友邦行動日誌:貝里斯農業科技的國際推手 × 沃畝|影響力先行者計畫

友邦行動日誌彷彿是一顆照向海外的望遠鏡,帶領大家透過商業及永續的視角深入了解臺灣友邦國家。最後一篇友邦行動日誌,除了帶你了解沃畝團隊如何透過推動蒲草吸管與光合菌技術應用,帶動貝里斯的農業種植環境及經濟發展,更以沃畝團隊的經驗與你分享跨國合作計畫,最重要也最關鍵的起手式——「如何連結當地利害關係人」。

如何理解貝里斯人對於自然環境保育的堅持,並找到最適切當地產業與經濟發展的創新商業模式?

於計畫前期田野調查的過程中,沃畝團隊發現貝里斯當地政府及居民皆很在乎自然環境的保育,與許多國家不同的是,貝里斯不會因為經濟發展的需求,以必要之惡的角度接受大量土地開發,他們會先思考如何讓環境保持原貌再談及未來收益,貝里斯居民知道土地與海洋是他們最寶貴的國家資產。

除了對環境永續資源利用的堅持,貝里斯人也極為在乎人與人之間的情感連結,這從當地旅宿業就可以察覺;許多在地的旅館提供優質的住宿品質與服務,卻不會想與知名訂房平台合作,因為比起接受平台的網路行銷與配單,他們更信賴人與人之間的交易,即使這會讓他們無法快速將收益最大化。

沃畝團隊與當地夥伴訪談時,就深切感受到當地政府雖然非常重視貝國的農業科技發展,並希望貝里斯除了發展最蓬勃的觀光產業之外,能夠於農產業上自給自足,甚至成為替貝國發展可賺取外匯的產業;然而他們也希望全球夥伴國家都能尊重貝國對自然資源的重視,在對等的模式下進行國際合作。因此,沃畝團隊藉由數次的拜會訪談,將在計畫中導入以環境為首要考量的創新農業科技技術,讓未來在協助貝國發展農業與經濟時,也能兼顧到環境的永續性!才能發展出永續的合作方案。

 

履行社會使命的同時,沃畝如何運用創新的技術優勢促成國際合作計畫?

 

沃畝團隊還沒前往貝里斯時,便做了許多前期研究調查,由於氣候條件與地廣人稀的優勢,使貝里斯非常適合發展農產業,然而由於當地居民缺乏土地開墾、天然化肥等技術與產品,導致土壤不夠豐沃而農產業產量尚無法滿足貝國的內需市場,因此沃畝團隊所開發的光合菌技術正好可以彌補當地土壤不豐沃的困境,而目前貝國政府也正積極推動農業微生物技術的發展,在提升產量的同時也能栽種出更優良的農產品。

沃畝秉持著「透過科學方法,運用專業能力去幫助不一樣的人!」的創立初衷,將光合菌技術與蒲草吸管帶到地球另一端的友邦貝里斯,期待於未來能夠協助解決貝國農產業的困境,以可負擔的農產品價格,來減少當地居民的生活負擔。訪談期間我們問起沃畝的社會使命,創辦人又仁分享:「我們試圖透過國際發展合作,以及運用臺灣創新的農業科技技術,避免其他國家如同臺灣在工業化時期時一樣,為求最大利益,不斷使用大量化學肥料無視地力需要恢復時間,挑戰土地負載力的極限,導致土壤變成不可逆的貧瘠狀態,為了讓貝里斯免於相同的環境苦果,或許這就是沃畝履行社會責任的一種方式!」

Agriculture and Rural Development

  1. Honduras: There is a huge gap between urban and rural areas in Honduras. Importing agricultural machinery to enhance agro-business efficiency and developing agro-products (such as avocado derivatives) and their markets are necessary for Honduras. In addition, Taiwanese enterprises and organizations have the potential to assist the rural economy by promoting the traditional and unique culture of Honduras, due to its indigenous culture, textiles, and pottery, which are attractive to international tourists.

  2. Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis: The tourism industry is a keystone of the national development vision of St. Christopher and Nevis. However, tourism to the country is still underdeveloped. Taiwan has had a successful experience applying the cultural and creative industries to tourism over many years. Taiwanese enterprises are able to apply Taiwanese models to improve the processing techniques for agro-products and create brands with local features. In addition, they could also assist SMEs with the provision of loans or technologies.

Climate Change and Sustainable Environment

  1. Haiti: Charcoal is Haiti’s primary fuel, but the process of charcoal production continues to damage the forests. Even while the country’s forest coverage rate has fallen to 5%, Haitian’s still choose charcoal, causing significantly greater environmental damage, rather than using the higher-priced gas fuel. Rice is the main food crop in Haiti, and converting rice straw into biofuel is practical and has long been studied in Taiwan. It would be a remarkable and breakthrough if the techniques of converting rice straw into biomass fuels could be applied in Haiti.

  2. Belize: Since many rural villages in Belize are far away from the main water pipelines, local water corporations are unable to extend their services to those places. However, according to the Belize National Weather Service, rainfall from June to November in Belize is enough to cover local use if a rainwater storage system is constructed in rural villages. The TaiwanICDF hopes Taiwanese enterprises and organizations can combine local infrastructure and water purification systems to improve the accessibility of clean water resources in Belize.

Technologies in Education

  1. Saint Lucia: The TaiwanICDF is cooperating with the government of Saint Lucia on the Project for ICT in Education. However, the local primary and secondary schools as well as public libraries lack digital libraries and managerial systems, slowing the development of digital education and e-learning. Moreover, students’ written and artistic works are not effectively preserved or shared, an obstacle to the effective accumulation of experience and learning. There is a need for businesses and CSOs to find innovative solutions to these weaknesses.

  2. Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis: The Saint Kitts and Nevis government is putting more emphasis on educational technology resources for local elementary and middle schools and is focusing especially on mathematics and applied science. By promoting informatization and digitalization, and equipping them with educational technologies and resources, the TaiwanICDF expects to help more students align with global trends and widen their horizons.

Sustainable Economic Development

  1. Guatemala: Guatemala is known for its coffee, which is one of the major sources of the country’s economic development. As such, it is important to develop new approaches to post-harvest treatment and processing and to invest in the development of new coffee bean-related products to reduce waste from the production process. Sugarcane and maize are also important crops for Guatemala’s economy. Therefore, besides improving agricultural production and processing capabilities, strengthening the green economy and improved waste management are also necessary. Herein lies an opportunity for Taiwanese enterprises and organizations to invest in innovative technologies and practices that turn coffee grounds, bagasse, and corn grounds into gold.
  2. Guatemala: In Guatemala, indigenous women suffer from gender and racial inequality in work opportunities and wages. The Taiwanese enterprises and organizations could develop assistance in integrating community resources and lowering the barriers for women entrepreneurs with the provision of various gender-friendly business opportunities.

  3. Paraguay: In response to COVID-19, Paraguay is improving digitalization among its industries. The TaiwanICDF has launched the Project to Strengthen Capacity to Support Development of MSMEs in Paraguay, in order to expand and accelerate the growth of the fashion industry and its development. The TaiwanICDF encourages Taiwanese enterprises and organizations to bring over more digital resources and virtual tools, such as virtual fitting rooms and other marketing tools for a better online consumer experience.

鄉村與農業發展永續

  1. 宏都拉斯(Honduras):宏都拉斯的城鄉差距大,有導入小型農機增加農業經營效率、開發農產加工品(酪梨)及其市場的需求;另外當地原住民文化、織布、陶器更是觀光賣點,如何結合傳統特色發展鄉村產業,均可作為我國企業投入契機。
  2. 聖克里斯多福及尼維斯(Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis):觀光產業是聖克里斯多福及尼維斯的國家發展願景,但當地觀光特色開發不足,臺灣觀光文創產業經營多年,企業除可運用臺灣經驗,協助強化當地農產加工技術及推動品牌特色外,亦可提供微中小企業貸款,或運用數位科技強化產業體質。

氣候變遷與環境永續

  1. 海地(Haiti):海地當地天然資源以木炭為主要燃料,但木炭產製過程不斷造成森林消失,而在海地的森林覆蓋率僅剩5%時,當地又因瓦斯燃料進口費用高,致使一般民眾無法負擔,持續造成當地環境破壞。而稻米是海地主要糧食作物,稻稈變燃料在台灣早已不是新聞,如何導入生質燃料的綠金新商機對海地將是一大福音與突破。
  2. 貝里斯(Belize):許多貝里斯偏遠鄉村因遠離主要自來水管線,且當地自來水公司無法延伸服務範圍至偏遠地區。根據貝里斯國家氣象局的平均降雨量數據顯示6-11月有充足的降雨,應可發展雨水儲集系統解決部分供水需求,期待國內企業結合基礎設備建置,引進有效淨水過濾設備,協助改善當地水資源現況。

科技教育永續

  1. 聖露西亞(Saint Lucia):國合會與聖露西亞共同執行「資訊科技融入教學發展計畫」,但當地中小學及公共圖書館仍缺乏數位圖書館和歸檔的電子化系統,導致在數位科技教育領域的步調緩慢,同時學生過往的書面與藝術作品缺乏有效保存與分享方式,經驗不易累積與學習,需要企業與公民團體投入創新解決方案。
  2. 聖克里斯多福及尼維斯(Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis):聖克里斯多福及尼維斯當地中小學科技資源逐漸受到重視,特別在數學及科學領域的科技運用,希望透過資訊化及數位化,引進科技教學設備與資源,並協助更多學員接軌國際,打開更多科技教育的視野。

經濟發展永續

  1. 瓜地馬拉(Guatemala):的咖啡世界聞名,也是瓜國重要經濟來源,因此亟需導入採收後處理及加工處理新做法,以及投入帶豆仁咖啡豆新產品開發,以減少製程中廢棄物的產生;但不僅是咖啡,甘蔗及玉米也是當地重要經濟作物,因此除需加強農業生產與加工能力外,綠色經濟及廢棄物處理更是創新需求所在,如何將咖啡渣、蔗渣、玉米渣變黃金,都有賴臺灣企業夥伴投入創新技術與做法。
  2. 瓜地馬拉(Guatemala):受到種族與性別限制,瓜地馬拉原住民婦女無法於經濟活動中得到公平的機會與待遇,因此我國團隊可協助整合社區資源,降低婦女創業家進駐成為育成廠商之障礙,提供婦女創業家多元且友善之創業機會。
  3. 巴拉圭(Paraguay):因應新冠疫情,巴拉圭正全面提升產業數位化,國合會在當地推動微中小企業輔導體系能力建構計畫,協助時尚產業發展,為擴大與加速產業成長,建議我國企業夥伴可研擬導入數位試衣與其他可增加線上銷售體驗之工具,也期待未來有更多數位資源導入。