Half-Farmer Half-X Blooms Everywhere: Naoki Shiomi Praises Hualien's Unique Advantages

The term "Half-Farmer Half-X" took root after Mr. Naoki Shiomi published the first Chinese edition of his book in Taiwan in 2007, "The Half-Farmer Half-X Life: Following Nature, Practicing Your Gift," advocating a new lifestyle that pursues partly self-sufficient farming alongside ideal work that makes use of one's talents! This concept speaks to the dream life in many people's hearts, so "Half-Farmer Half-X" has spread like dandelion seeds across Taiwan, taking root everywhere!

The Hualien Branch of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau under the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, together with the College of Environmental Studies at National Dong Hwa University, held a two-day "Hualien Half-Farmer Half-X Symposium" on October 26 and 27 at the National Dong Hwa University campus. They invited Mr. Naoki Shiomi, representative of the Half-Farmer Half-X Research Institute, from Japan to come to Taiwan to share and exchange ideas. Over the two days of proceedings, agricultural volunteer practitioners from all over Taiwan were also invited to share the value of their Half-Farmer Half-X lives. The content was wonderful and rich, attracting nearly 150 participants, with a full house. Students, scholars, new farmers and new immigrants all joined in, showing just how much everyone longs for and yearns after the Half-Farmer Half-X life philosophy!

Naoki Shiomi: Everyone surely has an ”X” beneath their feet, they just have not earnestly tried to discover it

Xiao Hu came to the countryside wanting to recover a grateful heart. He said that wealth in the countryside is not true satisfaction; knowing how to be grateful and to share is true satisfaction. He hopes to accompany children in realizing this. For the agricultural sector, the value created is not money, but the provision of a value of self-realization! Win every match, use the rice paddy to fulfill dreams, and stand on one's own two feet. Fulfill different dreams in different places, generating public benefit. The right things must be given to the right people to do, otherwise they become exploited and then it is not right.

During the comprehensive discussion, participants present also offered their own views and experiences, interacting and exchanging with the people on site. Some young people at the venue raised the question of how to "survive" in the countryside. Mr. Shiomi and the other two speakers responded that one must truly integrate oneself into the countryside, that one's ways of thinking and habits must be like the countryside's, and that one must build relationships and connections with local farmers. As long as you know the right farmers, everyone will come to help you.

Shen Congming, Deputy Branch Chief of the Hualien Branch of the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau under the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, also took part throughout. Hearing deeply moving cases together with the other two speakers let him see a different dawn in agriculture: Half-Farmer Half-X can offer people from different fields the chance to experience agriculture and pursue more self-realization. For the agricultural sector, the value created is not money, but the provision of a value of self-realization!