ROC Ambassador Maggie Tien personally handed over the sacks of taro to the hospital and the Women’s Association. The taros were products of the Taiwan Technical Mission Farm, a 10-hectare tourism garden in Aimeliik.
“We used to distribute the produce of the farm to all schools, both elementary and high school, and to different agencies,” Ambassador Tien said in an interview. “This time we want to provide these to the hospital and the Women’s Association of Palau, for the benefit of their patients and the hospital staff.”
The Taiwan Technical Mission Farm produces 22 kinds of tropical fruits, vegetables and crops, including taro, guava, papaya, wax apple, star fruit, dragon fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, lanzones, pili nuts, jackfruit, water melon, sweet melon, passion fruit, among others.
It also grows different flowers and orchids. “It’s very diverse,” Tien said.
ROC has a program called Tourism Garden. Tien said they opened up the farm for tourism and individuals who are interested for a tour.
Right now, they have also started preserving the produce into wines, pickles and jams. “But we have not yet started selling,” Tien said. “We are preparing for tourist market, but the main purpose is not for profit seeking, but to help the farmers’ association, which we helped establish, to expand and develop their distribution channel to the supermarkets and hotels.”
Tien added that they just want to lay the grounds for the farmers for them to establish their own market connections.
