DATA SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURAL POLICY ANALYSIS IN TAIWAN

Taiwan's agricultural policy has been changed through time during the last three decades in accordance with the course of economic development. In the late 40's and early 50's, agriculture was the principal industry in this country. In order to facilitate economic development, agriculture must provide some surplus. For this purpose, farmers' incentive for production should be raised. It could be done only through the way that farmers would have their own land. Therefore, the land reform programs became the main scheme of agriculture policy in this period. After farmers had their major means of production, other related conditions should be also improved for increasing production. Hence, in the period of 1953-70, the focus of agricultural policy was moved to the increase of farm production.