Taiwan restores farmland after river overflow

Following last year’s overflow of the Mataian River in Hualien County, Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station worked with local farmers to revive damaged farmland.

Approximately 774 hectares were affected by the disaster, with 383 hectares experiencing moderate damage. The station employed methods to improve soil quality, including debris removal, deep plowing, and the application of organic fertilizers and green manure.

They collaborated with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute to test growing cherry radishes, kale, and buckwheat on trial plots. Most of the restored land now supports dryland crops like soybean, millet, sorghum, and corn. Soil improvements led to significantly higher corn yields on restored fields, an average of 262 grams per ear compared to 39 grams per ear on untreated land.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin explained that the disaster shifted the region away from rice farming due to difficulties obtaining irrigation water. The ministry is now supporting dryland crop cultivation and seeking corporate partners through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) projects to aid in recovery efforts. These projects include funding cultivation training, fertilizer purchases, and purchases of a new specialty product: soy milk blended with millet.