農業環境給付政策之研究──以有機稻米與水稻田為例

An Assessment of Payment for Environmental Services in Taiwan-Case Studies on Organic Rice and Rice Paddy Field

農業環境給付政策係結合農業生產與環境保護概念之農業政策，其目的除了保護和改善農業環境，更重要的是取得農業生產活動與自然資源使用之平衡，以尋求農業發展與自然環境永續共存之雙贏局面，因此本研究透過將農業生產時所產生正面外部效益內部化，來研擬未來可行之國內農業環境給付措施，藉以鼓勵農民從事環境友善之農業生產活動。本研究根據研究結果提出以下相關政策建議：（1）就水稻田農業環境給付措施而言，因水稻田會產生許多環境正面效益，根據其正面效益估算而得之環境給付金額為每公頃每期39,000元。值得一提的是，在此政策推行之前必須先調整現行的保價收購政策，以避免造成給予同一筆農地雙重補貼的不公平現象，因此建議初期解決方式為給予稻農自由選擇此兩種方式之權利，亦即稻農可選擇參加保價收購或者是參加農業環境給付，但就長期而言，建議政府應逐步以農業環境給付措施取代保價收購政策，以符合因應貿易自由化的境內支持措施原則；（2）就有機稻米農業環境給付措施而言，本研究係根據農民轉作有機稻米可能產生之收益損失來計算給付金額，藉以增加農民由非有機轉為有機生產之經濟誘因。以有機水稻耕作為例，當每公頃每期的補助金額達到26,000元時，農民就有誘因從事有機水稻生產，同時為鼓勵農民持續從事有機生產，轉型後之每公頃每期補助金額約為20,000元。此外，有機農生產會對生態環境產生正面的效果，對消費者的健康亦會產生正面的助益，由於這些效益將可能遠超過以收益損失概念計算而得之補助金額，因此建議政府應積極鼓勵農民從事有機農業生產活動。 The main goal of the payment for environmental services policy is to create a win-win situation for sustainable agricultural development and natural resource protection by promoting environment-friendly production activities. Based on the scopes and economic values of environmental services, we first estimated the values of the positive externalities associated with agricultural production, and then designed feasible policy instruments for the conduction of the environmental services payment program in Taiwan. We concluded with two important policy suggestions: (1) Rice paddy fields can provide many positive externalities to the human society and the natural ecosystem. To account for the positive externalities, the estimated environmental services payment for rice paddy fields is about NT$39,000 per acreage for each growing season. However, the government should adjust current rice price support policy to avoid double subsidies on the same rice paddy field before the implementation of the environmental services payment program. To resolve this issue, the government can offer the farmers to choose freely between these two types of subsidy in the early implementing stage. In the long run, however, the government needs to gradually eliminate price support for rice to meet the requirements of international free trade agreement; (2) A case study on the environmental services payment for organic rice farming reveals that farmers will be willing to adopt organic production methods when the amount of subsidies is greater than NT$26,000 per acreage for each growing season. After the transforming period, the amount of subsidies can be reduced to NT$20,000 per acreage for each growing season to support the continuation of organic production. Because organic farming has significant positive effects on natural ecosystems and general public health, implementation of environmental services payment program for agricultural production is important for future sustainable agricultural development and natural resources and environment protection.

The main goal of the payment for environmental services policy is to create a win-win situation for sustainable agricultural development and natural resource protection by promoting environment-friendly production activities. Based on the scopes and economic values of environmental services, we first estimated the values of the positive externalities associated with agricultural production, and then designed feasible policy instruments for the conduction of the environmental services payment program in Taiwan. We concluded with two important policy suggestions: (1) Rice paddy fields can provide many positive externalities to the human society and the natural ecosystem. To account for the positive externalities, the estimated environmental services payment for rice paddy fields is about NT$39,000 per acreage for each growing season. However, the government should adjust current rice price support policy to avoid double subsidies on the same rice paddy field before the implementation of the environmental services payment program. To resolve this issue, the government can offer the farmers to choose freely between these two types of subsidy in the early implementing stage. In the long run, however, the government needs to gradually eliminate price support for rice to meet the requirements of international free trade agreement; (2) A case study on the environmental services payment for organic rice farming reveals that farmers will be willing to adopt organic production methods when the amount of subsidies is greater than NT$26,000 per acreage for each growing season. After the transforming period, the amount of subsidies can be reduced to NT$20,000 per acreage for each growing season to support the continuation of organic production. Because organic farming has significant positive effects on natural ecosystems and general public health, implementation of environmental services payment program for agricultural production is important for future sustainable agricultural development and natural resources and environment protection.