{"id":77613,"date":"2025-09-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/?p=77613"},"modified":"2025-09-15T13:37:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T05:37:08","slug":"growing-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/?p=77613","title":{"rendered":"Growing Sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"77613\" class=\"elementor elementor-77613\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-af8bf57 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"af8bf57\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ef3264c\" data-id=\"ef3264c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71f6f26 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71f6f26\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.1 - 13-11-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><strong>By Yeh Tzu-hao<\/strong><br \/>Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting<br \/>Photos by Hsiao Yiu-hwa<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-537b5ef0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"537b5ef0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6059b49f\" data-id=\"6059b49f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7084a408 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7084a408\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.1 - 13-11-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#2c2c2c;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:-webkit-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__element{margin:0 var(--divider-element-spacing);-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-icon{font-size:var(--divider-icon-size)}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider-separator{display:-webkit-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin:0;direction:ltr}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator{-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:before{display:block;content:\"\";border-bottom:0;-webkit-box-flex:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{-webkit-box-flex:0;-ms-flex-positive:0;flex-grow:0;-ms-flex-negative:100;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider__element{margin-left:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{-webkit-box-flex:0;-ms-flex-positive:0;flex-grow:0;-ms-flex-negative:100;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider__element{margin-right:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d185002 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d185002\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3415c8fa\" data-id=\"3415c8fa\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34a72115 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34a72115\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation_mobile&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Can the goals of naturally-grown safe crops, sustained soil fertility, and fair returns for farmers truly coexist as climate change lowers yields and pesticide overuse degrades the land? The United Nations\u2019 Sustainable Development Goal 15 calls for protecting ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and preventing land degradation. For over a decade, Tzu Chi has been working to help make this vision a reality in eastern Taiwan.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1be90a32 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1be90a32\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-72023c97\" data-id=\"72023c97\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b53163e elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1b53163e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7f22e690 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7f22e690\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-421873e0\" data-id=\"421873e0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67b8f2a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"67b8f2a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.8.1 - 13-11-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-07-330x220.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c0dd0b8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4c0dd0b8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Chen Sheng-hua (\u9673\u751f\u83ef) and his wife, You Rui-zhen (\u6e38\u53e1\u81fb), natural farmers in Fenglin, Hualien, eastern Taiwan, are members of a Tzu Chi-supported crop production and marketing team. With guidance from Tzu Chi University faculty, they have improved their farming techniques and strengthened the resilience of their fields.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-523bb7d2 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"523bb7d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c86a6f9 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c86a6f9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-754c9067\" data-id=\"754c9067\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fd307e2 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4fd307e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In addition to majestic mountains and expansive, beautiful plains, Taiwan\u2019s Hualien and Taitung regions are also blessed with rich, fertile land. Agriculture has long been a vital pillar of the eastern region\u2019s economy. But as industrialization and urbanization have progressed, many young people have moved to Taiwan\u2019s more prosperous western region in search of work, leaving behind aging elders and increasing stretches of fallow farmland. How can local agriculture be revitalized\u2014creating greater value, providing stable income for farmers, and drawing young people back home to farm? Tzu Chi\u2019s charity and education missions have been working together on this challenge for years.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a1b8a1 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a1b8a1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a1f100b\" data-id=\"a1f100b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32aebdc1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"32aebdc1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>Eco-friendly farming<\/strong><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d55b2d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d55b2d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tzu Chi\u2019s commitment to agriculture began with concerns about climate change and potential food crises. In 2010, the foundation leased 20 hectares (50 acres) of land in Zhixue Village, Shoufeng Township, Hualien County. This opportunity came about when Taiwan Sugar Corporation, having reduced domestic sugarcane production in favor of imported raw materials, began offering large tracts of idle farmland for lease. It was on this plot that Tzu Chi established Zhixue Great Love Farm as a model for charity-based farming, with various crops grown on a trial basis.<\/p><p>In 2016, the leased area was reduced to 12 hectares and was taken over by the Jing Si Abode, the Buddhist convent founded by Dharma Master Cheng Yen. The harvest of the farm now helps sustain the Abode\u2019s daily needs and supports charity efforts, including local relief and international disaster aid.<\/p><p>Volunteers from across Taiwan cooperate to work the land\u2014preparing fields, clearing irrigation channels, and using organic rice-farming methods. They control pests using non-toxic biological formulations and manually weed instead of using herbicides. For more than eight years, Zhixue Great Love Farm has not only yielded clean, toxin-free rice but has also seen its surrounding ecosystem thrive.<\/p><p>\u201cWe farm organically from start to finish, and the environment has flourished,\u201d said volunteer Ye Li-qing (\u8449\u9e97\u537f), who manages the farm\u2019s administrative affairs. \u201cIn April, you can see fireflies. We\u2019ve also seen wild boars, Reeves\u2019s muntjacs, and snakes.\u201d She recalled a time when a mother boar and her piglets wandered into the fields, a clear sign of successful land conservation efforts, prompting volunteers to install fencing.<\/p><p>But Tzu Chi\u2019s involvement in the area extends beyond merely tending to the Great Love Farm. The foundation has also recognized that many farmers in Hualien could benefit from some support. \u201cFarming is not easy,\u201d noted Lu Fang-chuan (\u5442\u82b3\u5ddd), director of Tzu Chi\u2019s Department of Charity Mission Development. Many fields in Hualien have been left idle, he explained, while those still farming often lack the tools, techniques, and other resources needed to succeed. These challenges, coupled with their unfamiliarity with modern sales channels, have made it difficult for many farmers to earn a profit.<\/p><p>To help address these issues, Tzu Chi has partnered with the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station and the Hualien County Government\u2019s Agriculture Department. Since 2013, they have supported farmers in five Indigenous townships\u2014Xiulin, Wanrong, Guangfu, Fengbin, and Zhuoxi\u2014by helping them form crop production and marketing teams.<\/p><p>The initiative has introduced high-value crops, like Inca nuts, and improved cultivation techniques for crops such as red quinoa. At the same time, it has guided farmers in a transition away from conventional agricultural methods to more sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Instead of using pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides, they now farm in greater harmony with nature and the land\u2019s capacity.<\/p><p>\u201cHualien and Taitung have the cleanest soil, water, and air in Taiwan,\u201d Lu said. \u201cOur first priority is revitalizing local farmland. The next goal is to bring young people back to farming and reverse the trend of skipped-generation households, in which grandparents are raising grandchildren in the absence of their adult children.\u201d He added that by returning home, young people can avoid the high living costs of city life, be their own boss, and build a meaningful future in their hometown.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9ac9baf elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9ac9baf\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ceafd81\" data-id=\"ceafd81\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f256cd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3f256cd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1081\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-04.jpg 1081w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-04-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-04-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-04-768x1023.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1081px) 100vw, 1081px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-20342ba\" data-id=\"20342ba\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bce4734 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bce4734\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tzu Chi volunteers are committed to using organic farming methods at Zhixue Great Love Farm. <span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>Shi De Qian<\/em><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8254ac3 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8254ac3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-32d25fa elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"32d25fa\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bee8684\" data-id=\"bee8684\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48ef858 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48ef858\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>Support from the education mission<\/strong><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17e203c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"17e203c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>While Tzu Chi\u2019s charity mission has offered strong support, its education mission has also assisted farmers in many areas, including farming techniques, product processing, and marketing.<\/p><p>\u201cIn 2011, some students expressed interest in doing service learning at Zhixue Great Love Farm, which led us to connect with Director Lu from the Charity Mission Development Department,\u201d said Professor Chiang Yun-chih (\u6c5f\u5141\u667a), director of the Sustainable Development Office at Tzu Chi University (TCU) in Hualien. At the time, the university already had faculty engaged in environmental sustainability and eco-friendly farming research and had established connections with local practitioners of non-toxic, organic agriculture. After helping students connect with the farm, faculty also began collaborating with Tzu Chi\u2019s farming team.<\/p><p>Back then, Tzu Chi University and the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology (TCUST), also in Hualien, were separate institutions. (A merger of the two would be completed in 2024.) Faculty and students at TCUST took a different route into charity-based farming. In 2013, Professors Liu Wei-chung (\u5289\u5a01\u5fe0) and Keng Nien-tzu (\u803f\u5ff5\u6148), both of the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, led students to form the Huayu Club, which grew medicinal herbs and flowers. The club also produced small quantities of crops to supplement the diets of financially disadvantaged students.<\/p><p>The university allocated a plot of land near the dormitories for the club to cultivate, but the soil was rocky\u2014hoes would strike stones immediately, and even cassava, a hardy crop whose tuberous roots usually grow downward into the ground, grew sideways across the surface. Tzu Chi volunteer Xu Wen-long (\u5f90\u6587\u9f8d), who had a background in construction, brought in heavy machinery to help remove the rocks and prepare the land, which was then named Blessings Farm. What began as a student horticulture club gradually evolved into an agricultural biomedical research and development effort.<\/p><p>Red quinoa, which is relatively easy to grow and can be harvested within three to four months, became a focus. Faculty and students made notable strides in its cultivation and processing. After Typhoon Nepartak struck Taitung in July 2016, Master Cheng Yen tasked TCUST with helping affected farmers by offering courses on red quinoa cultivation, processing, and marketing. Professors Liu and Keng led cultivation and processing training, while Professors Chen Hwang-yeh (\u9673\u7687\u66c4) and Kuo Yu-ming (\u90ed\u53c8\u9298) from the Marketing and Distribution Management Department provided instruction on marketing and distribution.<\/p><p>In addition to red quinoa, the agricultural biomedical team visited several Indigenous villages to study traditional crops and wild edibles, such as star jelly (<em>Nostoc commune<\/em>), the branched string lettuce (<em>Ulva prolifera<\/em>), and bird\u2019s-nest fern (<em>Asplenium nidus<\/em>), a vegetable favored by both Indigenous and Han communities. The team identified and developed new uses for these wild edibles beyond eating them directly.<\/p><p>For more than a decade, TCUST faculty and students helped farmers in Hualien and Taitung, as well as agricultural biotech companies, solve technical challenges. At the same time, the university produced skilled graduates ready to enter the workforce. \u201cOur students were willing to get their hands dirty,\u201d said Professor Liu, with pride. \u201cIt was amazing to see them one moment wearing conical hats and picking stones in the fields, and the next operating precision instruments in a lab. This kind of hands-on experience gave them a deep understanding of both the crops and the conditions in which they grow. Many companies wanted to recruit our graduates\u2014so much so, there weren\u2019t enough to meet the demand!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-641a7cdb elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"641a7cdb\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2dfe887e\" data-id=\"2dfe887e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a3db422 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data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"all-5a3db422\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"1\" e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Nzc1NDcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC90Y21vbnRobHkudHp1Y2hpY3VsdHVyZS5vcmcudHdcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC84XC8yMDI1XC8wOVwvMTQzLTAzLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImFsbC01YTNkYjQyMiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-03.jpg\" data-width=\"1440\" data-height=\"1080\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-02.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"all-5a3db422\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"2\" e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Nzc1NDYsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC90Y21vbnRobHkudHp1Y2hpY3VsdHVyZS5vcmcudHdcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC84XC8yMDI1XC8wOVwvMTQzLTAyLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImFsbC01YTNkYjQyMiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-02.jpg\" data-width=\"1440\" data-height=\"960\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-08.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"all-5a3db422\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"3\" e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Nzc1NTIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC90Y21vbnRobHkudHp1Y2hpY3VsdHVyZS5vcmcudHdcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC84XC8yMDI1XC8wOVwvMTQzLTA4LmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImFsbC01YTNkYjQyMiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-08.jpg\" data-width=\"1440\" data-height=\"1080\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22a289ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"22a289ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tzu Chi University faculty and students (photo 1) take part in harvesting star jelly in the Jiamin tribal settlement. Professor Vivian Tien (photo 2) from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature teaches young farmers how to introduce their agricultural products in English, helping them expand marketing channels for their high-quality produce (photo 3). <span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>Courtesy of Tzu Chi University<\/em><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-35bd4e31 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"35bd4e31\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-accfdab elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"accfdab\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d2db353\" data-id=\"d2db353\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5fbd804 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5fbd804\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>Carbon reduction<\/strong><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c6ddb8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4c6ddb8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A collaborative system gradually took shape in the agricultural sector when TCU and TCUST joined forces with the Tzu Chi charity mission. The Tzu Chi Foundation led charity-based farming efforts by supplying farmers with machinery, seedlings, and other supplies, while TCUST\u2019s agricultural biomedical team, drawing on its strong research and development background, took on the role of guiding product processing and marketing.<\/p><p>Meanwhile, TCU responded to the Ministry of Education\u2019s call for universities to fulfill their University Social Responsibility (USR) by establishing a USR Center. The center\u2019s mission is to support local communities in solving real-world challenges and to promote regional revitalization through sustainable agricultural practices and economic models.<\/p><p>In 2024, TCU made its debut at the USR Awards, hosted by <em>Global Views Monthly<\/em>. Its project\u2014<em>Satoyama<\/em> United Carbon Economy: Local Practice of Sustainable Consumption and Production\u2014received the Model Award in the Ecological Co-Prosperity Category.<\/p><p>The term \u201cSatoyama,\u201d which originated in Japan, broadly refers to a mosaic of natural and human-managed landscapes\u2014such as hills, forests, fields, grasslands, homes, ponds, and streams\u2014where people live in harmony with nature. This concept closely reflects the geography and traditional way of life in Hualien, making it an ideal framework for TCU\u2019s social responsibility work. For this reason, the university\u2019s USR Center incorporated Satoyama into the project\u2019s name.<\/p><p>\u201cWe\u2019re currently promoting low-carbon and natural farming methods,\u201d explained Professor Chiang Yun-chih, who also serves as the project lead at the USR Center. \u201cOnce these practices are well established, the entire farmland ecosystem and its biodiversity will improve.\u201d He noted that the 4 per 1000 Initiative, introduced at the Paris climate conference in 2015, proposes that increasing soil organic carbon by 0.4 percent annually could help halt the rise in atmospheric CO\u2082 levels. This underpins the carbon economy, which offers economic benefits to farmers who adopt sustainable practices.<\/p><p>\u201cWe guide farmers in adopting organic or natural farming methods and applying circular economy principles by returning agricultural waste to the soil,\u201d Chiang added. \u201cWe then regularly test for increases in soil organic carbon.\u201d<\/p><p>He went on to emphasize that there is now a global consensus on the value of carbon reduction. If farmers can provide credible data showing how much greenhouse gas emissions they\u2019ve reduced, they can sell the resulting carbon credits to businesses seeking to offset their own emissions. In essence, they can generate income through soil carbon sequestration\u2014the more carbon stored in the soil, the greater the profit.<\/p><p>At present, TCU\u2019s USR team is working with rice farmers on a \u201clow-carbon rice\u201d cultivation experiment, tracking carbon emissions from planting to harvest to explore its potential in the carbon economy. Yet, no matter how diligently farmers work to reduce emissions and improve their practices, they still need to sell quality crops to earn a sustainable income.<\/p><p>To help address this need, TCU\u2019s USR team has developed sales channels for farmers. In 2018, several like-minded professors spearheaded the creation of the Sustainable Food Consumption Cooperative at TCU, providing a platform for small farmers to sell their crops and processed foods directly on campus.<\/p><p>\u201cIn simple terms, it\u2019s about keeping money flowing locally rather than letting it leave the community,\u201d said Professor Chiu Yie-ru (\u90b1\u5955\u5112), one of the cooperative\u2019s founders. The cooperative is jointly invested in and operated by faculty, students, and volunteers. Every member has a say in its operations and can use their purchasing power to support local agriculture and the rural economy.<\/p><p>Professor Chiu explained the cooperative\u2019s criteria for selecting products to sell: \u201cWe prioritize organic and environmentally friendly products, especially those grown locally in Hualien. We also make a special effort to support items from local farmers\u2019 cooperatives.\u201d<\/p><p>Beyond selling produce at the campus store, TCU hosts a monthly small farmers\u2019 market, giving farmers another opportunity to showcase and sell their foodstuffs.<\/p><p>\u201cWho you buy from determines where your money ultimately goes,\u201d said Professor Hsieh Wan-hua (\u8b1d\u5a49\u83ef) of TCU\u2019s Department of Public Health, who is also associate chair of the cooperative. \u201cWe aim to support sustainable production through responsible consumption.\u201d<\/p><p>By emphasizing value over price, the university\u2019s effort fosters a win-win scenario for consumers, producers, and the broader community. In doing so, it brings the ideals of the Satoyama United Carbon Economy into everyday life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6591a2f elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6591a2f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ae08352\" data-id=\"ae08352\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f319dc7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"f319dc7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:5,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;justified&quot;,&quot;ideal_row_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:500,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;ideal_row_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:500,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;ideal_row_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:500,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-05.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"all-f319dc7\" e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Nzc1NDksInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC90Y21vbnRobHkudHp1Y2hpY3VsdHVyZS5vcmcudHdcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC84XC8yMDI1XC8wOVwvMTQzLTA1LmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImFsbC1mMzE5ZGM3In0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-05.jpg\" data-width=\"1440\" data-height=\"960\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-06.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"all-f319dc7\" e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Nzc1NTAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC90Y21vbnRobHkudHp1Y2hpY3VsdHVyZS5vcmcudHdcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC84XC8yMDI1XC8wOVwvMTQzLTA2LmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImFsbC1mMzE5ZGM3In0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-06.jpg\" data-width=\"1440\" data-height=\"960\" alt=\"\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dba464 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7dba464\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Farmer Lin Xiu-ying (\u6797\u79c0\u745b) in the Jiamin tribal settlement weeds a plot of bird\u2019s-nest ferns. Following advice from Tzu Chi University faculty, local Indigenous residents replaced black shade nets with natural tree cover, allowing their ferns to grow in a more environmentally friendly way.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7959a5e elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7959a5e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8f2473e elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8f2473e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c8b3fb5\" data-id=\"c8b3fb5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e99f8f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3e99f8f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>From cultivation to innovation<\/strong><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-134633c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"134633c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It has been 12 years since Tzu Chi began working in the five Indigenous townships mentioned earlier in the article, providing farmers with seedlings, supplies, and guidance on cultivation, processing, and sales. Over the years, the foundation and Tzu Chi University have built strong ties with local farmers, who in turn have welcomed faculty and students into their fields for hands-on learning and offered students part-time job opportunities.<\/p><p>\u201cLast year, we collaborated with Professor Vivian Tien [\u7530\u8587] from TCU\u2019s Department of Foreign Languages and Literature,\u201d said Lin Xiu-ying (\u6797\u79c0\u745b), a young farmer of the Taroko Indigenous group from the Jiamin tribal settlement in Xincheng Township. \u201cShe brought her students to help us practice giving farm tours and product introductions in English. She also helped us recruit students for paid internships through a school-industry partnership. When foreign visitors come, they serve as our English-speaking guides and interpreters.\u201d<\/p><p>Lin recalled how her connection with Tzu Chi began. In the 1990s, bird\u2019s-nest fern became a popular crop in Jiamin. At its peak, it sold for 230 New Taiwan dollars (US$7.70) per catty (600 grams). Its profitability drew many villagers to start growing it. But lacking marketing know-how and an understanding of market dynamics, they were exploited by middlemen offering them much lower prices. Eventually, when the price dropped to just 15 dollars per catty, many villagers gave up, feeling it was no longer worth the effort. Fortunately, things began to turn around as younger people who had returned to their hometown established direct sales channels with restaurants and hotels, securing better prices for farmers and restoring the crop\u2019s viability.<\/p><p>Beyond the economic context, bird\u2019s-nest fern posed another challenge: It begins to wilt and darken within two or three days of harvest, limiting its shelf life and making storage and transportation difficult. To overcome this, younger farmers in Jiamin sought help from TCUST\u2019s agricultural biomedical team. Professors Liu Wei-chung and Keng Nien-tzu led students in developing a method to process the fern into powder. This innovation paved the way for a range of processed products, including Jiamin\u2019s signature treats: bird\u2019s-nest fern nougat, cookies, and ice cream.<\/p><p>Yet more challenges lay ahead. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to Hualien\u2019s tourism industry, leaving local leisure farms largely empty. Despite the setback, Jiamin\u2019s younger farmers continued working with faculty from TCU and TCUST to improve their farming practices. For example, under the guidance of Professor Chiu Yie-ru, they replaced black shade nets with natural tree cover, adopting more environmentally friendly and sustainable methods for growing bird\u2019s-nest fern.<\/p><p>Tourism began to recover in 2023, but fresh challenges weren\u2019t far behind. The April 3, 2024 earthquake and Typhoon Kong-rey caused serious damage, including widespread destruction of bird\u2019s-nest fern fields, and once again led to a steep drop in tourist numbers. Despite the adversity, the younger farmers in Jiamin remained committed to their work\u2014with Tzu Chi faculty standing by their side.<\/p><p>Lin shared that after the earthquake, Tzu Chi professors encouraged them to use the lull in tourism to build skills and develop new products. \u201cProfessors Liu and Keng are incredibly dedicated,\u201d she said. \u201cWe reach out to them with questions all the time, so much so that I sometimes feel bad. But they\u2019re always so patient and willing to help.\u201d The gratitude in her voice was unmistakable.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2dec386 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-invisible\" data-id=\"2dec386\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-570438e\" data-id=\"570438e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-270237c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"270237c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Glossary: The 4 per 1000 Initiative<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-657c750 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"657c750\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The 4 per 1000 Initiative was introduced at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, where the Paris Agreement was adopted. This initiative suggests that increasing the organic carbon content in the Earth\u2019s soils by 0.4 percent each year could significantly offset greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity.<\/p><p>Conventional farming practices, such as applying chemical fertilizers, spraying pesticides, and over-cultivating land, lead to the loss of organic carbon from soil into the atmosphere. In contrast, adopting more sustainable methods and restoring degraded land can help sequester carbon in the soil.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-679f98b elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"679f98b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6425309\" data-id=\"6425309\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3803dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e3803dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>Food forest<\/strong><\/h5>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-92214a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"92214a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tzu Chi has promoted charity-based farming in Taiwan for over a decade, upholding eco-friendly principles that avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The journey has been one of continuous experimentation, learning, and adaptation\u2014filled with the joys of harvest as well as unpredictable challenges brought on by natural disasters.<\/p><p>For example, members of a production and marketing team in Fengbin Township had been cultivating Inca nuts when a cold snap last winter caused their crops to wither <em>en masse<\/em>, unable to withstand the chill. In response, Tzu Chi provided camellia seedlings\u2014another crop used for edible oil production\u2014to help the farmers replant their fields and start anew.<\/p><p>In another initiative, following the merger of Tzu Chi University and the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, the combined institution has been actively involved in exploring and promoting \u201cfood forests.\u201d Through its USR Center, the university transformed the Blessings Farm at its Jianguo Campus into a living laboratory, using seeds and saplings to build a food forest from the ground up. In collaboration with the school\u2019s Continuing Education Office, the USR Center also launched a related course titled \u201cThe Way of Resilient Farming: From Stones to Forests,\u201d which has drawn farmers from across Taiwan.<\/p><p>At Blessings Farm, German soil biology expert Tobias Neugebauer, a visiting instructor, explained that building a food forest begins with nourishing the soil. Crops are then planted according to their growth patterns and functions, forming layers of vegetation\u2014low, medium, tall, and emergent. This approach integrates a mix of cash crops and supportive plants, such as tall, hardy trees that provide protection from wind and intense sunlight.<\/p><p>\u201cWhen typhoons strike, strong trees stay standing while weaker ones fall and decompose, becoming nutrients for the others. That\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to do here,\u201d Neugebauer said. He emphasized that food forests still require human care, such as regularly pruning trees and allowing the fallen branches and leaves to return to the soil as organic matter. Over time, as the system matures, it becomes more self-sustaining and requires less intervention.<\/p><p>From the perspective of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, combining eco-friendly farming with sustainable economic models promotes not only environmental sustainability but also the resilience of urban and rural communities. Through the charity-based farming efforts of its charity and education missions, Tzu Chi is helping to produce clean, healthy food while also fostering mutual flourishing between people, communities, and the Earth. The dedicated efforts of volunteers, faculty, and farmers are already yielding promising results. Looking ahead, it is hoped that continued advancements in technology, concepts, and operational models will help Tzu Chi generate an even greater positive impact in eastern Taiwan and beyond, wherever the foundation is working in the future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-144b1951 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"144b1951\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2642b8f2\" data-id=\"2642b8f2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b122af0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6b122af0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-09.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-09.jpg 960w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-09-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-09-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/09\/143-09-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6ca25cc1\" data-id=\"6ca25cc1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51035ef0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51035ef0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Tobias Neugebauer, a German soil biology expert and visiting instructor at Tzu Chi University\u2019s USR Center, explains the structure of a food forest. In addition to food crops, it includes supportive plants that enrich the soil and provide shelter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ba8298c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5ba8298c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ba59893 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ba59893\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-20334a87\" data-id=\"20334a87\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-633df98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"633df98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"189\" height=\"170\" src=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/07\/\u82f1\u6587\u9801\u5c3e-2.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can the goals of naturally-grown safe crops, sustained soil fertility, and fair returns for farmers truly coexist \u2026 <a class=\"text-right\" href=\"https:\/\/tcmonthly.tzuchiculture.org.tw\/?p=77613\"><span class=\"text\">Read More <\/span><span class=\"arrow\">\u00bb<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":77551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pmpro_default_level":0,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[2225],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.5 - 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