Promote fishery diplomacy, enhance bilateral fishery cooperation and assist partner countries to develop fishery.

3. Adjust industrial constitution and improve profession know-how of deep-sea fishing personnel and upgrade global competitiveness.

4. Develop core aquacultural industries, establish strategic alliances for fishery production and marketing, produce fishery products that meet international hygiene standards and open global markets.

M. Establishment of High-Efficiency and High-value Livestock and Poultry Industries

1. Conduct stock boar tests, select stock boars with quality meat genes, improve pig sperm supply and establish combined breeding and new pig farming production systems.

2. Improve functions of cow and goat milk, adjust production time and gather production and marketing information.

3. Develop quality, characteristic and healthy genetic resources industry and establish Taiwan free-range chicken breeding system to improve reproduction rates.

4. Improve accessibility of information on poultry production and marketing, establish totality control mode to stabilize supply-demand and prices.

5. Promote livestock and poultry industry strategic alliances, contract production and marketing and consolidation of operation systems to upgrade industry effectiveness.

6. Promote humane transportation, holding and slaughtering systems of livestock and poultry and improve fresh meat transport conditions and vending environment.

7. Enhance publicity and promotion for domestic livestock and poultry products; combine regional, cultural and seasonal features to conduct series of marketing activities.

N. Enforcement of Animal Protection

1. Enforce registration of pet businesses, improve catching equipment and pounds for stray dogs, and practice humane handling procedures.

2. Establish monitoring systems for applications of lab animals, promote humane raising and management of economic animals and enhance animal protection education and publicity and international cooperation to upgrade Taiwan’s international image.

O. Modernization and Electronification of Agricultural Product Transportation and Marketing

1. Improve operation management of agricultural wholesale markets, establish fair trade environment, and strengthen transportation and marketing by farmer groups and stable supplies for wholesale markets to upgrade transportation and marketing efficiency.

2. Assist establishment of agricultural product brand names, promote electronification of transportation and marketing for agricultural products, and open multiple marketing channels.

3. Assist installation of agricultural product distribution centers, supermarkets by farmers’ associations and direct outlets for display and sales of agricultural products, and promote weekend markets for agricultural products to help move agricultural products.

4. Promote food processing in rural areas, help install basic processing plants for regional specialties, satellite factories for vegetable cutting and countryside wineries.

P. Improvement of International Marketing for Agricultural Products

1. Select flagship products with export potentials, enforce quality certification and brand name marketing, set up export zone s, assembling centers, overse as outlets and shipment warehouses, conduct credit insurance and low-interest loans for agricultural exports and establish an export-oriented product supply chain.

2. Enforce hygiene inspection and disease control of export products and establish information service systems.

3. Bring down tariffs for Taiwanese agricultural exports and eliminate non-tariff trade barriers through negotiations.

4. Train specialists in agricultural exports, encourage outstanding agricultural export businesses and enhance overseas promotions to open up international marketing channels.

II. Development of Safe Agriculture and Protection of Consumers’ Interests

A. Promotion of the CAS Quality Agricultural Product Certification System

1. In response to industrial and market needs, expand ranges of CAS certification and enforce random checks and tracking to upgrade inspection effectiveness and ensure product hygiene and safety.

2. Help modernize food industries, diversify Chinese food, convenient food, health food and household replacement meals.

B. Development of Organic Agriculture

1. Plan areas appropriate for organic agriculture, develop materials for organic production, introduce cultivation techniques and upgrade quality of organic products.

2. Perfect organic agriculture related laws and regulations, establish internationally compatible managing systems, and improve certification and random checks of organic agricultural products.

C. Safety Control of Agricultural Materials: Crack down on fake or low-quality agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, feed and animal drugs, coordinate with Ministry of Finance and Coast Guard Administration to enforce import and smuggling inspection, and apply control on supply sources.

D. Safety control of Agricultural Production and Marketing

1. Extend GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) certification of fruit and vegetables using chemicals within safety range, improve training, assistance and evaluation of GAP groups, and ensure product safety and quality control.

2. Conduct seminars on safe use of chemicals and publicize through various media to educate farmers on safe use of chemicals.

3. Enforce chemical residue inspection of products right before harvest and at the assembling centers. Unqualified products will be subject to suspended harvesting and investigation and penalties according to law. Conduct tracking and education to ensure improvement.

E. Safety Control of Fishery Production and Marketing

1. Monitor and test feed at fishery feed plants and fish farms to ensure feed quality.

2. Promote high-grade fish farm systems; organize technical assistance to help elevate aquacultural techniques and product quality, educate correct use of chemicals, and have full control of production process.

3. Enhance guidance, monitoring and inspection for aquacultural product hygiene. Target at sanitary conditions, bacteria and residues of chemicals and heavy metal. Release test results in time for reference to consumers.

4. Assist fishery businesses to apply international fish product safety control in production and marketing procedures, and enforce quality control at supply sources and tracking to ensure product safety.

F. Safety Control of Livestock and Poultry Products and Marketing

1. Random-check feed and additives, ensure consistency of nutrients, and prevent chemical residues in livestock and poultry products.

2. Prevent addition of animal products in the fodder for ruminants; monitor amounts of toxicants such as dioxin, heavy metal and aflatoxin .

3. Assist animal feed manufacturers and livestock farms to improve quality control process and product quality, and establish HACCP system.

4. Select new species of forage germplasms of grasses and legumes , promote through demonstrations production and application mode of regional cuds, and establish safe cud supply systems.

5. Improve inspection of slaughterhouse hygiene, upgrade expertise of inspectors, upgrade slaughterhouse facilities, enforce hygienic slaughtering procedures and prevent meats from contaminations.

6. Organize all county and city authorities to crack down on illegal slaughtering to prevent meats unsuitable for human consumption from entering the market.

G. Improvement of Disease Control and Quarantine System for Animals and Plants

1. Publicly advise and supervise livestock farms to administer vaccines for pig’s plague and foot-and-mouth disease and establish self-protection and disease-prevention concepts to ensure prevention against diseases.

2. Evaluate risks and feasibility of stopping foot-and-mouth vaccination and apply ASAP to World Animal Health Organization for recognition of Taiwan as a “non-foot-and-mouth disease contaminated country”.

3. Improve inspection of animal and plant diseases, monitor spread of diseases, warn preliminarily, make official announcements and take preventive measures, and screen for diseases that can mutually affect humans and animals to maintain the agricultural environment and health of humans and animals.

4. Apply tight control of significant animal diseases and prevent malignant animal epidemics such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, cow’s plague and rabies from coming in the country.

5. Apply special examination systems for specific diseases of breeding plants, consolidate test systems for plant diseases, and improve diagnoses and services to contain diseases.

6. Promote biological prevention against plant diseases and reduce use of agricultural chemicals.

7. Assign disease control dogs at all seaports and airports, tighten inspection of containers and passengers’ luggage, and improve inspection efficiency.

8. Promote computerized inspection application, simplify inspection process and customs declaration, and minimize clearance time.

9. Dispatch inspectors to place of origin overseas for disease verification and inspection, perform place-of-origin inspection overseas to extend defense perimeters on disease control.

III. Development of Leisure Agriculture and Upgrade rural life quality

A. Construction of New Rural Looks

1. Develop new rural living circles: Build rural living circles with regional agricultural characteristics; encourage construction of green architecture and public facilities. Conduct general rural planning and promote substantial construction to meet regional needs, and encourage building of village farmhouses in rural areas.

2. Revamp rural communities: After completion of rural community land re-planning, conduct substantial follow-up construction, help set up rural community development associations to maintain the environment in cooperation.

3. Remodel the appearance of fishing villages: Build model fishing villages, conduct community environment improvement and landscape gardening, revamp public facilities and promote fishery culture. Develop recreational fishing, enhance management training, and improve service quality to raise income.

4. Develop leisure agriculture: Set up leisure agriculture zones and improve public facilities. Enhance management training and assessment and certification of leisure farms, apply school-and-business cooperation mode to supply professional manpower, and upgrade industry quality in general. Help organize cooperative management and promotion among leisure agriculture zones, establish electronic operation systems for leisure fishery and agriculture, and promote agricultural culture and leisure tourism packages to create job opportunities in rural areas.

5. Rebuild rural communities : In line with business revival in reconstructed areas and rural leisure tourism, continue to conduct rural community construction and diversified industry-related activities to improve farming and living environment.

6. Promote rural construction demonstrations: Conduct surveys on rural resources, establish integrated databases, and encourage young generations to remain in rural areas. Train specialists for rural planning and construction, establish mechanisms for residents’ participation in rural construction, and build model villages with regional characteristics.

B. Diversity in Fishery Management

1. Promote multiple use of fishing ports, improve environments and landscapes of tourist fishing ports and public service facilities, and maintain fishing port functions and quality of the general environment.

2. Build integrated fresh and sea water supply systems and public facilities in aquacultural production areas and fisheries at sea.

3. Establish high-grade fishing grounds and ocean ecological breeding zones to nurture diversified ocean biological resources.

C. Development of Forestry Tourism

1. Build complete trail networks, integrate all tourist zones and attractions, and provide diversified leisure itineraries.

2. Build forest recreation zones and forest railway facilities, bring in private investment to build and operate accommodation and dining facilities, and upgrade quality of tourism.

3. Combine mountain community and regional public welfare groups to promote eco-tourism and educate the public to cherish and protect forests.

D. Assistance for Cultural Leisure Industries

1. Integrate regional agricultural and characteristic cultural resources and conduct diverse cultural study activities to preserve good rural culture.

2. In line with regional harvest seasons, conduct related cultural activities to promote agricultural culture and products.

3. Assist development of agricultural specialties and restaurants with local characteristics in combination with leisure service industry to promote business.

4. Develop regional creative agricultural specialties and enhance packaging design for regional tourism souvenirs.

IV. Development of Eco-agriculture and Maintenance of Sustainable Resources

A. Promote reduction of ranches and recycling

1. Improve technical assistance for pollution prevention in livestock farming, promote reduction of ranches and recycling, and handle waste with care.

2. Implement tests of wastewater from livestock farming and install equipment service stations, assist livestock farms to achieve EPA standard for wastewater release to upgrade pollution prevention efficiency.

B. General Improvement of Farmland

1. Develop biological fertilizers, apply rhizobia, vesticular arbuscular mycorrhiza, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and trichoderma harzianum for various suitable crops, create related products, and conduct promotional demonstrations.

2. Promote application of diagnostic techniques for soil quality and plant nutrients, promote appropriate fertilization, upgrade product quality, and reduce diseases and environment pollutions.

3. Promote green fertilizers; encourage recycling of agricultural and husbandry waste to make organic fertilizers to improve farmland.

C. Sustenance of Fishery Resources

1. Implement fishing boat reduction measures, encourage fishing breaks , protect offshore fishery resources, and promote sustainability of fishery.

2. Conduct fishery training programs and seminars to promote the concept of sustainable resources through Si-jian, home economics and fishing affairs groups.

D. Construction of Farming Water Resources

1. Build and repair irrigation systems, improve farmland drainage and renew farming water resources facilities to reduce water wastage and strengthen preventive functions against droughts and floods.

2. In line with needs of agricultural businesses, improve rural villages and build village farmhouses, promote farmland re-planning, re-mapping of small bits of land, improve irrigation systems, and upgrade agricultural production and marketing.

3. Improve roads and irrigation routes from earlier farmland plans, upgrade irrigation and drainage functions and rural road quality, resolve narrow-road and muddiness problems, and bring general development to rural regions.

4. Improve analysis and transmission of water-resources data and data-processing facilities and promote water-saving irrigation during droughts and modern management facilities to reduce irrigation water use and cut production costs.

5. Match differing construction management systems, r eview and revise irrigation water criteria, enhance monitoring and control of irrigation water quality, and promote separation of irrigation and drainage to prevent water waste from contaminating irrigation water sources.

6. Improve irrigation control systems, promote economical use of agricultural water and ecological protection in rice paddies, and increase replenishment of underground water and reservoir functions.

E. Forestation and Sustainable Management of Forests

1. Division of forest regions for management: Establish forest grade and region systems and long-term monitoring of forest ecological systems. Conduct raising of national forests and artificial forests. Promote reforestation of deteriorated land and forestation on offshore islands. Protect community cultural assets and enforce protection of old trees. Conduct sand and flood control, forest trail reconstruction and reforestation of landslide areas.

2. Protection of natural forests: Improve management of protected areas; promote eco-protection education and voluntary participation in natural protection by communities to sustain biological diversity. Protect and control national forest resources, enforce forest patrolling against unlawful lumbering, development or use of forestland, and forest fires. Educate the public to cherish and protect forests.

3. Forestation and landscape gardening of flatland: Extend forestation and greeneries and conduct flatland forestation demonstration in Jiayi’s Dong-shi farm, Hualien Sugar Plant’s Dafu Farm and Pingtung’s Wubien Farm as planned.

4. Ecological restoration of coastal forests: Conduct forestation and reforestation to replace aging horsetail trees in coastal areas to slow down damage from blown sand, monsoons, saline fogs and tides and increase functions of coastal forests.

5. Repossession of leased-out national land for forestation: Coordinate termination of leases on national forest land illegally used or in mudslide-potential areas, important reservoir areas and riversides for forestation and appropriate management.

6. Unification of forestry affairs and administration: In response to the trend in national resources management, integrate forestry affairs and forestry administration to unify administration of forest and natural conservation and upgrade administrative efficiency.

7. Forestation by all and assistance for production and marketing of forestry products: Continue care of adult forests, maintain timber quality, establish strategic alliances of forestry industries, develop products such as bamboo charcoal, and promote processing and use of forestry products.

8. Demonstration of ecosystems in experimental forests: Promote demonstrative forestation conforming to ecological principles, maintain forest trail networks, build experimental forests and ecosystems with explanatory and academic functions to promote ecological conservation. .

F. Water and Soil Conservation of Hillside Land

1. Forest conservation, disaster prevention and landscape gardening: Enhance integrated planning and control of watersheds, promote full-scale forest conservation, disaster prevention and landscape gardening, develop natural and safe landscapes and environments in mountainous areas.

2. Regional water and soil conservation operation and maintenance: Combine agronomic vegetation with engineering to conduct encroachment reparation , slope surface stabilization, installation of farming ponds and water holes for irrigation and farmland water and soil conservation to conserve water and soil resources.

3. Vegetation and reforestation of collapsed and denuded land: Promote ecological gardening, conduct surveys on potential vegetation in hillside land, cultivate young protophyte plants and speed up foliation in accordance with the specific features of the location.

4. Demarcation and engineering of designated water conservation zones: Make public announcement of disaster-prone areas as designated water conservation zones and plan division and time for engineering. At the same time, enforce land use control and maintain natural eco-environment to effectively prevent disasters.

5. Monitoring and control of water conservation: Conduct mudslide monitoring, enhance hillside land disaster prevention and counter-measure systems, improve policing for illegal use of hillside land and supervision and control of water conservation, and education on water conservation to ensure s afety of national land.

G. Post-disaster Recovery and Reforestation

1. In line with national land reforestation tactics, integrate engineering plans for rivers in reconstruction regions and promote combined river re-engineering to maximize the effects of integrated engineering and control.

2. Enhance prevention for erosion and collapses of national land to reduce damages from floods and mudslides and protect lives and public facilities.

3. Combining modern ecosystem management concept, enhance reforestation of deteriorated forestland, repossessed over-farmed land and collapsed land while seeing to disaster prevention and natural conservation.

4. Reconstruct the four forest trails in Shaping, Fenggang, Nanfeng and Duona that were damaged in the July 2 Flood.

5. Conduct related reconstruction of Wu River, Jhuo-shui River and coastal jetties to mend damages caused by typhoons over the past years.

H. Maintenance of bio-diversity

1. In conformity to the “ Plan for Bio-diversity Promotion ” , revise related laws and policies, promote biological safety control, improve on-the-spot and relocation conservation, reforestation of deteriorated environment and control of exotic species.

2. Improve management of natural reservation zones to enhance conservation of species and their habitats.

3. Supervise local governments’ enforcement of “Wildlife Conservation Act” and “ Cultural Asset Preservation Act ” to perfect the natural resources management system.

4. Promote bio-diversity, education and publicity for natural landscape conservation and training of relevant personnel. Establish partnerships.

5. Assist domestic and international organizations to promote natural conservation work and participate in related activities.

I. Reconstruction and Management of Botanical Gardens Nationwide

1. Renovate existent botanical gardens, improve public facilities and educational equipment, extend display contents, and maximize research, conservation and leisure functions to upgrade the eco-conservation concept of Taiwanese people.

2. Protect endangered plants, establish plant registration systems and sustain diversity of plant genetic resources.

3. Train specialists in botanical garden management and modernize botanical garden management.

J. Establishment of National Land Databank

1. Consolidate geological data systems of related agricultural agencies and establish natural resources and ecology databases to be the foundation for natural eco-conservation policy planning.

2. Extend soil database systems to establish references for national land safety measures.

3. Establish aerial photograph databases for the entire Taiwan region to be references for all parties.

4. Establish forestry resources databases and carbon rate survey mode to be the basis for forestry resources evaluation and carbon sequestration contribution.

V. General Development of Agriculture and Improvement of Welfare for Farmers and Fishermen

A. Cultivation of Agricultural Human Resources

1. Conduct agricultural training; strengthen professional farmers’ abilities in corporative management, leadership and communication, and marketing. Cultivate rural youth with international perspectives and agricultural expertise.

2. Conduct training of agricultural marketing personnel, upgrade their ability to adjust production and marketing, and promote modernized marketing.

3. Establish agricultural promotion systems. Improve agricultural research, education and cooperation mechanism to extend functions of education.

B. Promotion of lifelong learning of farmers

1. Set up teaching centers in agricultural regions; enhance online study of farmers and fishermen and service networks for agricultural management consultation.

2. In line with related regulations, enhance professional training of agricultural promotion personnel, upgrade their professional standard and strengthen consultation work for farmers.

C. Creation of healthy rural life and production support systems

1. Promote education on rural life improvement, consolidate health care resources, enhance preventive health care and extend assistance and improvement for the life of senior citizens.

2. Improve rural women’s life management abilities and assist them to use their potentials in business management to start part-time to increase income.

D. Mobilization of rural community organizations

1. Consolidate farmer groups and community building organizations of all levels to develop rural communities.

2. Set up rural community study groups; improve knowledge and skills for community building and social service capacity to mobilize community organizations.

E. Assistance for farmer and fisherman groups to sustain management

1. Review and revise laws and regulations related to farmer and fisherman groups, improve their management, and increase their economic, professional and service functions.

2. Assist farmer and fisherman groups to upgrade human resources, open new markets and upgrade their competitiveness by establishing strategic alliances to consolidate resources.

3. Promote revitalization of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations whose credit business has been taken over by banks and help extend their business.

4. Assist irrigation associations in their operation and upgrade their self-governing capacity.

F. Improvement of Agricultural Financing System

1. Create the National Agricultural Treasury; establish a two-tier agricultural financing system consisted of the National Agricultural Treasury and the credit departments of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations to conduct agricultural financing and provide the impetus for business development of the credit departments of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations.

2. Assist the credit departments of farmers’ and fishermen’s association to operate, enforce their risk control, upgrade their asset quality, and reduce their overdue loan ratio to ensure healthy development of agricultural financing.

3. Apply sanctions on the credit departments of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations that are in bad business, conduct merging according to legal regulations and assist them to withdraw from the market.

G. Enhancement of International Agricultural Cooperation

1. Participate in international organization activities and train specialists in international agricultural affairs and safeguard Taiwan’s interests through international interactions and trade negotiations.

2. Promote bilateral agricultural technical cooperation and exchange of personnel and resources and bring in key technologies from advanced countries to speed up the upgrade of Taiwan’s technology level.

3. Assist the agricultural production and technician training of allies, help promote their agricultural development, and open technical service market.

H. Promotion of Cross-Strait Agricultural Exchange

1. Analyze relevant issues in Chinese agricultural development and study the potential of Taiwanese agricultural products on the Chinese market.

2. Conduct Cross-strait exchange of agricultural genetic species and technology in conformity to the needs in Taiwan’s agricultural development.

3. Review opened-up agricultural import items to China and Taiwanese agricultural investment and cooperative categories in China. Enhance application evaluation.

I. Improvement of Agricultural and Fishery Welfare Programs and Aid

1. Issue subsidies for senior farmers according to “ Provisional Statute on Issuance of Welfare Subsidies for Senior Farmers ”. Qualified senior farmers will receive NT$4000 per month.

2. Install scholarships for children of farmers and fishermen to encourage them to continue education.

3. Conduct policy related agricultural loans; provide low-interest agricultural financing.

4. Assist businesses to restructure and perfect counteractive mechanisms for production and marketing unbalance to stabilize production and marketing order.

5. Conduct second skill training for farmers and fishermen; help farmers and fishermen become eligible for new or part-time work to minimize impact from trade liberalization.

6. Implement price-stabilizing measures and conduct rice grain purchases at guaranteed prices and purchases of surplus rice to maintain farmers’ income.

7. Implement relief measures for import-induced damages. Provide aid to farmers and fishermen suffering damages from mass importation of agricultural products.

8. Provide agricultural aid for natural disasters. Help farmers and fishermen recover, re-farm and reduce losses.

9. Subsidize irrigation association memberships and fishery fuel consumption to ease burdens of farmers and fishermen.

10. Conduct fishing boat insurance incentive measures and sea rescue for fishermen to bring stability in fishing households.

J. Strengthening of Public-oriented Administrative Services

1. Expand agricultural policy seminars, face farmers and fishermen directly, listen to their opinions and respond without reservations.

2. Accelerate the process of agricultural petitioning and reduce administrative response time.