| Summary: | 碩士 === 淡江大學 === 亞洲研究所碩士在職專班 === 98 === By the end of 2006, world food prices had begun to rise between two and three times, causing violent reactions in many parts of the world. These occurrences led many to believe that in ordinary times world food markets need to have in place mechanisms to deal with future imbalances. The aim of this study is to research the causes behind world food market imbalances and crises. This study will also explore the case of Japan’s agricultural issues and policy failure, as well as alert the Taiwanese authorities to the seriousness of these issues. It is proposed that a fully integrated and strategic agricultural policy be implemented to avoid such problems occurring in Taiwan.
A country safeguard food safety in three ways: throught domestic production,purchasing from other countries and keeping enough reserve stocks. But a county could sell food, only it has surplus of food. Unfortunately now a days, the need for food is so great that often many countries needs and demands cannot be met. It could cause a “ripple effect” in other countries.
Since the world food market is unstable, trade agreements must be implimented to ensure the stability of the food supply, and strengthens the domestic food production ability to provide for emergency. The Japanese government’s goal has always been to be self-efficient with their domestic food supply needs. Unfortunately the agricultural sector of Japan has decreased due to over protection. It seems impractical that Japanese government would only raise it`s food self-sufficiency ratios. Changes need to be made that farmers can keep a stable income. These changes could restore a vigor to the agricultural industry as a whole and help establish the ability to create emergency food production.
Due to a small production base, Taiwan and Japan’s agricultural production lacks the competitive power. This has caused the food self-sufficiency ratios are decreasing, and all grain what besides the paddy rice are generally imported from other countries. Unfortunately Taiwan does not have in place an explicit food security safeguard mechanism and policy. No agreements have been signed with foreign governments to safeguard their import to Taiwan, nor holds back farmland to be fallowed or converted to other uses. Because of this, it is imperative that Taiwanese government must establish a grain import trade agreetment immediately, and a unification between the energy policy of Taiwan, the Environmental Protection Agency and the agricultural sector must be established, too. In doing so, Taiwanese government would work out a country long-term developmental strategy. It could create a stable income enviroment for Taiwanese farmers, provide the information of the marketplace, hold back farmland to be converted to other uses, simply the marketing system, and strengthen agriculture production structure. If all of these policies are executed efficiently, Taiwan’s food supply would be secure even in times of emergency needs.
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