Tucheng Ammunition Depot Welcomes Visit from International Promoters of Friendly Agriculture

Lead photo/ From left: Liu Lilan of Tucheng Ammunition Depot, Dorji Wangchhuk of Bhutan, Daycha Sirpatra, the Rice God of Thailand, Wu Dongjie of Green Front, and Elizabeth Henderson, a promoter of CSA in the United States, gathered with local farming friends at Tucheng Ammunition Depot.

On a drizzly early October afternoon, several friends from abroad appeared at Tucheng MRT Station, waiting to go together to Tucheng Ammunition Depot. Dorji Wangchhuk appeared on the streets of Taipei in traditional GHO clothing, drawing many sideways glances; before long, Elizabeth Henderson, an important promoter of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in the United States, had also arrived at the MRT station.

Organized by the Green Front Association, Zengwen Community University, and the Qiupu Foundation, "Small Farmers, Organic: The Agriculture of the Future - Rice God, US CSA, Bhutanese Agriculture" invited several key international figures who promote organic agriculture and develop community-supported agriculture to spend 10 days traveling across the whole island of Taiwan, China, visiting farmers and farmland. That day's destination was Tucheng Ammunition Depot, to visit the community-based agriculture that the Love Green Alliance has been working on.

A few of us set out first, strolling ahead toward the stronghold of the Love Green Alliance at the Tucheng guard post. The farmers of Tucheng Ammunition Depot face land expropriation issues; residents are fighting hard to preserve the central park of Taipei County, defending their pond-side family home of five generations, and striving to protect this "Tucheng Green Gem" rich in ecology. After more than three years of struggle, the farmers of Tucheng Ammunition Depot finally have the Ammunition Depot Cooperative, taking their first step toward producing and selling their own goods.

Soon after entering the ammunition depot guard post, alliance member Liao Chongxian rode up on a motorcycle to welcome our group. He parked the motorcycle and became our guide, explaining the farmland and natural scenery along the way to Henderson.