Studies on the Formation of Organic Tea Actor-Network—Using Ping-Lin Area as an Example

• Main Authors: Fong-Hui Wu, 吳鳳慧
• Other Authors: Cheng-Yi Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/54521981027977312648

碩士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 社會與區域發展學系碩士班 === 101 === In the advent of environmental protection consciousness, our people have gradually paid attention to the concept of organic production. Thus this research adopts actor-network theory as its main development stage, i.e. issue presentation, mutually existential in nature, recruitment, mobilization and deviation, etc, so as to explore actors like organic tea, tea farmer, the government and civilian organization in Ping-lin area in addition how to allow a smooth promotion for organic production concept be realized in Ping-lin. We have witnessed that in agricultural production the farmers are always in pursuit of massive production volume so as to lower labor cost therefore they are accustomed to conventional farming. Although it can bring highly economical benefits but also disasters to the environment as well. Hence actors of organic tea farming in Ping-lin, through strategic application with eco conservation concept, assign responsibilities to roles for the actors involved as well as functions thus the actor can acquire the benefits so as to eventually be part of the network. Since Ping-lin is located at the upstream catchment of Feitsui Reservoir hence as far as water resource protection is concerned, it is vital. In 2009 Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation rolled out the Clean Resource Program in Ping-lin which was based upon the idea of drinking the water from and protecting the reservoir in order to promote organic farming. Consequently this foundation applied the deed approach to purchase tea leaves in addition to assist tea farmers with tea leaves harvesting workers. In the production aspect, in order to prevent from pollution, the organic tea factory was also installed for tea leaf roasting and baking. In the marketing and sales, it was provided with organic tea sold by clean resource tea makers which aimed to resolve production and sales problems confronted by tea farmers. In the overall network aspect, the foundation served an extremely important role. Moreover the foundation also collaborated with tea leaf enhancement factory and farmers associations and applied technical counseling so as to allow tea farmers to join the organic production procession with confidence. There had been well over two hundred years in the annals of Taiwan tea industry development. Tea has been the vital element in the agricultural development here in Taiwan. Since Taiwan joined as a member nation of WTO in 2001, it is imperative for Taiwan to pioneer new opportunity derived from its own strength and advantage which essentially base upon tea industry development.