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Press Release from Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture

"Vegetable-Based Food and Agriculture Education Cultivation Kit" Developed to Support Educators in Promoting Agri-Food Literacy

May 14, 2025

　　To actively support the implementation of the Food and Agriculture Education Act, which was promulgated on May 4, 2022, the Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Ministry of Agriculture (hereinafter Taoyuan DARES), has developed a "Vegetable-Based Food and Agriculture Education Cultivation Kit" designed to assist teachers in delivering effective food and agriculture education. This initiative aims to deepen the public’s understanding of the connection between diet, the environment, and agriculture, linking knowledge from production to consumption, and from farm to table.

　　According to Taoyuan DARES, this cultivation kit aligns with Article 4 of the Food and Agriculture Education Act, which emphasizes enhancing the agricultural connection of dietary habits and encourages participation in agri-food education activities. These activities help learners gain insights into agricultural production methods, technological innovation, and agricultural knowledge.

　　To support classroom instruction, Taoyuan DARES has actively developed a customizable cultivation kit based on trials with short-cycle vegetables such as spinach, amaranth, pak choi, lettuce, and basil. These trials evaluated soil fertility, fertilization, pest and disease control, physiological disorders, standardized planting specifications, and harvesting and cooking methods. The results were integrated into a comprehensive educational package, including a structured instructional process (covering seeding, thinning, watering, fertilizing, pest and disease management, and harvesting) and a set of teaching tools (including grow boxes, crop seeds, nozzles, plant labels, and tested growing media).

　　Additionally, supporting materials such as a teacher’s manual, student leaflets, teaching slides, and instructional videos have been prepared. These resources are designed to be flexible and adaptable to individual lesson plans, providing an all-in-one toolkit that enables learners to experience the full cycle of "seed to table."

　　Taoyuan DARES noted that this cultivation kit has strong potential for adoption in elementary and junior high schools, as well as community colleges. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, there were 2,163 elementary schools and 735 junior high schools in Taiwan in the 2024 academic year, serving a total of 1,771,562 students. In addition, as of 2023, there were 88 community colleges nationwide, with over 400,000 annual participants. Given this demand, the kit is highly suitable for agricultural hands-on learning activities either on school grounds or at home. Educators can design seasonal crop-based lessons tailored to specific themes, with an 8-week cycle allowing for cultivation and harvest. The goal is to improve relationships with food, rebuild human connections, and inspire care for the land.

Contact Information

Spokesperson and Deputy Director: Hsi-Pin Shih　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 101 / 0988-622100
Shulin Branch, Assistant Researcher: Chieh-San Tai　Tel: 02-26801841 ext. 109
Agricultural Extension Section, Associate Researcher: Shing-Jong Lay　Tel: 03-4768216 ext. 410

Figure 1. The structured instructional process is clearly organized into five major steps.

Figure 2. Cultivation Technique and Agri-Food Practice Instruction Manual (Teacher’s Edition)

Figure 3. "Vegetable-Based Agri-Food Cultivation Kit: Spinach Edition" – Video Introduction to Taiwan’s Spinach Industry