Promoting the sustainable development of the agriculture and fisheries industry (2015/01/29)

President, years ago, the agriculture and fisheries industry played an important role in Hong Kong's food supply, performing a most significant function in Hong Kong people's daily life. Subsequent to the changing needs for economic development, increase in labour costs and scarcity of land resources, Hong Kong's food supply became mainly reliant on import. The agriculture and fisheries industry thus gradually declined. From 1995 to 2013, the self-sufficiency rate of vegetables in Hong Kong dropped from 17% to 2%, while that of marine fish dropped from 71% to 36%. It is undeniable that some stakeholders in the agriculture and fisheries industry have to face the problem of transformation. In fact, not only Hong Kong but also many other countries and regions, for example, Japan and Taiwan, have long since faced the same problem. They have tried different methods, including the adoption of new and advanced technologies to enhance the quantity and quality of agricultural and fishery products, exploring high value-added by-products and developing eco-tourism and leisure agriculture and fisheries. Many of these measures are worthy reference for us.

On the mention of eco-tourism, village tours and leisure agriculture and fisheries, Hong Kong people will first think of Taiwan. When people travel to Taiwan, many of them will especially go to leisure farms to stay over in homestay lodgings, pick vegetables and fruits, watch animals with children, go to fishing ports to watch the sunset, taste freshly captured seafood, and go out to the sea for whale watching. The places they can go and things they can do are countless. When they leave, they will also buy a lot of local agricultural and fishery products as souvenirs. The transformation of Taiwan's agriculture and fisheries industry started relatively early. The reason was that after the oil crisis in 1974, the Taiwan Government conducted extensive infrastructural works which occupied a vast area of land. As a result of this, a large number of farmers in the villages were forced to transform their operation as a way out. Some farmers moved to the city and lived there, while some continued to engage in farming. To increase their income, they actively explored the cultivation of crops with high production value and processing of agricultural produces. Some even integrated their operation with tourism and developed leisure farming. After several decades, leisure farming has become a rather mature and stable form of travel in Taiwan, constituting a complete industrial chain combining dining, accommodation, transport, sightseeing and shopping. The high regard and support of the authorities are indispensable to the successful transformation of leisure farming in Taiwan. The Taiwan authorities have shown their high regard right from the Government's co-ordination and participation in planning, formulating consistent policies on leisure farming and village tours, allocation of funds, approaches of publicity, and so on. Certified leisure farms enjoy a number of privileges in operation. Besides, the construction of relevant supporting facilities, including slip roads connecting trunk roads to the farms, as well as power and water supply connection works, is funded by the Government. 

In respect of the transformation of the fisheries industry, since 1998 the Taiwan Fisheries Agency has developed supporting facilities for leisure tourism in fishing ports such as Keelung, including yacht piers and fisherman's wharves that offer boat tours and fishing activities, and relevant tourist facilities such as seafood squares, waterfront parks and children's playgrounds. The authorities also attach great importance to publicity and promotion. To enable tourists from inside and outside Taiwan to gain an early grasp of the relevant tourist information, apart from recommending major tour products to different groups of visitors through various types of media, the authorities also encourage the tourism sector to incorporate the products into the strongly recommended tour routes. Moreover, dedicated websites have been set up to display information related to leisure agriculture and fisheries. The support from government policies has directly propelled the development of Taiwan's leisure agriculture and fisheries industry.

Back to Hong Kong. Our resources for eco-tourism and leisure farms are by no means inferior. In the New Territories, there are some 120 leisure farms. Many leisure farms are located near country parks, cycling tracks and historical monuments, so it is convenient to string together activities with special characteristics in a single tour route. Not only do we have marine resources and ocean views but also a world-class Geopark in the New Territories. However, with little importance attached by the Government, the scale of leisure farms and leisure fisheries is currently very small. Being run only on a shoestring and lacking packaging and publicity, the relevant undertakings can hardly create any selling point. Nor is it easy to establish its own brand name in the field of tourism. Drawing reference from the experience in Taiwan, I think a feasible way to transform the agriculture and fisheries industry is to start with tourism. First of all, there must be resources. For example, as the Government set up the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund of $500 million last year, consideration can be given to setting up a similar agricultural fund for stakeholders to make applications. It is only with financial support that there will be a basis for the transformation of the agriculture and fisheries industry. In addition, a policy that supports those intent on transforming their operation is necessary. The Government should set up a co-ordinating department responsible for inter-departmental collaboration in jointly planning the development of the leisure agriculture and fisheries industry, as well as improving and enhancing the relevant tourism support facilities, such as link roads, additional parking spaces, waterfront promenades, seafood markets, piers and fishing ports.

Lastly, the authorities need to organize communication between the tourism sector (including the Hong Kong Tourism Board) and members of the agriculture and fisheries industry who have succeeded in transforming their operation to explore the modes of co-operation; plan and compile itineraries with special characteristics that can attract visitors at different levels; and organize joint external publicity and promotion drives. Moreover, drawing reference from the successful approach of the Wine and Dine Festival, we can organize a Hong Kong agricultural and fisheries products festival and hold festive activities with agriculture and fisheries as the main theme every year, with a view to promoting local agricultural and fisheries products and enhancing the appeal of tours to Hong Kong.

With these remarks, I support the original motion.