Page 36 - 2018 Annual Report Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan

Collective Innovation Sustainable Management Unit 2: Building Agricultural Models 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 large- scale 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 Satoyama Initiative 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 34