Education & Promotion - Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, MOA

Education for soil and water conservation

⑴ Deepening and spreading of education on soil and water conservation

① Seed dispersal

● Establishment of Soil and Water Conservation Cool School

SWCB continuously promoted the implementation of “the 5th Soil and Water Conservation Cool School -- Seed School Promotion Plan” in 2019. By the end of 2019, there were 102 Cool Schools. Schools willing to jointly promote environmental education and disaster prevention education can make a synergistic effect.

● Promotion of the sharing of soil and water conservation education achievements

Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, Soil and Water Conservation Cool School and other relevant education units were invited to gather together. Through sharing and exchanging soil and water conservation achievements, the wisdom and experience of various education promoters were gathered and transformed into important nutrients for soil and water conservation education. So as to establish a new blue ocean for future soil and water conservation education.

② Access penetration

In 2019, SWCB used the promotion truck of debris flow disaster prevention, loaded it with interactive teaching aids for soil and water conservation, and actively reached 80 schools in slopeland areas. In addition, it worked with social enterprises, non-governmental organizations and public departments to jointly promote science education on soil and water conservation. 1,295 promotions were organized and 488,865 participants attended.

③ Promotion diversity

● Created the Soil and Water Conservation Festival

On May 3, 2019, a press conference for Launching Soil and Water Conservation Month -- “Promoting Soil and Water Conservation in Daily Life and Having Fun in Soil and Water Conservation” was held in COA Plaza. At the event, the performance of seven soil and water conservation mascots named “Soil and Water Conservation Warriors” opened the show. They were Xiao-Han from Taipei Branch, Water Fairy from Taichung Branch, Village Boy from Nantou Branch, Didi Dada and the younger brothers from Hualien Branch. There were “stage area”, “service area” and “experience area”, providing people with a good understanding of this year's soil and water conservation month, arousing their attention to soil and water conservation before typhoon and rainy season, and promoting soil and water conservation in daily life. So as to enhance the independent disaster prevention action, jointly protect the land and reduce debris flow disasters. This event built an intellectual journey of soil and water conservation in a series of the interesting experiences of soil and water conservation activities. More than 200,000 people participated in the activities in May.

● Cross-regional integration of public and private sector joint activities

SWCB jointly organized the “Geological Carnival 2019” and the “Yilan Geological Exhibition” education promotion activities with the Central Geological Survey of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the “Disaster Prevention Mobilization and the Assembly of Excellent Disaster Prevention Campus” with the Ministry of Education, the Animal or Anymore Animal Fair and the 59th Science Exhibition of Primary and Secondary Disciplines with National Taiwan Science Education Center, and the "Tour Exhibition of Water and Soil Conservation and Disaster Prevention" with National Taiwan Science Education Center, Lienchiang County Matsu Library and National Museum of Marine Science and Technology. At least tens of thousands of people participated in the event.

● Subsidizing education and promotion activities of non-governmental organizations

SWCB subsidized non-governmental organizations for soil and water conservation education initiatives. A total of 222 activities were held with over 104,328 participants.

④ Producing creativity

On November 30, 2019, the awarding ceremony of the creative competition of soil and water conservation picture book story performance and the publication meeting of soil and water conservation education and promotion achievements was held in the Provincial Government Information Center. In addition to awarding the creative competition award, SWCB invited the National Science and Technology Museum, model schools for soil and water conservation promotion, (Dongguang Elementary School, Chiming Elementary School, Yangming Elementary School, Yi Shin Elementary School, Wanli Elementary School, Sungpu Elementary School), National Taiwan Ocean University, SWCB Technology Research Group, Debris Flow Disaster Prevention Center, Conservation and Regulation Section, Secretary Office, Taichung Branch and other units, to share the application of teaching materials and teaching aids on environmental education and soil and water conservation in the curriculum, and demonstrated with physical objects, teaching models and graphics, which were combined with field explanations so that the participating teachers, students, and the public can understand the diversity of the educational resources invested by SWCB. The knowledge of soil and water conservation and disaster prevention can be rooted and spread. About 600 people participated in the event. With creativity, everyone is the seed of soil and water conservation education. After the ceremony, the kaleidoscope troupe was invited to put on a play called “Little Fish’s Secret Holiday”. The winners of the creative competition experienced professional performances of soil and water conservation. The performance and interactive plot of the play conveyed the knowledge and concepts of soil and water conservation, independent disaster prevention and sustainable resources. Which were highly praised by the people on the spot, and implemented the popularization and promotion of soil and water conservation and disaster prevention education.

Promotion and marketing of rural regeneration

⑴ Marketing for Rural Souvenir

SWCB elected Rural Souvenirs, encouraged rural communities to continuously innovate and develop special products, add value to rural industry and improve quality, strengthen marketing promotion and channel coordination. So as to increase the awareness and sales of rural products. In 2019. 50 Rural Souvenirs were selected, and 171 items with special features in rural communities were discovered. At present, people can buy these products through many channels. To increase the popularity of the Rural Souvenirs, SWCB took an active part in the large-scale exhibition and sale activity or pop-up store, to promote Rural Souvenirs, and sell them in the Taipei Hope Plaza Farmer Market, providing opportunities for exposure of high-quality products in rural areas. So that consumers can directly buy high-quality Rural Souvenirs.

⑵ Annual achievement exhibition of rural regeneration

Rural regeneration includes human resource cultivation, industrial activation, cultural inheritance and ecological conservation. The SWCB has presented the achievements of rural regeneration. The following are the activities organized in 2019.

Promotion and training of prevention of debris flow

⑴ Education of specialists for debris flow disaster prevention

On October 29, 2019, the “Workshop on Debris Flow Disaster Prevention” was held in GIS Convention Center, National Taiwan University. Professor Katsuya Yamori and Professor Kinsuke Takuchi from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, which invented crossroad disaster prevention training, were specially invited to give a keynote speech. In addition, SWCB signed a contract with Professor Katsuya Yamori for disaster prevention education and promotion. He authorized the crossroads training related to debris flow to SWCB for disaster prevention education and training. After the award ceremony, a workshop on Debris Flow Disaster Prevention was held, and six Taiwan experts and scholars were invited to share the information on meteorology and disaster prevention in Taiwan.

⑵ Training of debris flow disaster prevention specialists

To comply with the principle of independent disaster prevention in the community, and let rural people know the knowledge and skills of flow disaster prevention, SWCB carried out recruitment and training for disaster prevention specialists in key areas. SWCB held the debris flow disaster prevention specialists training in 2019 and a total of 362 specialists were trained. By the end of 2019, 2,994 debris flow disaster prevention specialists have been trained.

⑶ Intensive training camp of debris flow disaster prevention specialists

To continuously improve the ability of debris flow disaster prevention specialists to inspect debris flow and slopeland disasters, SWCB held two intensive training camps for disaster prevention specialists this year. Relevant courses include environmental education, slopeland ecology, community operation, large-scale collapse disaster prevention and soil and water conservation engineering, etc. SWCB arranged specialists to visit the disaster prevention demonstration community, hoping that the disaster prevention specialists can not only learn the basic knowledge of rainfall observation and debris flow in general training, but also improve disaster prevention skills.

Promotion and consultancy of slopeland management

⑴ Soil and Water Conservation Service Group

SWCB continued to guide the county (city) governments to promote the “Soil and Water Conservation Service Group”, recruited academic groups, soil and water conservation related technicians, retired public officials and volunteers to form 19 groups with a total of 984 people. They provided free consultation on laws and practices related to soil and water conservation, actively promoted prevention management, strengthened beforehand advocacy, interim counseling and ex post facto maintenance. They also guided people to apply soil and water conservation practices according to law and avoid being punished for violation of regulations, so as to strengthen the treatment and maintenance of soil and water conservation. In 2019, SWCB assisted people to declare 2,398 simple soil and water conservation declarations, assisted the government to supervise 1, 712 declarations, assisted people to complete 1, 633 inspections of soil and water conservation facilities and other matters, assisted the community in holding 404 activities on soil and water conservation management education and publicity, and provided 6,147 services.

To strengthen the operation of the "Soil and Water Conservation Service Group", SWCB and Taichung City Government jointly organized the “Grand Gathering of the Soil and Water Conservation Service Group”, which was held once every four years on 14 November 2019. Representatives from service groups of 19 counties/cities and governments of 21 counties/cities (including Kinmen County, Lienchiang County) participated enthusiastically. The members of the delegation were especially appreciated, and more people were encouraged to join the Soil and Water Conservation Service Group in the future. So as to jointly realize the concept of “working together for soil and water conservation with innovative service”.

⑵ Walked into communities and tribes

In order to promote the concept of "self-management" and in combination of resources of industry, government, and academic circles, soil and water conservation practitioners actively entered communities and tribes.They educated slopeland management, strengthened the communication between the government and local residents, learned the opinions and needs of local people, built partnership, helped solve soil and water conservation problems, established safe soil and water conservation communities, advocated correct disaster prevention concepts, united community safety, reached the consensus of beautiful homeland, implemented soil and water conservation policies, and mobilized the public to participate. A total of 387 activities promoting slopeland management were held.