Group Fair of Agriculture Boutique & Agricultural Assistance in 2016 - Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, MOA

For the purpose of promoting rural souvenirs and assisting industry development of rural communities, Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, in collaboration with Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, specially held Group Fair of Agriculture Boutique & Agricultural Assistance in 2016 at Taipei International Flora Expo Dome from September 30th to October 2nd, to exhibit and sell rural souvenirs. Furthermore, the Bureau held presentation ceremony of rural souvenirs at grand stage in the Dome, giving credit to agricultural operators who are dedicated to rural industrial development. A large number of media and the public participated in the ceremony and witnessed the glory of the award winners. In order to promote the development of agriculture in Taiwan and revitalize the rural industry, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau organized the 2015 Rural Souvenirs Selection Campaign, which greatly increased the opportunities for interaction between rural communities and consumers, and products selected from 30 communities were well-received, thus greatly enhancing public awareness of rural products. This year, 2016 Rural Souvenirs Selection was held again, and 30 good quality products stood out. By selecting and awarding rural souvenirs, it is possible to get rural industrial operators to put more emphasis on food safety, regulations and legitimacy of farming fields, thus linking the land and emotion. The Soil and Water Conservation Bureau will continue to assist the promotion and marketing of these excellent products and introduce selling channels at home and abroad to increase sales of rural souvenirs. In 2010, the government approved the Rural Regeneration Plan to assist the development of rural villages in four major aspects such as production, life, ecology and culture, and actively help the rural communities to revitalize their industry. The production mode upgraded from level one to level six to create more consumers, promote tourism and experience, and increase the output value of rural operators. The project of rural community business counseling was launched this year to guide rural communities towards business management so that the competitiveness of rural industry can be enhanced. While consumers kept coming to the fair, the sellers of the selected rural souvenirs also shared their efforts and experiences and presented the fruitful achievements with consumers, with the hope that people can support local rural souvenirs, taste the truthfulness of local produce, feel the goodness of rural people, and appreciate the beauty of Taiwan's rural villages.