Taipei, Aug. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's newly inaugurated Ministry of Agriculture will prioritize building up farm and fisheries resilience in the face of climate change, Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said Tuesday.
Speaking with CNA prior to a ceremony marking the inauguration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Chen described building a "resilient agriculture" in Taiwan as his ministry's "top priority" in the face of increasing challenges brought about by climate change.
He called for a strategy for better adapting to climate change in agriculture to ensure food security and farmers' incomes.
Chen went on to say the ministry, which was upgraded from the Council of Agriculture, would continue to provide various benefits to farmers and fishermen for their protection and promote innovation in these two sectors.
At the same time, it is also important that the ministry seeks to expand cooperation with other countries, Chen said, adding that he would set out for the United States to attend the Food Security Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) later this week.
The Ministry of Agriculture was officially upgraded from the Council of Agriculture, headed by Chen since 2019, in line with the Organic Act of the Ministry of Agriculture, which cleared the Legislature in May.
A major change of the newly set up ministry is the establishment of the "Department of Resources Sustainability," which will pour government resources into promoting the sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries in Taiwan.
In addition, a new department dedicated to facilitating animal welfare in view of the increasing number of pets and emphasis on their treatment in Taiwan was also established.
Tuesday's ceremony was attended by Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃), and other top government officials.
They were also joined by representatives of local farmers and fishermen as well as executives of agricultural wholesale markets and supermarket chains.
