The Council of Indigenous Peoples' (CIP) program to develop indigenous specialty industries is already bearing fruit, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said at today's Cabinet meeting.
The CIP has been creating plans to assist tribes to inject their traditional knowledge into every element of industry development, and this has helped shape the outlook of indigenous specialty industries and give them a special character, said the premier, who added that the policy is in accordance with the aspirations of the tribes and the unique qualities of their environmental resources.
Jiang remarked that the development of rafting culture through the integration of Amis traditional wisdom that he witnessed during his July visit to the Kiwit tribe in Hualien left a deep impression on him.
Various agencies have put forward suggestions aimed at helping indigenous youths return to their hometowns to work and start businesses, encouraging industries to put down roots in these communities, and revitalizing tribal economies, he noted.
The premier instructed the CIP to take these views as references for planning, especially recommendations about how to attract young adults and students to learn about aboriginal communities and how to give indigenous youths better employment opportunities. The CIP may establish cross-ministerial task forces when necessary, said Jiang; in turn, he asked agencies to proactively support the CIP and work together with it to upgrade tribal specialty industries.