Agriculture Training & Exchange Program

February 26 - March 6, 1996
The Pinatubo Farmers Association, Phillipines
at Chia-yi County, Taiwan, ROC

Funded by: Association for International Cooperation of Agriculture & Forestry (Japan)
Implemented by: ICA Philippines, ICA Taiwan and ICA Japan
Farmer-leaders from the Pinatubo Area Farmers Association, along with two ICA staff and two observers from AICAF, visited Chiayi, Nantou and Taichung counties in Taiwan to study farming techniques which may be used to help farmers in the Pinatubo disaster area. The Pinatubo area is covered with ash up to two meters deep, which destroyed homes, crops, and filled the rivers with flowing lahar (volcanic ash.) Mr. John Lin and Mr. Wang of Chiayi County introduced the group to many facets of farm life in south central Taiwan. Highlights included demonstration farms, a pineapple cooperative and the Hsin Gang Festival. The Council of Agriculture and several other agricultural agencies also shared practical ideas on local cooperation and practical technology with the visitors.
1. Participants from AICAF, ICA Japan, the Philippines Pinatubo Farmers Association, and the hosts and coordinators from Taiwan at the beginning of the exchange program, which featured sustainable agriculture Training and appripriate technology transfer
The Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Station.
2. Three of the participants at the entrance to the Chia-yi Agricultural Experimental Station.
3. Mr. Kamigata and the translator inspect a tree covered by a thin net tent to protect it from insects without the use of chemical pesticides.
4. Natural tree propagation techniques. Wrapping a plastic bag of peat-moss around a branch encourages root formation.
The Chiayi Flower Co-op Research Center.
5. The Chiayi City East District Flower Co-op Research Center has six large covered green-houses.
6. These young plants are started in mulch; most of the plants are grown in pots.
7. Mr. Fule inspecting one of the flowers.
The Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute.
8. The team on the steps of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute.
9. Tissue culture exhibition with a flow chart explaining tissue culture propagation. Thousands of plants can be grown from one excellent parent plant, with about 95% being identical.
10. Exhibition showing new technologies in Germ plasm conservation. At this center, thousands of seed types from around the world are collected and stored in carefully controlled chambers.
The Tsengwen Reservoir.
11. A visit to the Tsengwen Reservoir electric generation control room.
12. This is a spare water wheel in the room above the turbine.
13. In the distance, you can see the earthen dam, and nearby the power lines emerging from the electric generation station. There is also a diesel driven generator for use in cases of emergency.
Local Flower Grower's Farm
14. Farmers raise several open air flower growing in the stations. They mainly raise five varieties of flowers, plus some high-value speciality flowers.
15. Before shipping, the flowers are removed from the pots and the roots cleaned.
16. The flowers are grown in a mixture of gravel and EM-enriched (Effective Micro-organisms) peanut 'mash.' Locally the mixture is called 'EM Fertilizer.'
17. A look at one of the special orchids.
18. Another special orchid.
The Asia Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC).
19. Cecilla Alampay looks at a multi-cropped vegetable garden.
20. Another view of the multi-cropped garden. Plants are carefully selected for their different growth rates.
21. These Coriander flowers act as a natural pesticide, helping to keep insects away from the garden.
22. This non-circulating hydroponics system looked like appropriate technology for use in the Pinatubo Lahar area.
23. This lettuce looks better than any that can be found in stores!
24. Experiments are being done on a variety of substances to be used as the base for the seeds and plants.
The Kangaroo Garden Tourism Farm.
25. This is a family vacation place where children can gain first-hand experience with natural agricultural techniques.
26. The cottages use Japanese style "futon" bedding to conserve space.
27. This greenhouse supplies vegetables for the center's kitchen and an opportunity for children to learn about and care for plants.
28. The corn is covered with plastic to retain moisture and to keep weeds out without using herbicides. Above the corn is new passion fruit growing on wires.
29. Inspecting young plants.
30. Another grove of passion fruit.
The National Institute of Agriculture at Chiayi.
31. All of the buildings are beautiful, spacious, and seem to be recently built.
32. Several professors are briefing the team and answering questions related to sustainable agricultural practices appropriate to the Pinatubo area in the Phillipines.
33. This is the university's food processing center used by its students.
A Private Goat Farm.
34. Goats are a suitable livestock for the people of the Pinatubo area because they require only a small initial investment and require a relatively small grazing area.
35. This is the feeding and milking station. It is raised off the ground for disease prevention and for ease in milking.
36. Five goats are ready to be milked using the milking machine.
37. It takes only a short time to milk one goat.
38. This is the bottle sterilization and milk pasterization room. After bottling, the milk is delivered to homes and schools. Much time has been spent in promotion of goat's milk with its high nutritional value. Available are regular, chocolate, strawberry, and other flavors!
Pineapple Farm
39. The manager of this very successful pineapple farm is displaying the small but pretty pineapple grown for the New Years Festival. They raise a variety of pineapples so that they can harvest during most of the year.
40. The new plants come from the stock removed from the plants of the previous season.
41. A pineapple nearly ready for the fresh fruit market. Techniques like those used here will be useful for success by Pinatubo farmers.
Hsin Kang Farmer's Community Festival
42. The women's club in the festival. Each group has a special theme, and thinks carefully about its significance.
43. Also many children have their own groups participating in the festival.
44. Each group does a special presentation before this small neighborhood temple.
Small Ceremonies Enriched and Personalized the Exchange Program
45. During one of the breaks along the way, a farmer's wife offers a variety of Chinese teas.
46. In thanks for sponsorship of this training and exchange program, Mr. Maysaysay of the Phillipines presents a statue made by Mount Pinatubo victims to Mr. Kamigata of AICAF. The statue is made of Lahar, volcanic ash from Mount Pinatubo.
47. Another group photo of the grateful participants.

 

 

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