Taiwan uses AI to boost Indigenous industry development

台灣利用人工智慧（AI）促進原住民產業發展

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Economic Affairs has utilized AI technology to enhance automation and digital transformation in Indigenous agricultural and cultural sectors, as part of an initiative to promote youth entrepreneurship in local communities.

Speaking at a press conference in Pingtung on Saturday, the ministry highlighted its efforts to support Indigenous communities. Kuo Chao-chung (郭肇中), director of the ministry’s Industrial Technology Department, said that technology is crucial for narrowing the urban–rural development gap, noting the ministry has focused its support on agricultural processing in Indigenous communities, per CNA.

The ministry has established a smart greenhouse to support the cultivation of Golden Hairpin Dendrobium, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, in Pingtung’s Wutai Township. Products made from the plant, including skincare and health supplements, have generated about NT$60 million (US$2 million) in economic value.

In Majia Township, one of the country’s top mango-producing areas, the ministry has helped set up a 10-hectare environmental monitoring and smart irrigation system, boosting output by over 10%. It plans to work with the Agriculture and Food Agency to expand the system nationwide.

In May, the Industrial Technology Research Institute also installed instruments in the township’s mango farms to track environmental and soil conditions. The devices automatically adjust irrigation based on the crops’ needs, cutting water costs by more than 20%.

With the ministry’s support, Majia Township has also added a system to track millet production, increasing yields by 10% and enabling the launch of millet-based food products. The ministry also partnered with Lin Chi-feng (林祺豐), a chef at a Taiwanese restaurant in Kaohsiung, to turn the millet into ready-to-cook meal kits, which are set to launch in Japan in February.

To address the worker shortages and physically demanding labor in mushroom farming, ITRI developed new drilling and mushroom-planting machines to assist Indigenous communities in Hsinchu’s Wufeng Township. Combined with a smart temperature and humidity control system, the technology significantly reduces labor demands and eases the impact of climate change on mushroom growth.

Lastly, the ministry has teamed up with ITRI to offer AR tours through a mobile app for Indigenous community tourism in Taitung, Pingtung, and New Taipei. The program has attracted over 1,000 visitors, helping them learn about Indigenous history and culture.