Crop Quality Project Changing Farmers Attitudes

(ZIZ)– A project on improving the quality of local crops aims to change how farmers approach agriculture.

During a briefing ceremony for the Vegetable, Fruit and Upland Crop Quality Improvement Project, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ashton Stanley said it all begins with a new way of thinking about the island’s fertility.

“After 350 years of sugar we need to know more than ‘the land is fertile’.” We need to know where is fertile and how fertile the land is,” he said.

He said establishing a soil fertility analysis service could also cut fertilizer costs for farmers.

“Less fertilizer may be needed at certain times of the year and for certain geographic locations and for certain crops. Or perhaps, a different mixture based on location. We will be using science to revolutionize farming,” he said.

Project Specialist, Mario Cheng spoke of the significance of composting in healthy crop yields.

“Healthy plants come from healthy soil. One of the best ways you can build healthy soil in your land is by using compost. Composting is nature’s way of recycling materials back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue,” he said.

The Crop Improvement Project is being held in conjunction with the government of the Republic of China – Taiwan and will run for the next four years.