【SDGs】
GASE Newsletter Highlights : Innovative Transition and Scientific Breakthrough of Smart Agriculture in Taiwan
 
Source: Distinguished Professor Dr. Chia-Lin Chang, Vice President for International Affairs
(Prof. Chia-Lin Chang was invited to act as Guest Editor for MOST GASE Newsletter in May, 2021)
 
The concept of “Smart Agriculture" was originated from the idea of protecting and optimizing nature's water, air, sunlight, soil, and diverse ecological properties at their myriad sources, and then develops a bio-economy by combining the resources of nature with local farmers, biotechnology, and medical industries. Through innovative "bio-refining” technology, high-value ingredients, feeds, fertilizers, energy, fine viewing and biomaterials needed, a brand-new type of living and cultivation can thus be produced, which has been the ultimate inspiration that human yearns to learn from nature.
 
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the definition of “Smart Agriculture” includes increasing agricultural productivity, increasing crop tolerance to extreme weather and disease resistance, increasing yields, saving agricultural labor and material inputs, promoting biodiversity, etc. Based on the main focuses regarding the agricultural products, meeting the needs of consumers and producers to develop species that promote consumer health, reducing food waste, increasing food processing efficiency, and enhancing environmental benefits are equally important to achieving the task of this agricultural innovation in contemporary society.
 
Taiwan’s “Smart Agriculture Policy”, which is distinguished from the industrial production modeled by the industrialization of agriculture that dominates the 20th century, focuses on three main axes: promoting a smart model of domestic agriculture system, constructing an agricultural safety network; and enhancing agricultural marketing capabilities, to operate, produce, and consolidate the resilience and sustainability for Taiwan’s agriculture.
 
With the six main themes that highlight the multiple facets of Taiwan's “Smart Agriculture”, the six invited distinguished experts and scholars are as follows.
Firstly, we are honored to introduce Dr. Chiu-Chung Young 楊秋忠 (Chair Professor of Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences of National Chung Hsing University/ National Chair Professor of Ministry of Education of ROC), whose outstanding research is magnificent in the field of “Microbial Composting”.
In terms of “Biological Pesticide”, we have invited Dr. Jenn- Wen Huang 黃振文 (Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology and Vice President of National Chung Hsing University) to share his professional “eco- friendly” insights.
 
As for the units of “Botanical Drug Development”, we believe Dr. Lie-Fen Shyur ‘s guidance and introduction will lead us to an understanding of this certain knowledge of herbology and the prevention of cancer, she is also a distinguished research Fellow at the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center of Academia Sinica.
 
Furthermore, our highlighted reports also include Dr. Sheng-Yang Wang’s (Distinguished Professor of Department of Forestry of National Chung-Hsing University) enthusiastic research in the study of Taiwanofungus camphoratus, which is an expensive, edible medicinal fungi.
 
The final two crucial researches of “Smart Agriculture” are introduced by Dr. Tzu-Pi Huang’s 黃姿碧(Associate Professor of the Department of Plant Pathology of National Chung Hsing University) “Probiotic Microbiomes for Agriculture Safety” exclusive report and Dr. Yi-Bing Lin’s (Lifetime Chair Professor of Engineering Technology of National Chiao Tung University) “Organic Non-toxic Agriculture and Smart Farming”, which acts as a scientific progress in agriculture of Taiwan.
Hopefully, in the foreseeable future, the emergence of “Smart Agriculture” can serve as a paradigm that changes our traditional perspective towards agriculture. This is to constantly provide a high quality of agricultural production with which our environment would not be damaged or exploited in the persist development of agriculture industry.
 
Guest Editor:
Vice President for International Affairs
Director, Agricultural Policy Research Centre
University Distinguished Professor
Department of Applied Economics
National Chung Hsing University
Taiwan
 
To read the special report of Smart Agriculture on GASE, please click the following link: https://trh.gase.most.ntnu.edu.tw/en/newsletter/latest