The Republic of China has a small area of arable land while at the same time, its rapid economic development in recent years has attracted much rural labor to the city. As a result, the two most urgent needs are to reclaim more land and to mechanize farming. An organization contributing much to these twin aims is the Agricultural Machinery Administration, established in 1958 as subordinate unit of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen. The main operations of the Administration include agricultural mechanization, land reclamation, agricultural engineering, and land reclamation projects overseas. For 19 years, it has helped many farmers increase their efficiency and lower their production costs by providing them with machines such as bulldozers, tractors, power tillers and harvesters. In the area of land reclamation, the Administration has turned large areas of wasteland into cultivated fields with the Wanli farm in Hualien and the Tuku farm in Chishan being outstanding examples. All over the island, the Administration has built roads for transportation of produce, constructed dikes, improved irrigation and drainage, and built livestock pens. In addition, the Administration has sent agricultural teams to Africa and Central America to help with, agricultural development of friendly nations.
