In promoting the winged bean, a crop grown by the indigenous people of Taitung, The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (TTDARES) of the Council of Agriculture held the “Winged Bean Demonstration Event” on January 11 in the fields of a young farmer named Liao Jia-zhu. Over 100 people attended the event. In addition to farmers, representatives from the office of legislator Liu Zhao-hao, the Taitung branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency, the Taitung County Government, and Farmers’ Associations all over Taitung were present. Besides introducing the winged bean including its features, cultivation, and indicators of when pods may be harvested, the achievements of the TTDARES in offering guidance to young local farmers growing special crops were also shared.

TTDARES Director Chen Hsin-yen stated that winged beans, also known as Goa beans, four-angled beans, and fadas (in the Amis language) are a common legume eaten by people of the Amis tribe. The TTDARES has spent years researching winged beans and over time has established techniques to grow them large quantities, seed preservation techniques, information on their nutrients, and indicators on when they can be harvested. Such accomplishments have not only aided in the economized large-scale production of winged beans, but through the discovery indicators on the correct timing of harvesting, the problems of consistency in quality and poor texture/taste have been resolved. So as to make practical use of the years of research and development by the TTDARES in the Taitung agricultural industry and to promote special crops in general, Liao Jia-zhu’s farmland, where high-quality winged beans are being produced with the guidance of the TTDARES, was chosen as the site of the event. To date, a number of companies have been steadily ordering from the crops grown by farmers receiving guidance from the TTDARES. In the future, a direct-purchase platform will be established for big-name chain supermarkets so that consumers may purchase and enjoy the purity of fresh produce grown in Taitung.

In addition to assistant researcher Hsueh Ming-tung explaining how a simple canopy frame is used in the cultivation of winged beans along with related techniques, production flow, and harvesting indicators, Liao Jia-zhu shared about his winged bean cultivation experiences. Through the on-site observation, exchanges, and explanations, those present learned a lot and also offered a number of suggestions, allowing all present to gain a clearer understanding on the cultivation of winged beans and their development potential for the future.