Who benefits from allocating agricultural water to other sectors in Taiwan?

Abstract

This paper presents a historical account of Taiwan's irrigated agriculture in the face of the nation's changing water resource policy and developing economy. The pre-World War II era marked the beginning of water resource development on a scientific basis, particularly during the Japanese colonial era. Building on previous developments, the modern era brought policies for improved access to production resources in the interests of interdisciplinary society. Water resources took a sharp turn from supply to demand management in order to respond to the industrial and domestic sectors. The farmers who were once the major beneficiary of irrigated agriculture were unable to sustain their agricultural economy. As an alternative to water resource production, rainwater harvesting by so-called ''water-planting'' on paddy fields evolved, among others, as a major policy drive to curb the water supply problem. Calculations show that this would leave more than 200 000 ha of fallowed paddy fields each year, and management must be aware of unforeseen negative externalities due to such practices. Despite the reduced share of water in irrigated agriculture, import and export transactions from agricultural commodities even after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) are not discouraging. Efficient use and water saving appear to be the keys to balancing supply and demand to help secure the water economy, increase domestic food reserves, and contribute to social justice. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.