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Agriculture in Taiwan is one the main industry in Taiwan. It contributes to the food security, rural development and conservation of Taiwan.
History
Prehistory
Agriculture has been an important sector of Taiwanese life since ages ago. From archaeological sites in Changbin Township, Taitung County, since Paleolithic Age around 30,000-50,000 years ago, people hunted, fished and gathered. In Neolithic Age around 5,000-2,000 year ago, then only people began to live their sedentary lifestyle where they grew rice and other corps and domesticated animals. In Iron Age around 2,000 years ago, people in the northern coast of Taiwan began to make iron tools and food production increased significantly.
Republic of China
In the 1980s, many farmlands were left idle due to the emigration of people from rural to urban areas and that Taiwan has began opening up itself to staple food imports. However recently, the government has introduced new policy to reactivate all of the idle lands left before to ensure food security, food self-sufficiency and to revitalize the agriculture sectors.
Government
Agriculture-related affairs in Taiwan is handled by Council of Agriculture. Taiwan houses the headquarter of World Vegetable Center. Taiwan is also the member of world organizations related to agriculture, such as Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and World Trade Organization.
Products
There are four main agricultural products in Taiwan, which are plant crops (46.64%), livestock (31.06%), fishery (22.2%) and forest (0.08%).
Economy
Agriculture sector employs around 540,000 people in Taiwan, about 5% of the total population. It contributes around 1.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP). Combined with agriculture-related tourism sector, it contributes to 11% of Taiwan's GDP. Taiwan exports around US$5 billion worth of agricultural products annually to Canada, Mainland China, Japan, Middle East Singapore and United States.
Organizations
There are government-assisted farmer organizations around Taiwan which gives general assistance to farmers, such as supply, distribution, financial services etc. Farmer organizations in Taiwan consists of 302 farmers' associations, 40 fishermen's associations and 17 irrigation associations.
Research centers
- Kinmen Fisheries Research Institute
- Taiwan Livestock Research Institute
- Taiwan Sugar Research Institute
Tourism
Over the past few years, agriculture-related tourism has become more and more popular in Taiwan. The government has built recreational area around farms and fishing villages by integrating the produce, nature and festivals. There are more than 70 recreation farming zones have been established and there are almost 300 recreational farms have been licensed.
