Page 38 - An Overview of Penghu

IX Industries

Agriculture and aquaculture are the two main industries in Penghu Prefecture. Nature
does not favor agriculture in the Prefecture. Penghu is constantly being attacked by fierce
seasonal winds during winter and typhoons during summer as a result of the atmospheric
circulation. Without mountains that can serve as barriers, the Prefecture often suffers
severe damage. Besides being deprived of water resources as there are no rivers in the
Prefecture, the yearly rainfall is only about 1,000 mm, so droughts occur frequently. The
situation here is quite different from that of Taiwan, which is why agricultural
development is largely restricted here. The management of the Prefecture is a difficult task
because of the situation mentioned above, as edible plants that can be grown here are
limited to sweet potatoes, sorghum, foxtail millet, and some vegetables. The harvests can
only sustain the Prefecture for half a year; people have to rely on peanuts, seafood, dairy
products, or incomes brought back by those seeking jobs outside the Prefecture for the rest
of the year. They also manage to survive on rice, dried shredded yam, and sweet potatoes
from Taiwan.

Of course, the government noticed this early on and went to great lengths to increase
food production, in the hope of becoming self-sufficient. It had started building straw-clay
windbreak walls and pig farms that adopted improved compost in 1927. It started planting
Australian pine trees and river tamarinds in 1928 to prevent desertification and protect
fields from winds. It also laid out a 10 to 16-year-long plan in 1929 to create basic
windbreaks and plant nurseries for sweet potatoes. The government also encouraged
people to grow forests and worked more closely with them to acquire better results.
Starting from 1931, the government guided towns and villages to organize their own “Tree
Loving Cooperatives”, and designated a week from April 3th every year as the “Tree
Planting Week” in 1932, showing their seriousness about the issue and awarding tree
plantations step by step. The Prefecture and its prefectural farmers' association dedicated
much effort to trials of modified corps and their adaptability, as well as the promotion of
excellent breeds of crops. They also organized competitions about growing farm produce
and reaped good results from such events. The government will keep following its
guideline mentioned above and push agricultural development forward to increase
production.

While the environment does not favor agriculture, Penghu is bestowed by Mother
Nature with conditions favorable for aquaculture. The many isles of the Prefecture boast
over 300 fish species in the water nearby thanks to its location, which is at the crossing
point of the sub-current of Kuroshiro, a warm current flowing through Bashi and Batan
Channels, and the cold current heading south from the Bohai Sea. In contrast, the
Prefecture's inshore and offshore fishing remained underdeveloped due to fishermen's
unwillingness to explore resources and lack of resources, which resulted in obsolete
fishing boats, equipment, and fishing methods.

However, thanks to the Prefecture and its aquaculture union's encouragement to use
engine-powered fishing boats, fishermen gradually came to recognize the advantages
brought by such boats and started building them. Instructions were also given to upgrade
fishing equipment and improve fishing methods, which contributed to growing production
year by year.

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