2024-03-17 22:00:00
Quasi-phytotherapist Wu Zhien inspects the growth of tomatoes. From the leaves and fruits, he can detect whether the tomato plants are sick or infested, and can restore their health through appropriate medication. (Photo/Provided by Wu Zhien)
In order to accurately and effectively use pesticides and maintain the safety of consumers’ consumption of fruits and vegetables, the Ministry of Agriculture (formerly the Council of Agriculture) has promoted the “Plant Physician Law” over the years, hoping to use plant doctors to diagnose pests and diseases and propose correct pest control measures. However, due to the legislative process being affected by various Due to the constraints, unlicensed “phytophysicians” do not live up to their name. They shuttle around the fields to solve diseases for farmers, but are unable to face their own future and can only leave their jobs sadly.
In 2017, the Committee of Agriculture began to establish botanical teaching hospitals at four universities including National Taiwan University, National Chung Hsing University, Chiayi University and Pingtung University of Science and Technology to cultivate a reserve of botanical doctors. The number will reach a peak of 104 people in 2021. However, the “Botanical Physician Act” was later enacted. The breakthrough failed. According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s latest questionnaire return statistics in 2023, there are currently only 65 “online” personnel who have returned to teaching hospitals, and the rest have left the industry.
Ms. She also moved towards agriculture, successfully graduated from the Department of Entomology of the National University, and joined the laboratory of the emerging institution “Agricultural Teaching Hospital”.
She said that her 6 years of service experience and academic qualifications at the Agricultural Teaching Hospital met the standards, but she has not been able to wait for the legal basis and obtain the certificate. “I am already 30 years old and have no time to wait any longer.” She left the teaching hospital last year and prepared to Invest in pharmaceutical research and development work.
It is understood that Taiwan has been promoting the legislation of the “Botanical Physician Act” for more than 10 years. The law was passed in the first reading of the Legislative Yuan in 2023, and finally stalled in the second reading process. The reason for this is that the inclusion of “Botanical Physician” in the name of the bill was strongly protested by the Medical Doctors Association. Although the Ministry of Agriculture compromised and revised the name of the bill to the “Plant Therapist Law”, the draft is expected to be passed by the end of 2023. However, with the adjournment of the 10th Legislative Yuan and the new members of the 11th Legislative Yuan, “the terms are not consecutive”, the filing of the case may be far away.
In July 2023, when the rice fields in Taoyuan Park were about to be harvested, a herbicide manufacturer accidentally sprayed herbicides on privately owned rice fields, affecting the quality of the rice. Taoyuan City Councilor You Wuhe was on site to inquire about the farmers’ understanding of the situation. (Photo/Provided by You Wuhe)
Zhong Wenxin, a professor at the Department of Phytopathology at National Chung Hsing University, explained that the concept of the “Plant Physician Act” originated from Japan. It first referred to a treatment method, which usually refers to the use of the medicinal value of plants to treat diseases or symptoms. In Taiwan, the Ministry of Agriculture has hoped for many years to achieve a “zero pesticide” agricultural ecology by 2050. This requires the cooperation of a role similar to that of botanical doctors to assist farmers in comprehensively solving agricultural losses. Involves using the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds of plants to make pharmaceuticals or extracts, which can then be used for internal or external applications. In the past, it has been used in agricultural pests such as tomato spinner moth, desert migratory locust, and stag army insect. , botanical doctors also provided assistance to accompany farmers through agricultural disasters.
Zhong Wenxin explained that there may be three reasons why the bill has been stalled for many years: First, industry players are worried that once the “Plant Therapist Law” is passed, pesticide sellers may lose their right to “actively sell” and thus be completely controlled by others. “A lifetime’s work will be lost.” “. Second, the name “physician” for plants has been strongly opposed by the medical community in the past because it may cause confusion. Thirdly, and finally, the business of plant physician may be confused with the trained horticultural technician or agronomic technician.
The use of organic pesticides is also an important part of the promotion work of plant therapists. Among them, the native black fungus has been tested in the field and confirmed to have the potential to control rice black stink bug. The lower right part of the picture shows the body of the black stink bug that died after being infected by black fungus. (Photo/Provided by Taitung Agricultural Reform Center)
Zhong Wenxin further stated that in fact, these three points have been gradually resolved. First of all, regarding the name, the plant therapists did not care about the name. They only wanted to communicate smoothly with the farmers and truly take care of their crops. Therefore, the name quickly reached a consensus. Second, many pesticide dealers have contacted him and expressed their high willingness to pursue further studies and obtain certification, so legalization is not a problem. Third, practitioners in agriculture and forestry have gradually developed a consensus on terminology. For example, “arborist” refers to professionals who plant, manage and study trees; “horticultural therapist” uses plants to heal human patients. Both of them only need to obtain certification qualifications through study. However, people who treat plant diseases, “phytophysicians (therapists)”, are required to obtain professional licenses through national examinations after legislation, so they are different from the first two.
Zhong Wenxin reminded that in the process of tutoring in rural areas, there are more pesticide dealers (banks) than convenience stores. Compared with the symbiotic relationship between farmers and pesticide dealers, the biggest challenge for plant therapists is to interact with farmers. In addition to having to understand the local crops In addition to showing the symptoms of diseases, they also have to roll up their pants and go into the farmland, and explain the pathology to the farmers in Hokkien and Hakka. How to build a trusting relationship with farmers is often a challenge outside of the plant disease profession.
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