The COA est ablished t he Agricultural Technology Research Institute (ATRI) on January 1, 2014, as the institution specifically responsible for application, commercialization, and industrialization of the results of innovative R&D in the agricultural sector. ATRI’s missions are (a) to provide farmers, farmers' groups, and agro-businesses with agro- technology, commercialization and industrialization services; (b) to facilitate the development of innovative agricultural enterprises, and (c) promote the internationalization of Taiwan's agricultural sector. Based on overall need for services, ATRI has created three research centers (for plants, marine products, and animals respectively) as well as an industrial development center and administrative department.

　　The duties of ATRI are to apply the R&D results of research institutions, and cooperate with research institutions to enhance the value of the research results. This includes development and application of mass production techniques, establishment of standards and specifications, feasibility evaluations and analysis, as well as protection and deployment of intellectual property rights. Branding, design, and marketing services are also provided to assist businesses to (a) adopt and transform available technologies into commercial products, (b) market these products to an industrial level and (c) attain global competitiveness. ATRI's target is to successfully achieve the agro-technology policy goals that have been formulated as: "Build agro- technology-based industries that will become an innovative and driving economic force for Taiwan, will create opportunities for cooperation between enterprises and farmers, and will benefit all citizens."

　　For a program running from 2014 to 2017, a total of 10 agro-technology industries with potential for global competitiveness have been selected for particular attention. They have been selected based on (i) the global market, (ii) industrial demand, and (iii) the niche markets for Taiwan's agriculture. With ATRI serving as the planning and operational platform, we will promote value-added use and global deployment of the results of agro-technology R&D.

　　In 2014, we selected six such industries, including animal vaccines, animal feed additives, biological pesticides, pilot-scale grouper farms, testing and inspection technology, and ornamental fish and peripheral products. We will use a model called "industry raises problems, research by experts and academics solves problems," to integrate the capabilities of industry, academia, and researchers.

　　Through the use of eight distinct strategies, we will strengthen industrial competitiveness, drive profit-making opportunities in the market, and promote the development of industries based on agro-technology. These eight strategies are: (a) strategic analysis of industrial development, (b) agricultural business incubation and integration, (c) industrialization and application of decisive agro-technologies, (d) industrial value-added strategies, (e) strategies for deployment of intellectual property rights, (f) commissioning of research services for receiving orders from around the globe, (g) guidance of agro-technology industries, and (h) marketing (including training of human resources for international marketing).

　　Meanwhile, joint venture guidance and incubat ion services have been established together with plans to attract investment of technology and capital from enterprises to participate into agro- technology commerce. It is expected that above mentioned measures will expand operational scale and elevate standard of agro-technology industry to a level equivalent to that of advanced countries. By reaching international market standards, Taiwan's agro-technology products will be able to access the global market.

　　ATRI will promote intellectual cooperation and resources-sharing between research institutions and district extension stations and exert efforts to commercialize their R&D results and to form related industries. In addition, ATRI will dedicate efforts to promoting inter-disciplinary R&D and value-added commerce with joint ventures in the industrial, medical/ pharmaceutical, information technology and cultural/creative sectors. These deals will increase added value in the rural economy and drive agriculture towards new directions of development.