(1) Expanding organic agriculture and eco-friendly farming

In order to expand the land area devoted to organic agriculture and eco - friendly farming, in 2018 the “Organic Agriculture Promotion Act ” was promulgated and the COA amended the “Organic Agricultural Product and Organic Agricultural Processed Product Certification Management Regulations” and the “Directions for Organic and Eco-Friendly Farming Subsidies” to expand the land area that can be used for organic agriculture and to guide beneficiaries, in order to encourage even more farmers to transition to organic agriculture and eco-friendly farming.

As of the end of 2018, 14 organic certification bodies had been accredited, and a total of 8,759 hectares of agriproducts had been so certified, along with 3,556 farming households. Total organic production volume in 2018 was about 96,000 metric tons, with production value of about NT$5.25 billion. In addition, the COA announced 34 “eco-friendly farming promotion groups” covering a registered eco-friendly farming area of 2,810 hectares, with future total production volume estimated at 30,000 metric tons and production value at about NT$1.68 billion. Meanwhile, two producers were certified as producing organic livestock products (covering two products) and one organic livestock processing business was so certified (covering one product). In addition, to improve animal welfare, the COA has issued the “Definition and Guideline of Friendly Eggs Production System” and the “Definition and Guideline of Friendly Pig-raising System.” These are useful as a reference to operators investing in eco-friendly production facilities or equipment. The COA also guided industrial transformation, handling policy-oriented special agricultural loans for eco-friendly egg-production systems, to meet the needs of industrial development. In 2018 the applications of 12 livestock farms conformed to regulations.

In addi t ion, the COA promoted the “farmland ecology certification mechanism—the green conservation labeling program,” under which we guided farmers to use eco-friendly cultivation methods that do not utilize pesticides or chemical fertilizers in order to protect local wildlife. We designed the “green conservation label” for consumers to be able to differentiate these products, to encourage consumers to buy them. By the end of 2018, 325 households and 469 hectares of land had been approved for certification, providing safe habitats for more than 43 protected species and indicator species. This label is the first ever ecological brand in Taiwan to directly connect protected species and agricultural production.

In terms of developing the marketing aspect of organic products, in 2018 the COA guided a total of 130 retail outlets to set up special kiosks or sales counters for organic products, organized organic farmers’ markets in 18 locations, set up electronic emporiums, and guided 112 organic farms to set up e-commerce webpages to directly sell to consumers. In addition, when participating in largescale food exhibitions and similar activities, the COA included activities for marketing organic products. We also organized 186 events to spread the word about organic agriculture, including consumer education, training of volunteers for organic farming, and education on organic foods in elementary and secondary schools and in communities.

The “Organic Agriculture Promotion Act” was promulgated on May 30, 2018, and will go into effect one year after its promulgation (i.e. May 30, 2019). The Law covers the scope of management and guidance, measures helpful to the development of the organic agriculture industry in Taiwan, and bilateral recognition of organic equivalence between Taiwan and other countries. The COA will continue to finalize relevant by-laws and announce regulations as authorized under the Act so that they may go into effect at the same time as the Act.

(2) Promoting the SatoyamaInitiative

In 2018 the COA continued to promote the Satoyama Initiative through an integrated and systematic strategic structure constructed by the government, academia, non-governmental organizations, and communities. As of the end of 2018, 12 organizations (including the COA’s Forestry Bureau, Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, and Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station) had joined the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI).

The COA’s Forestry Bureau promoted the “Taiwan Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative,” and continued to hold regional workshops which were attended by 118 public and private organizations. The Forestry Bureau also published a book entitled Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems: Food, Farming, and the Future, to encourage workers in the field to maintain their ability to ensure flexible use of the land. We also used “Satoyama Animal Trains” to educate the general public in the importance of conservation in low-elevation mountain areas. In addition, the case study by the COA’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB), “Transformations Towards Sustainability—A Social and Economic Production Landscape Restored by the Gongrong Community,” was published in the 2018 edition of IPSI’s annual thematic review, Volume 4, on “Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures.” Moreover, the SWCB attended the 7th IPSI Global Conference (IPSI-7) to share the results of the implementation of the Satoyama Initiative in Taiwan. Also, the COA’s Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station drew up an instructional plan for eco-friendly farming and Satoyama habitat construction, and undertook training of local people to spread the principles of the Satoyama Initiative.