Taiwan Today

One of the great legacies left by Vice President Chen Cheng is a land reform program that has made owners of 90 per cent of Taiwan's six million farm­ers. The late Vice President began the reform in 1949 during a brief tenure as governor and subsequently guided the program to completion while serving as premier. Land transfer was peaceful and orderly. Landlords were compensated in rice, sweet potatoes, and the stock of four government corporations over a period of 10 years. They also were permitted to retain land which they and their families tilled. New land owners quickly showed heightened interest in raising production. Agricultural output has almost doubled in the last 15 years. Dragon dance in front of "land to the tiller" exhibition in Taipei reflects the rejoicing of Tai­wan farmers. Last year was their best.

Power lines now reach to remote areas of Taiwan. Electric fans, radios, and television sets are found in many farm houses. The old mud and thatch hovels have been replaced with comfortable new structures of brick and tile (bottom). Food is plentiful for the people (center) and farm families express their appre­ciation in offerings to deities (top).

Land reform was based on belief that China would prosper only when its farmers had their own land and the freedom to work it in their own way. The proof of this conviction is to be found in the crop records that have been falling annually since the land reform program began on Taiwan. Last year's rice crops totaled 2,246,639 tons for an all-time high and the prediction for this year is 2.32 million tons. Sugar earned more than US$130 million in 1964. Banana earnings are expected to top US$60 million for this year. Farmers have built the sideline of mushroom growing into a US$16 million earner in only five years. More important, an island with one of the world's fastest growing popu­lations is still able to feed itself.

Taiwan's new farming methods are highly scientific: use of correct fertilizers, insecticides, and carefully chosen seeds. Aerial photo below shows one of the most interesting recent developments, the consolidation of previously scattered farm plots so as to save the farmer's time and avoid the waste of land in a proliferation of unnecessary paths, boundaries, ditches.

For untold centuries, China has farmed with man and animal power. On Taiwan, the beast of all work is the water buffalo, so highly regarded that most farm dwellers refrain from eating beef. Today, however, the buffalo is giving way to the power tiller, which can replace three draft animals and assure a much deeper penetra­tion of the land. Enterprising farmers are acquiring the small tractors and performing plowing and other services for their neigh­bors. Thousands are now in use.

Farms of Taiwan have work for everyone. Many of the lighter chores, such as tea picking and mushroom growing (top), are performed by girls and women. Children also have their own special tasks—but school work in­evitably comes first. Before land reform, many farm youngsters did not attend school, and others dropped out after only two or three years. Now primary school attendance exceeds 97 per cent. Many farm children go on to middle schools and colleges. This higher educational level, plus the hard work of farm men and women, is raising output by a substantial amount annually. For last year, the increase was 8.9 per cent. Ten years ago farm-originated exports of importance were limited to sugar, rice, bananas, and canned pineapple. In 1962 and 1963, banana exports were still at a level of only US$8 million. Last year's shipments (bottom), mostly to Japan, total­ed US$33 million. Pineapple is up US$10 million to US$14 million in a decade.

Farm faces of Taiwan are happy. Land reform has made the difference. Chil­dren are better fed and clothed; their future is assured. Farmers and wives can smile not only because they and their children are well off, but also because the rural population in general has taken a big step up the social and political ladder. Nearly 40,000 farmers have served in public office.