從茶農需要面探討茶業創新技術採用之研究

Abstract

近三十年來茶業改良場已推廣約十七種茶業創新技術，為讓更多茶農願意採用及主動學習更多創新技術，從茶農需要面探討茶業創新技術採用，應是茶業相關輔導單位亟需重視及完善解決的課題。本研究的目的有三項：(1) 彙整及分析茶改場近30年來研發推廣之茶業創新技術類別及其對茶業發展之影響；(2) 探討茶改場研究人員及茶農對茶業創新技術需要的互動狀況、採用新技術後對茶農茶業經營之影響及因應狀況等；(3) 根據研究結果提出茶業創新技術的傳播狀況、有利及障礙因素、與相關建議等。 本研究並用量化分析及質化分析方法，獲致七項結論，分述如下： 一、茶農對『製造高品質茶葉』相關技術及資訊之需求最高。 二、茶農認為「可以節省成本或提高茶葉品質、能夠解決他們的問題、可以擴展茶知識與技能的創新技術」才是最符合他們需要的。 三、研究單位在對茶農介紹或推廣創新技術服務時，內容不應侷限在創新技術，亦應包含有關市場行銷管理方面的資訊或知識。 四、茶農已能明白判斷是否採用農政單位所推廣的茶業創新技術，並在採用修正後伺機轉告相關單位研究人員或其他茶農。 五、茶農採用新技術的過程符合一定的經濟規律，即在利潤最大化的前提下選擇先進適用的農業技術。 六、茶改場研究人員應隨時多瞭解茶農需要或亟待解決的問題，主動關切這些問題是否已解決，才能讓茶農更願意採用農政單位推廣的創新技術。 七、爾後茶改場在實施試驗研究計畫時，應採用「農民參與式創新」理論基礎，重視茶農已在使用的本土知識及慎重考量茶農的參與。

In the past 30 years the Tea Research & Extension Station (TRES) has developed processes of innovative technologies of tea growing & manufacturing. The wide adoption of the technologies based on tea farmers’ need remains the responsibilities and challenges of the agency. The objectives of this study are: (1) to compile and analyze the development of technologies by TRES and the impact on the tea industry; (2) to examine the interaction between innovation and the demand for the new technologies by the tea farmers, and the result of the use of the new practices; and (3) to propose better communication for promoting the techniques by identifying the barriers and more effective methods of reaching out to the tea farmers. This study utilizes combined quantitative and qualitative analysis to reach the following conclusions. 1. Tea farmers tend to show the highest demand for the technologies and information related to products of high quality. 2. Tea farmers’ most urgent needs are lower cost or improved quality, solving problems they face with production, and enhancement of knowledge and skills. 3. While the research institutes introduce or endorse new technologies, they should expand their activities to include marketing and information technology in the tea business. 4. Tea farmers are capable of making decisions of implementing the new technologies developed by agricultural service agencies. They also provide feedback to the organizations involved and to other tea farmers for improvement. 5. Tea farmers adopting the new technologies have sufficient knowledge in economics to select the ones that will maximize the profits. 6. The TRES’s researchers should actively engage tea farmers to understand what they need and what problems they face on a regular basis and follow up to track progress. Then the farmers will be more willing to try the new technologies. 7. The future research project conducted by TRES should involve the farmers proactively because they have the first-hand knowledge and stake in using the new technologies.