Premier Mao Chi-kuo today visited the Prosperity Community in Sanzhi District of New Taipei City, the first farming community in New Taipei to have had its regeneration plan passed by the Council of Agriculture (COA). The Prosperity Community has reconstructed its businesses, enhanced its living quality and rejuvenated its ecology, becoming an exemplar and pride of Taiwan, Mao said.
The premier hopes more such models will be realized in the future to help farming community members show their concern for the land and regain their confidence in agriculture. Taiwan's agriculture must transform one step at a time through the efforts of local community members, whose achievements will inspire others to participate so that a virtuous circle results, he said.
According to the COA , the Prosperity Community first participated in "basic" farming education in 2005, getting to know the relevant programs of a prosperous and beautiful farming village. Its farming regeneration plan was submitted in 2010 and approved in 2011. With down-to-earth pragmatism, over the course of a decade the Prosperity Community has been turned into a pride of Taiwan and a model for overhauling a farming village.
All this has been accomplished under the leadership of Mr. Lin Yi-feng, who is considered the soul of the community. Mao expressed affirmation for Mr. Lin's efforts.
Sanzhi District has the potential for developing agriculture, the premier reiterated. In the transformation process, a farming community requires the support of local government and residents alike. After Mr. Lin submitted the Prosperity Community's regeneration plan, the COA extended help from the sidelines, channeling related resources such as expert guidance and R&D talents. Aside from Datun Mountain's natural water resources, the community has also made good use of recycled wastewater to irrigate its farms. It does so via a very natural process, filtering and controlling the quality of recycled water.
Through such activities as farming education, farmers' markets, and land purification, an agricultural community can engender excellence in quality of life, production and ecology, the COA stated.
As of April 2015, the Prosperity Community comprised 152 households totaling 391 people: 215 males and 176 females.