A capacity-building program for farmers and officials from Indonesia’s Karawang region concluded Nov. 14 in Taipei City, spotlighting Taiwan’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and sharing technical expertise under the New Southbound Policy.
 
The two-week initiative was jointly organized by the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture and International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), the nation’s foremost foreign aid organization. It highlighted best practices and the latest technological advancements in such areas as duck farming, irrigation and rice cultivation.
 
Participants attended seminars and visited local farms, processing facilities and marketing and management groups. They also toured cultural attractions including Sun Moon Lake and Taichung World Flora Exposition in central Taiwan.
 
Speaking at the closing ceremony, COA Deputy Minister Lee Tui-chih said it is hoped that the knowledge attendees acquired in Taiwan will help strengthen the agricultural sector in Karawang.
 
Going forward, this program will be used as a model for similar cooperation projects with other Indonesian regions and NSP countries, Lee said. The government is also encouraging Taiwan agricultural enterprises to expand their business operations in the nations, creating win-win outcomes for all sides, he added.
 
According to the COA, the program is part of a Taiwan-Indonesia demonstration farm project launched in June. Staged on a 1,000-hectare plot in Karawang, the initiative aims to train nearly 300 farmers in modern duck and rice farming techniques.
 
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP is enhancing Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. (KWS-E)
 
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