In response to New Taipei City Government’s Friendly Farming Regional Plan Policy, the local organization in Jinshan District (愛鄉護農會, pronounced as Ai Hsiang Hu Nien Hui, means ‘the Association which loves your hometown and protects agriculture,’ which will be mentioned as “the Ai-Hsiang Association” in following) donated 3 million to four elementary schools in Jinshan: Zhongjiao Elementary School, Sanho Elementary School, Jinme Elementary School, and Jinshan Elementary School. This purpose supports elementary schools in promoting Agri-food Education and local contractual eco-friendly rice. Yu-Ih Hou, the Mayor of New Taipei City, also specially issued a thank you note to the Ai-Hsiang Association, hoping that more consumers and business groups would respond, Implementing the spirit of loving the hometown and protecting the soil in daily life.
The director of the Ai-Hsiang Association (愛鄉護農會), Shu-Hsun Hsu, and his wife, Mei-Tai Chou, recruit members of the association to dedicate themselves to Jinshan. Director Hsu said that he had fallen in love with this land since the first day moved to Jinshan. The Ai-Hsiang Association donated 1 million yuan a year, totaling 3 million yuan for three years, to four elementary schools l, so they could contract to grow local eco-friendly rice and conduct Agri-food education courses. Shu-Hsun Hsu believes that treating the environment in a friendly manner will also provide people with a safer and more reassuring guarantee.
Mayor Hou said that New Taipei City Government promoted the “Friendly Farming Regional Plan Policy” to guide farmers to engage in eco-friendly farming and assist sales performance. This is the concept of combining agricultural production with environmental ecology. There are 196 eco-friendly farming farmers in New Taipei City, with 227.5 hectares. At the end of last year, New Taipei City Government further integrated with the Federal of Organic Agriculture Movement Asia Branch (IFOAM Asia) and set up the Center of Excellence for Intelligent Organic Marketing in Asia (CEIOMA) and established the “Eco-friendly Contractual Farming Affiliate Platform.” Through the Platform, Ai-Hsiang Association donated NT$3 million to four elementary schools in Jinshan to subscribe to organic contractual rice and to promote Agri-food education. School children can eat locally produced and safe organic rice, experience the eco-friendly farming environment of their hometown, do their best to protect nature, and achieve the goal of sustainable development. This is a critical issue in the development of the Northern Coast area,
The Agriculture Department of New Taipei City Government stated that the “Eco-friendly Contractual Farming Affiliate Platform” has gathered many platforms that support farmers with the concept of “Access to Markets: A Road to Sustainability” and seeks sales channels for farmers and producers as the priority. Cai Tian Eco-Friendly Farming and other platforms have joined, providing various friendly and organic agricultural products.
Wen Lee, the Commissioner of the Agriculture Department, said that New Taipei City Government encourages young people to join the team of agriculture and will continue to explore outstanding young farmers and provide resources such as counseling, subsidies, courses, and access through related programs to help young farmers grow and make progress, and create a high-quality New Taipei City. When the whole country is fighting against the epidemic, people can order high-quality agricultural products in New Taipei online and support local small-scale farmers by buying agrarian products!