IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet
Basic Information
Title of case study
Linking biodiversity conservation, green production and local mutual trust in a SEPL(S)
Submitting IPSI member organization(s)Taiwan Landscape Environment Association
Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Council of Agriculture
Other contributing organization(s)Executive Yuan, R.O.C. (Chinese Taipei);
National Chung Hsing University, R.O.C. (Chinese Taipei)
Chen-Fa Wu 1, Chen Yang Lee 2, Ling-Tsen Chen 2, Chih-Cheng
Weng 3, Choa-Hung Chang 3, Xin-Feng Hsieh4, Hao-Yun Chuang2,
Ming Cheng Chen 2, Chun-Hsien Lai5, and Szu-Hung Chen 6*
1
Department of Horticulture of National Chung Hsing University(NCHU), No.145, Xinda Road, South District, Taichung City 402,
ROC (Chinese Taipei)
2
Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB), No.6, Guanghua
Road, Nantou City 540, ROC (Chinese Taipei)
3
SWCB Taichung Branch, No.22, Yangming Street, Fengyuan
District, Taichung City 420, ROC (Chinese Taipei)
Author(s) and affiliation(s)4Sanyi Township Farmers' Association-Liyutan Branch, No. 57-1,
Liyu Village, Sanyi Township, Miaoli County 367, ROC (Chinese
Taipei)5
Taiwan Landscape Environment Association (TLEA), 10F, No.
118, Mingcheng 2nd Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City
80794, ROC (Chinese Taipei)
6
International Master Program of Agriculture, NCHU, No.145,
Xinda Road, South District, Taichung City 402, ROC (Chinese
Taipei)* Corresponding: Szu-Hung Chen (vickey@dragon.nchu.edu.tw)
Format of case study Manuscript
Language
EnglishSEPLs, biodiversity, eco-farming, green products, Participatory Guarantee System,
Keywords
sustainable rural development
Date of submission
04/ 02/2021
Climate extremes (e.g., draught) and insufficient water resources may be common
challenges that agriculture production is facing in the world. Unlike of that, Liyu
community is blessed with natural resources, including clean water, stable irrigation
supply, and fertile soil. It is located downstream of the Liyutan reservoir surrounding by
farmlands, primary and secondary forests, which forms the SEPL in the so-called “LowElevation Mountain Ecosystem” of Taiwan (i.e., attitude lower below 800 m). In addition,
there is less human activity and industrial development, leading to lower probability ofinterference upon wildlife. Therefore, the Liyu community retains richer biodiversity.
Summary
However, before 2013, most residents practiced conventional farming that is harmful toboth human and environments. Since then, community people began to understand theinteraction between ecosystem and human health and realize the necessity ofenvironmental ethical implementation that is able to maintain the equilibrium.
In recent years, governmental authorities of Taiwan (e.g., Council of Agriculture, COA)
actively promote the SDGs and apply practical measures to rehabilitate farmland
ecosystems. However, few systematic approaches have been well addressed. The
purpose of this study is to provide scientific evidence of farming practices to enhanceboth human and ecosystem health in rural and demonstrate a local-scale implication forpolicy makers. In order to achieve the goal which can be a win-win situation for bothhuman and the entire SPELs, corresponding objectives are:
1. to restore SPELS with eco-friendly farming;
2. to support biodiversity by implementing habitat restoration and eco-farming
practices;
3. to integrate traditional farming wisdom and modern technology related topest biocontrol and resilience;
4. to increase local incomes and economics by green production chain.
Long-term ecological monitoring provides insight of the benefits for organic/ecofriendly farming practices on biodiversity conservation. Results indicate thatorganic/eco-farming rice fields support the higher species richness and abundance invarious taxonomic groups (e.g., aquatic species). It also represents significant
difference on species richness between paddy fields in eco-friendly farming and othersin conventional practice. Regarding the SEPLS management, farmers make use ofexcess water resources in rice paddy and then develop a transformative way to control
rice blast disease, literally, turning a disadvantage to a useful mean. Biological pest
control experiment attempts to discover the mechanisms of natural resource
management integrating traditional wisdom and culture, particularly, emphasis on
controlling Golden Apple Snail (GAS) population which is threating the food production
and local incomes. Results show that food waste and several natural fruits can serve as
effective baits when setting up traps to control GAS spread during the early stage ofcrop growing seasons. Farmers also implement other practices that can benefit crop
production and biodiversity mutually, such as using Azolla as a green manure in ricecultivation, no herbicide spray, and creation of ecological ponds as biological refuge
during non-growing time (i.e., rice fields would be left dried). Moreover, Liyu
community promotes responsible production and consumption (PGS), develops green
production chain that provides economic drivers to pursue sustainability.

Geographical Information
Country
Chinese Taipei
Location(s)TaiwanLongitude/latitude or Google Maps link
https://goo.gl/maps/PMg5QoPf6QX9xrzk7
Category
Agriculture
RegionEast Asia
Ecosystem(s)ForestGrassland
Agricultural
X In-land water X Coastal
Dryland
Mountain
X
Urban/peri-urban
Other
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area
The Liyu Community is located in Sanyi Township of Miaoli County and has a total area of 1,054 hectares with
an elevation ranging from 100 to 500 meters above sea level. Its hilly topography contains a diverse natural
habitat that supports numerous terrestrial plants and animals. It is surrounded by mountains in the north,south, and east, and features well-protected secondary forests along its hillsides. The western side is an areawith smooth terrain (the average slope less than 10%). Its soil is alluvial derived from Jingshan River alluvium,
hence, fertile, rich in nutrients, and suitable for crop cultivation, especially for rice.
Mean annual temperature of Liyu is 22 oC. However, mean monthly temperature fluctuates greatly dependingon the season, ranging from 15 oC in January (winter) to 28 oC in July (summer). Mean annual precipitation forthe past five years is 1,887 mm and the rainy season occurs from May to September, accounting for 75.5% of
the total annual precipitation. This is primarily due to the frequent occurrence of tropical depressions in thePacific Ocean, resulting in the formation of typhoons, heavy rains, and strong winds, which could easily cause
damage to the rice crop of the first cultivation. In the winter, there is little rain, low temperatures, and strong
northeast monsoons. As a result, there are fewer yields from the second-crop rice.
The community is located below the Liyutan Reservoir that has a total storage capacity of 126 million cubic
meters. It mainly supplies water demands to Miaoli County and Taichung City, serving for irrigation, flood
control, power generation, and leisure. According to water quality monitoring data of the Liyutan Reservoir
Management Center from 2004 to 2020, the reservoir water quality is Grade A, meaning that the water quality
is good and sufficiently provides high-quality water for the downstream farmlands.
Liyu Community has been blessed with clean water, fertile soil and surrounding by natural forests. Also, thereis less human activity and industrial development, thus, lower possible interference upon wildlife. Therefore, it
retains richer biodiversity. According to the Ecological Green Book of the Liyu Community in Sanyi Township,(Miaoli County Government, 2016), the plant species found here are mostly native (92.7%), with a total of 55
species. There are 21 types of trees, 10 types of shrubs, 9 types of vines, and 15 types of herbs, including 1
species endemic to Taiwan, Taiwanese rain tree (Koelreuteria elegans). Auto-trigger cameras are set up for the
long-term monitoring of small-and medium-sized mammals. The sampling records have documented 6 species,
including 1 Endangered species, namely Leopard cat and 2 Rare and valuable species, namely the Crab-eatingmongoose (Herpestes urva) and Small Chinese civet (Viverricula indica pallida). Other wild medium-sized
mammals were also recorded, for example, the wild Formosan gem-faced civet (Paguma larvata taivana), a
rare and valuable species (Legislated List of Protected Species in Taiwan, 2019). Farmlands and surrounding
low-disturbed areas also provide habitats for 13 species of amphibian and reptile, 31 species of birds and 4
species of fish. To sum up, Liyu has an environment with abundant natural resources and is ideal to promote
the development of green production.

(a)

(b)

Figure 1: (a) Location of Sanyi Township in Miaoli County, ROC (Chinese Taipei); (b) Liyu Community locateddownstream of the Liyu Reservoir (Source: NCHU)

Description of human-nature interactions in the area
Liyu's population was estimated to be 1,376 in December 2020 (Miaoli County Government Household
Registration Service, 2020). There are slightly more males in the community (55.38%) than females. 32% ofresidents are middle-age (aged 40 to 60 years) and 20% are elderly (aged 60 years or over), indicating the trendof aging population. The community predominantly engages in agricultural production. Most residents mainly
grow rice, while few grow flowers, grapefruit, and other crops. There are also a few low polluting factories andrestaurants in the area. The whole production landscape (Figure 2) includes a mosaic of 238-ha agricultural

land (20.40% of total area), forest plantation (317.49 ha, 27.24 % of total area), natural forest (206.86 ha,
17.75% total area), buildings and transportation routes, river, pasture/meadow, and others (Figure 3).

Figure 2: The production landscape of the Liyu
Community (Source: NCHU)

Figure 3: A land cover/ land use (LCLU) map of the
Liyu Community (Source : NCHU)

Although Liyu community has abundant natural resources (e.g., clean water, fertile soil and nearby naturalforests) and retains richer biodiversity, the SEPL is still facing various challenges as follows.
Firstly, since the Liyu Community is located downstream of the Liyutan Reservoir, within the Da’an River
watershed, it contains layers of alluvial soils. Because of this, it has elevated groundwater levels and at least 14
springs were found in paddy fields. Even during the dry season (winter), water from the reservoir remains in theirrigation ditches, which can cause the water levels rising too high at some locations, therefore affecting the
growth and yield of rice crops. As a result, the parts of the fields with springs and low-lying corners cannot be
cultivated, and side ditches must be dug along the edge of the fields in order to draining excess water.
In addition to above, winters in Taiwan (December to February) generally have less precipitation. Since rice crops
were harvested, irrigation water supply could be reduced significantly due to lack of demand. The periodic lackof water could still cause the death of aquatic organisms (e.g., shrimp) that breed in the irrigation ditches.
Therefore, how to transform side ditches、water surge or puddles into wildlife refuges during the dry season
has become an important subject for aquatic biodiversity conservation in the study site.
The historical water quality monitoring data from the Li-Yu-Tan Reservoir Authority (2020) confirms that thewater provided for irrigation is not polluted. However, before 2013, most farmers here practiced conventionalfarming methods that bring harmful risks on both human and ecosystem health. For example, it was common
for residents to be poisoned from spraying pesticides or accidentally ingesting vegetables with excessive
pesticide residues. The application of chemical fertilizers often resulted in harmful phenomenon toenvironments, for example, causing “sudden death” of such as the the freshwater prawn(Macrobrachiumasperulum), the Günther's frog(Hylarana guentheri), the broad-folded frog (Hylarana” latouchii), and freshwatersnails. Since 2013, farmers began to switch to environmental friendly farming (eco-farming) methods because ofrising consumers’ awareness toward food safety in agricultural products in Taiwan. Accordingly, they began torecognize the importance and benefits of eco-framing practices to the health of residents, farmland soil, andorganisms. Gradually, farmers were joining one by one, finally, forming the eco-farming rice cultivation andmarketing group to actively implement eco-framing and organic rice growing together.
The island of Taiwan is located in a subtropical climate zone, characterized by hot and humid summers.
Consequently, rice crops are easily infected by a plant-pathogenic fungus (Magnaporthe grisea), also known asrice blast fungus, that causes a serious disease. It results in wilted stem or plants failure to thrive, which
ultimately reduces yields. Conventional farming practices often involve the spraying of pesticides to prevent
rice blast, which can easily compromise the field’s biology. For example, If spraying 30-kg Probanasol granules
per hectare and the concentration can reach up to 6.3 ppm, it will cause Organo-phosphorus poisoning to fish.
No matter using Iminoctadine triacetate + Isoprothiolane at 0.67 kg per ha or Kasugamycin + Tricyclazole at
0.67 kg per ha, both methods are toxic to aquatic organisms (Tainan District Agricultural Research andExtension Station, COA., 2020 and Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, COA., 2020). Needless to say, the useof pesticides poses a risk of killing the aquatic organisms and insects in paddy fields, which could lead to thecollapse of the farmland ecosystem.
On average, farming households of Taiwan only have 1.1 ha of arable land. 75.2% of farming households haveless than 1 ha of arable land, which means that the scale is too tinny (Council of Agriculture, 1995) comparing
with large-scale farming production; therefore, economies of scale cannot be achieved. Given that production
costs are relatively high and prices cannot be raised significantly, small-holder farmers should plantcompetitive rice varieties, adopt low-cost and eco-friendly farming, integrate small-holder farmer groups withproduction and marketing mechanisms, establish shared brands, and sell across multiple platforms in order toreduce costs, maximize profits, as well as achieve goals of habitat and environment protection.

Contents
StatusOngoing
Period2013—Current
Rationale
Starting from 2013, residents began to learn about the interlinkages among biodiversity, responsible
production and human health; then have been practiced organic/eco-friendly farming (e.g., reduced use ofagrochemicals) to protect farmland ecosystem from ongoing habitat loss and degradation. Besides that, theorganic (or eco-growing) rice can not only ensure responsible and sustainable production but also enhance
human physical health than conventional farming. Thus, To respond to the challenges mentioned above, theLiyu community set its vision as “Linking biodiversity conservation, green production, and local mutual trust in a
SEPL” and commits to seek, foster and implement actions that can achieve sustainable future. Particularly, thegoal is to build a production landscape with the balance among social, ecological, economic aspects throughconsensus building among farmers, responsible and ethical use of resources in the SEPL (e.g., land), promoting
eco-friendly farming, implementing biodiversity and habitat conservation, and developing green production
chains.
Objectives
Referring to the goal above, Taiwan Landscape Environment Association (TLEA), Liyu Community, National
Chung Hsing University (NCHU) and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB), a government agency,
work collaboratively and implement numerous actions (activities), aiming to achieve a vision of co-prosperity, awin-win situation for both human and the entire SPELs of Liyu. Corresponding objectives are:1.
to restore SPELS with organic and eco-farming practices;2.
to maintaining biodiversity by implementing habitat restoration and eco-farming practices;3.
to pass on local farming wisdom related to pest biocontrol and climate smart agriculture;4.
to increase local incomes and economics by promoting the green production chain.
Activities and/or practices employed1.

Efforts to practice eco-friendly farming to reduce environmental impact and hazards
In light of the changes in the ecological environment of the farmland and impacts on biodiversity, farmers
have begun to experiment with alternative farming methods. Since 2013, the community has taken part in therural regeneration program promoted by the SWCB. Through a 92-hour training course, local residents andfarmers were able to increase their awareness about community development and friendly agriculture. The
community also received guidance from the Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation (TOAF), an NGO thatpromotes eco-friendly farming, to implement cultivation methods that conform to green conservation practice,which include:(1) Green conservation standards must be continuously adopted in agricultural production practices to ensurethat the goals of the green conservation production model are effectively implemented.
(2) The construction of enclosed production areas in fields is discouraged for ecological and conservation
reasons.
(3) Farmers should choose appropriate farming and cultivation methods that adequately protect the soil andreduce erosion. To ensure suitable soil fertility and facilitate soil fertility management, farmland soil
fertility management should be based on reports from agricultural research institutes, agriculturalresearch and extension stations, or qualified laboratories.
(4) Good soil management and water conservation measures should be implemented on agricultural land toensure the sustainable use of soil and water resources.
(5) Materials and organisms that have been introduced to green conservation production should be carefully
evaluated to avoid significant impact on existing organisms and the environment.
(6) Priority is given to species or varieties of crops with good environmental adaptability and resistance topests and diseases. Farmers are encouraged to retain seeds and nutrient propagules to enhance species
diversity.
(7) For disease management, farmers should either use management methods that inhibit the spread of
pathogens and microorganisms or non-synthetic biological, plant, or mineral materials.
(8) Pest management could involve the introduction of predatory or parasitic natural enemies of pests andthe creation of habitats for these natural enemies of pests, or the use of non-synthetic control methods
such as baits, traps, and repellents.
(9) Weed management could involve mulching with fully biodegradable materials, soil preparation, livestock
grazing, manual or mechanical weeding, plastic sheeting, or other using synthetic mulches (Figure 4).
In 2014, only one farming household was willing to adopt farming practices that comply with green
conservation regulations. This number increased to 3 farming households in 2015 and currently, there are 8 suchfarming households.
(a)

(b)

Figure 4: (a) Weeds and rice coexist in eco-friendly farming fields; (b) Weeds growing on ridges are cut byhand without spraying any herbicide.
2.

Implementing organic/eco-farming practices in rice fields
In order to address the problem of excessive weeds and increase nitrogen fertility of paddy fields
simultaneously, the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (TDARES) performed anexperiment that involved stocking rice fields with Azolla pinnata, a species of aquatic fern. Each plot was
deposited approximately 50 to 65 kilograms of Azolla pinnata provenances. After 20 to 30 days, the water wascovered with Azolla pinnata, which can effectively prevent the growth of weeds with an inhibition rate of over
85%. Evidently, Azolla pinnata suppresses weeds and enriches soil nitrogen fertility, which in turn increases riceproduction. Furthermore, the symbiosis of Azolla pinnata with Cyanobacteria comes with a process, namely
nitrogen fixation by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia (NH 3) or related nitrogenous

compounds in soil (Postgate, 1998), then becoming natural sources of nitrogen fertilizer that can benefit plants.
Thus, when rice fields dry up and the Azolla pinnata dies naturally, it is plowed back into the soil, thereby turning
into fertilizer as well.
Although there are numerous benefits to growing Azolla pinnata in rice fields, only a couple of farmers in
Taiwan have adopted this application over the years (Liu, 2018). The main reason is that farmers need to set up
a pond in or around their fields first in order to cultivate enough Azolla pinnata before it can be introduced into
the rice field where it can serve as weed suppression and nitrogen fertilizer supplementation. Since most farmers
in Taiwan own the area of lands less than 0.25 ha, they are not keen on using limited land resources to set up
additional ponds for cultivation; as a result, the implementation was not effective. The Liyu Community’s
farmlands have an abundant water supply. Side ditches are often dug for drainage (Figure 5), making them
perfect breeding grounds for Azolla pinnata. Correspondingly, farmers there have been attempting to use Azolla
pinnata since 2019.
(a)

(b)

Figure 5: Eco-farming fields have too abundant water and form puddles in low lying areas, making it impossible togrow rice; (b) Side ditches must be dug along the ridge for drainage

3.

Maintaining biodiversity by implementing habitat restoration and creating in organic/eco-farming rice
fieldsSince 2014, Liyu has been gradually implementing organic and eco-farming methods, emphasizing the nonuse of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or other harmful methods to the environment and living organisms.
Puddles in their fields have turned into habitats of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), Freshwater shrimp(Neocaridina denticulate), and Chinese spined loach (Cobitis sinensis). According results of field survey, a total of
14 wildlife habitats were identified. Additionally, the side ditches became habitats of the Paradise fish
(Macropodus opercularis), Chinese spined loach, Günther's frog, and broad-folded frog More importantly, field
drying is necessary after harvests for sterilization. Since most of the water in the fields is drained, only the side
ditches and springs have water remaining, which has become ecological refuge areas for organisms (Figure 5).
During this period, instead of capturing these organisms, farmers should continue introducing water to maintainthe minimum Ecological base flow that can enable the organisms to survive though the post-harvest season. In
addition, Liyu’s farmers retain a 0.2-ha ratooning rice area as a foraging and roost ground of birds, so that they
have a sufficient food source after harvesting.
Regarding to the future trend, important intents of site-based long-term ecological monitoring is not only
to document changes in important biological properties of target ecosystem, but also to linking essential
biodiversity variables and ecosystem integrity (Haase et al, 2018). In Liyu, there are 7 long-term ecologicalmonitoring sites of aquatic organisms with various microhabitat conditions (Figure 6a). The No. 1 site presented
the highest species richness. Aquatic environments of the No. 2 and No. 3 sites include irrigation or natural grass
ditches (Figure 6b); hence, freshwater shrimp, freshwater prawn, pond loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) andChinese softshell turtle were easily to be seen. The No 4 site was located at a related distant location away fromthe main route of human activities. Since fewer disturbances occur, a large population of female freshwater
prawn was found here. It may imply that the No. 4 could be a major spawning ground for freshwater prawn. The

No. 7 site was a spring-fed area, where the most tadpoles were found, and it could be an essential aquatic
environment for amphibian reproduction and larvae growing.
Based on the survey results, farmers widen the side ditches between the No. 2 and No. 3 sites and thenlinked them to ecological corridors that serve as pathways for fish, shrimp, crabs, and aquatic insects. This action
creates a constant water flow in the irrigation ditches and turns these ditches into post-harvest ecologicalrefuges. Since the No. 7 site has low-lying, flooding area where rice barely grows (Figure 5a), so farmers dug apond to provide a habitat for aquatic organisms during the dry season (Figure 7).
(a)

(b)

Figure 6: (a) Locations of 7 long-term ecological monitoring sites in the SEPL of Liyu; (b) The side ditch was
widen and became a biological corridor
(a)

(b)

Figure 7: (a) on May 22nd, 2019, low-lying areas of rice fields were reconstructed and set up as ecologicalponds; (b) plants coverage around the pond after 5-month succession
4. Biological pest control of the golden apple snail (GAS) based on local farming wisdom
Invasive species have always been a major threat native environments, biodiversity and ecosystems(Lodge, 1993). As one of invasive agricultural pests in many Asian countries of tropical and subtropical regions(Baker, 1998, Rawlings et al., 2007, Seuffert and Martín, 2009), the golden apple snail (GAS), also known as thechanneled apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata), have brought great impacts on agriculture production due to its
flexible adaptability, high rate in growth and reproduction (Cowie, 2002, Estebenet et al., 2006). In Taiwan, GAS
is considered as a pest during the dibbling of rice seedling. In fields wherein conventional farming methods arepracticed, the pesticides are often used to control population of channeled apple snails, ironically, killing fish andshrimp in rice paddies as well. In the Liyu’s fields, the damage caused by GAS is even more serious during theseedling stage due to the abundance of water and the implementation of organic/ eco-farming methods.
However, one day farmers found out how the GAS rushed to grab paper mulberry leaves as falling into ditches.
They were suddenly inspired and decided to plant paper mulberry trees, a native tree species of Taiwan, aroundpuddles or low-lying areas. Afterward, farmers waited for the snails to gather before catching them,demonstrating a time-saving, effort-saving, cost-effective pest control method.
5. Rice blast control with excess waterAccording to the observation and analysis of the study sites, if the temperature between rice plants is too
high, it could cause rice blast disease to spread. Therefore, it was necessary to find a way to lower thetemperature effectively. The farmers and the Miaoli District Agricultural Research and Extension Station(MDARES) worked together to search solutions of this problem. First, when transplanting rice seedlings, thespacing between plants had to be increased by about 1.2 times the average, and each cluster of rice plants had
to contain 3 to 5 fewer plants than average. This increases the ventilation space between the rice plants. The
vegetative growth period occurs 30 days after rice transplanting. It is necessary to maintain a small amount ofcontinuous water flow into the field to reduce both the water level and the rising temperature between plants
during the summer. Likewise, the growing and reproduction period is between the 55 th and 80th days after
transplanting; it is also the period when crops are most prone to rice blast. In order to reduce the risk of disease
propagation, a high water level should be maintained and input water should increase net flow, hence, being
able to quickly carry accumulated heat away.
6. Establishing a cross-sectoral cooperation platform to develop green production chain and strengthen
economic development
Approximately 1.1% of total farmland area in Taiwan is cultivating eco-farming and/or organic crops. A
complete industry chain is necessary to support the development of this green industry. The Liyu Community
has been practicing eco-farming and organic rice cultivation for 6 years, covering an area of 3.71 hectares withan annual rice production up to 18.5 tons. A “earmarked” post-harvesting process system, including rice
harvesters, dryers, and rice mills were established and specifically used for organic and eco-farming crops to
avoid contamination with conventional rice. The farmers jointly established a unified, registered brand called“Green Farmer (青稻夫),” a brand that sell eco-farming/organic rice harvested in the region (Figure 8). Having aunified brand can reduce time and labor costs, centralize resources of sales and marketing, as well as increase
local products exposure to consumers.
(a)

(b)

Figure 8: (a) “Green Farmer (青稻夫)”, the Liyu community’s rice brand; (b) Increasing consumers’
recognition with the product through farming experience activities.

Results
1. Rice paddy fields of Liyu passed the organic farming certification and the pesticide residue-free inspection
In 2014, a farmer planted 0.0291 hectares of friendly fields and received the certified “Green Conservation
Badge,” which encouraged other farmers to do the same. In 2018, a total of 8 farmers received the badge, leading
to a total of 3.71 hectares of friendly fields. The farmers said that the purpose of eco-friendly or organic farming
is “not to use chemical fertilizers so as to uphold a virtuous cycle of using land sustainably, maintaining
biodiversity, and reducing pests and diseases” (Personal communication, translated by Chen, S.H). They also
stated that “It is our great pleasure when we are able to eat with friends at ease and see different kinds of small
animals returning our land” (Personal communication, translated by Chen, S.H).
The Taiwanese government passed the Organic Agriculture Promotion Act on May 30, 2018 in order toprotect soil and water resources, the ecological environment, biodiversity, animal welfare, and consumer rights,
as well as to promote an agriculture-friendly environment and the sustainable use of resources. The governmentsubsequently formulated the regulations, inspection standards, and methods for practicing organic farming. In
2019, two farmers in the Liyu Community had 0.9426 hectares of rice fields certified. Their successes set a modelfor other local farmers regarding how to transform from natural growing or eco-farming methods to organic
farming practice. It has guided eight other farmers advancing to organic farming practices that can benefit
farmland ecosystems and environments more.
2. Planting Azolla pinnata in rice fields to reduce labor costs and increase economic benefits
Since the on-site springs bring water continuously, Liyu’s rice paddies require side ditches for draining
excess water. Because water is available all year round, these areas are suitable to plant Azolla pinnata. In 2019,
they started cultivating and introduced it into an adjacent organic paddy field (Figure 9). For fields adoptingorganic farming methods, Azolla pinnata is able to suppress weed growth and then reduces required time andlabor of removing weeds by hand. With good management, up to 5 tons of Azolla pinnata per plot of land canrelease 7.5 kg of nitrogen after being plowed into the field, which is enough to supply 50% of the nitrogen
fertilizer required for the next phase of rice growth. Additionally, rearing Azolla pinnata paddies could increaseamount of soil organic matters, reduce soil compactness, increase the number of productive tillers, and thenimprove rice yield at least 5%. This is an important ecological cultivation technique for organic rice farmers in the
Liyu Community and its use has been promoted to other farmers in the community.
(a)

(b)

Figure 9: (a) Propagation of Azolla pinnata in a nursery pond; (b) Using the field’s side ditches to cultivate
Azolla pinnata
3. Effects of creating ecological corridors and biological refugia in organic and eco-farming fields
The Liyutan Reservoir serves as the water source of the organic fields. After the rice is harvested eachyear in November, the water supply from the reservoir is suspended and no water remains in the irrigation
ditches. Instead, there are still water in small water ditches, side ditches, and areas in the field with risinggroundwater, which become the primary hiding places and habitats for aquatic organisms. However, theshallow water depth in these areas makes organisms running into high risk of which die either due to highwater temperatures or getting eaten by birds.
Because of this, areas in the field that have been experiencing rising groundwater for many years are notconducive for growing rice, as they have become natural reproduction grounds for the GAS. Therefore, farmers
dug a 60-cm-deep hole in the area and built a 100 cm embankment covering a total area of approximately 75
square meters. Generally, the water depth is around 80 to 100 cm, with the main water source coming fromthe inflow of groundwater and irrigation ditches. Most organisms in the pool come from the middle of theirrigation ditch. The freshwater prawn and the paradise fish are the most common aquatic species that can beseen there.
According the field survey on May 25, 2019, an investigation held before the ecological pond creation,
only 1 adult freshwater prawn was caught. The creating process was completed on July 29, 2019 and a survey
was carried out about one month later on August 22, 2019, found 5 adult freshwater prawns. Subsequent
surveys conducted on September 15, 2019 and May 6, 2020 found 15 adult freshwater prawns and 3 paradise
fishes, and 19 freshwater prawns and 6 paradise fishes, respectively. These results demonstrate how a smallsized, semi-artificial pond can turn into suitable habitats for freshwater prawn and paradise fishes. Both speciessurvive through the dry season lasting from December 2019 to January 2020 and maintained a steady
population growth, which present a great advance for species conservation in a SEPL.
4. Biological control of GAS contributes to the conservation of aquatic organisms
In July 2019, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Honduran students from the International Master Programof Agriculture (IMPA) of NCHU participated in Rural Up Program in Taiwan and start a long stay in Liyu (Figure10a). They noticed the GAS issue in organic and eco-farming fields, specially causing serious harm to ricecultivation as their respective countries. After discussing with several stakeholders (e.g. farmland owner), thestudents proceeded to carry out an empirical experiment on understanding the foraging preference ofchanneled apple snails (i.e., GAS). The purpose is to find out what types of baits can catch more snails. Firstly,
they used recycled 1-liter PET bottles to prepare “one-entry shrimp traps”, then filled traps with various baits
and then placed them at an equidistant distance of 1 meter. Baits included paper mulberry leaves, cabbage (foodwaste), water spinach, Manchurian wild rice stem, rice bran, watermelon peel (food waste), and an empty bottle
to serve as the controlled variable. The experiment was conducted in July, for 3 consecutive summer days. The
results showed that rice bran was the most effective one, attracting 194 snails. It was followed by watermelon
peel with 65 snails, cabbage with 39 snails, Manchurian wild rice stem with 31 snails, water spinach with 19 snails,
paper mulberry leaves with 14 snails, and the controlled variable (empty bottle) with 0 snails (Figure 10b). Ricebran bait preparation involves mixing it, rolling it into a ball, and then roasting it with fire. This method costs
materials (e.g. rice) and time. It is followed by watermelon peel in terms of effectiveness; however, watermelon
peels are only available during the watermelon season. Although cabbage, Manchurian wild rice stem, water
spinach, and paper mulberry leaves may not be the most effective bait, they can be easily collected from fields
or local households. They are also cheap and can be grown all year round. Using these four types of leaves tocatch snails, which is also in line with eco-farming methods, has become the most effective means of biologicalpest control in the Liyu Community and has been shared with other farmers, who practiced conventional farming.
(a)

(b)

Figure 10: (a) International students from IMPA of NCHU participating in the field survey of the GAS andother aquatic organisms; (b) Results of the experiment on catching the GAS.
5. Using running water to prevent rice blast and reduce harmful effects caused by pesticide use
The occurrence of rice blast can be linked to environment conditions. Frequent temperature fluctuations
will reduce the crop’s resistance and makes it prone to be infected; high humidity can cause pathogenic fungus
to produce spores and spore germination that then invades the rice tissue after germination, and further
weakens the crop, resulting in an excess use of nitrogen fertilizer (Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, COA. ,2020). The Liyu Community adopted methods such as reducing the number of rice plants in a single cluster,increasing the distance between rice clusters, controlling the flow of water into the field to maintain a stabletemperature, and using Azolla pinnata, one type of green manure, as a source of supplemental nitrogen to
reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. After four years of field experiments, the number of rice blast occurrences
and the area of infected spots have been significantly decreased. In general, having too much water in a paddy
field could be a constraint in rice farming. However, Liyu’s farmers and agricultural institutes work together
develop a transformative way by using excess water to control rice blast disease, literally, turning a disadvantage

to a useful mean. It not only reduces the use of pesticides but also mitigates its impacts on the farmlandbiodiversity.
6. Smallholders’ rice sales methods and their effectivenessThe sales channels for the Liyu Community’s rice include retail sales by the farmers themselves,participating in the Shan Shou Xian market operated by the SWCB, selling through the Leezen online store, andparticipating in farmers’ markets in other counties and cities. In this manner, they can sell their rice throughout
the year. In terms of price, average rice price in Taiwan sells for about NTD 55 per kilogram; however, the organicand eco-farming rice produced in the Liyu’s SEPL costs NTD 130 per kilogram, which is 2.36 times higher. Becauseof the good income and incentives, farmers are willing to continue adopting organic and eco-farming practices
During rice dibbling or harvesting seasons, the community and the Tunghai University (THU) co-organize
harvesting activities for the general public. Through these actives, students and urban consumers learn aboutknowledge and process of organic or eco-farming methods and can visit places of product origin, which, in effect,
increases their trust in the farmers’ production. Furthermore, an enterprise subscription was initiated incollaboration with the NCHU. During each event, enterprises can purchase rice produced by approximately 0.1
hectares. Each purchase contributes to the sale of rice substantially, raises consumer awareness regarding the
production area, enhances farmers’ confidence for future rice production, and increases the willingness ofenterprises to repurchase.
Lessons learned
Farmers began to recognize the importance of biological and habitat conservation; then self-motivate to
conduct field ecological and biological surveys regularly. Those who engaged in organic and eco- farming all
grew up in the Liyu Community. During their childhood or teenage (around the 1960s), biodiversity in farmland
was much more abundant, so they were quite familiar with original native species. After experiencing thedevastating effects of the conventional farming era (from 1990 to 2012), several farmers started switching topractice eco-friendly and organic farming since 2013. After that, farmers were happy to find terrestrial andaquatic species gradually reappearing in their fields. Subsequently, it even motivated community members torecord these organisms by photos systematically in conjunction with Butterfly Conservation Society of Taiwan
and NCHU. Thus far, butterflies have been surveyed and documented for four consecutive years, while fish,
shrimp, moths, and birds have been surveyed and documented for two consecutive years (Figure 11). This
citizen science database can bring great contribution with various aspects, such as ecological education, habitat
conservation, biological protection, eco-tourism, etc.
Since the community started a monthly, independent butterfly survey in 2015, around 42 surveys havebeen carried out so far. A total of 130 species of butterflies from 5 families have been documented, including
55 species from the family Nymphalidae, 22 species from the family Lycaenidae, 14 species from the family
Pieridae, 18 species from the family Papilionidae, and 21 species from the family Hesperiidae. Speaking of the
farmland production landscape, butterfly is not only an important pollinator, but also an indicator species oforganic farmland (Figure 12). For example, male common Mormon (Papilio polytes), often travel to the organic
fields, feeding on ground fluids in order to intake essential minerals such as sodium (Na). During mating, themale butterfly uses its spermatophore to transfer sodium into the female butterfly. Doing so can increases thefertility and life span of male butterflies as well as increase the total number of eggs fertilized by females. The
host plants of Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) are usually weeds, such as Lindernia anagallis, Corydalis bungeana
turcz., Hygrophila pogonocalyx, and Plantago asiatica, which grow in grassy ditches and ridges between fields.
Adult butterflies are common foraging in rice-growing areas. Therefore, the application of organic and ecofarming practices in the Liyu Community is very important to protect the butterflies that use rice fields as theirhabitat.

Figure 11: The community members conduct independent, monthly butterfly surveys

Figure 12: Microhabitats and indicator species in the SEPL of the Liyu Community
Community residents actively participate in the long-term ecological monitoring in order to gain more
knowledge species biological behavior, based on that, being able to determine rational habitat management
strategy. After years of ecological surveys, the community has identified indicator species for each microhabitatin the SEPL (Figure 12). Among them, the freshwater prawn is the indicator species for irrigation ditches, theChinese softshell turtle for grassy irrigation ditches, the paradise fish for ecological ponds, and the Taiwan blue
magpie (Level III-Other conservation-deserving species), the leopard cat (Level I- Endangered species), and thecrested serpent eagle (Level II - Rare and valuable species) for the surrounding foothill ecosystem.
Besides organic and eco-friendly rice farming that follows standard of green conservation, community
residents restore and manage three ecological sites as reproduction grounds for the freshwater prawn and Sanyi
type paradise fish. They also maintain a 3,156-meter-long grassy ditch that provides a stable water source,
shelter, habitat, and movement pathway for Chinese softshell turtles. Moreover, the eco-farming rice fields arehabitats for amphibians, reptiles, frogs, rodents, and insects, as well as supply stable food sources to the Taiwan
blue magpie, leopard cat, and crested serpent eagle. Lastly, local farmers also commit to keep the integrity ofsurrounding forests for the purpose of water resources and wildlife habitat conservation (e.g., the Taiwan blue
magpie, leopard cat, and crested serpent eagle).
In order to increase incomes and enhance economic drivers, The small-holder farmers in the Liyu
Community work together to develop a green production chain. This organic rice green production chain consistsof six stages. For the primary industrial production, the rice variety grown is Taichung 194. This variety is
characterized by good plant shape and is not prone to collapse, which facilitates organic cultivation andmanagement. Seeds and seedlings are provided by the farmer’s association and plowed using machines bymembers of the local production and marketing group. If encountering any problems related to the cultivation

process, MDARES and NCHU (the organic certification sector) will provide consultation services and technicalassistance. In addition, the production and marketing group members will share experiences or exchange ideas
among themselves.
To avoid cross contamination, the harvesting machine for organic rice must be separated from theconventional rice post-harvest processing system, becoming an independent one. The Miaoli Organic Food
Production Cooperative assists Liyu’s small-holder farmers with harvesting, drying, and milling organic rice. The
processed rice products are primarily produced in cooperation with Shanfeng Food Industry Co., Ltd. The rice isalso used to produce Rice Stars, a rice-based snack targeted toward babies or children under 12 years old.
These small-holder farmers join forces with the Sanyi Township Farmers’ Association, THU, NCHU, and
SWCB to hold agrotourism activities that enable tourists understand rice fields and rural community
development better. These activities are intended to let consumers know where their rice comes from,understand how it is produced, build a connection to the product, and enhance mutual trust between producers
and customers. This approach is in line with the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) proposed by theInternational Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). The PGS refers to the establishment of acommunication channel between local small-scale farmers and consumers through various means to strengthen
the connection and trust between the two in the hope that consumers promote the purchase of small-scale
agricultural products.
Speaking of the production, marketing and sales, smallholders often abandon organic farming and return
to conventional farming due to their lack of technical know-how for the former and inadequate marketing
channels for organic rice. The organic rice industry chain in the Liyu Community is a result of the integration of
resources from public and private sectors; the cooperation of organizations and personnel with different abilities
at the first, second, and third stages; and improvements to smallholders’ production techniques and marketing
capabilities, which has allowed the Liyu Community to address its past issues.
Key messages
Farmers of Liyu community practices organic farming or eco-friendly farming (i.e. reduced use ofagrochemicals) to protect farmland ecosystem from ongoing habitat loss and degradation, support biodiversity
and enhance ecosystem health. On top of that, the organic (or eco-growing) rice can not only ensure
responsible and sustainable production but also enhance human physical health than conventional farming.
Regarding the SEPLS management, farmers make use of excess water resources in rice paddy and then develop
a transformative way to control rice blast disease, literally, turning a disadvantage to a useful mean. They also
implement several practices that can benefit crop production and biodiversity conservation mutually, forexamples, use of Azolla as a green manure in rice cultivation, no herbicide spray, and creation of ecologicalponds as biological refuge during non-growing time (i.e., rice fields would be left dried).
Crop fields are used for the purpose of environmental education, recreation and community events, whichstrengthen consensus among residents, enhance physical and mental health, as well as improve humanwellbeing of community. Moreover, with establishing a cross-sectoral platform, Liyu community promotes
responsible production and consumption (e.g., Participatory Guarantee System) , develops green production
chain, that can provide adequate economic drivers to pursue the SDGs.
Relationship to other IPSI activities
Funding
1. The main project of this case study is funded by Taichung Branch of the Soil Water Conservation Bureau,
COA., ROC. (Chinese Taipei)
2.
Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China, Taiwan financially supports parts of this researchunder Contract No. 109-2621-M-002 -008 -MY3 and 109-2625-M-005 -002 -MY2.
3.
The work related to policy communication, environmental education and outreach was also supported by the“Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture” from the Featured Areas Research Center
Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in
Taiwan.
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Contributions to Global Agendas
The table below shows based on the self-evaluation by author(s).  and  indicates the “direct” or “indirect” contributions to thefollowing global agendas respectively to which the work described in this case study contributes to.

CBD Aichi Biodiversity Targets (https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/)
Strategic Goal A
Strategic Goal B
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Strategic Goal C
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



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Strategic Goal DStrategic Goal EUN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs)




























