Briefing on Extension Education Laboratory

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Goal：

• Integrating research, education, and outreach resources, the Farmers’Academy conducts specialized training for farmers and professional training sessions for domestic and international agricultural technicians. It coordinates and manages research and development outcomes, facilitating the technology transfer of R&D achievements, handling intellectual property rights applications and maintenance, and participating in science and agricultural technology exhibitions.
• The Farmers’Academy also engages in horticultural therapy counseling and promotion, as well as providing guidance for green care in rural community settings. Additionally, it compiles agricultural outreach publications to disseminate knowledge and information to a wider audience.
• Counseling and promotion of horticultural therapy in rural communities in the central Taiwan.
• Editor and publisher of agricultural publications.

Personnel：

3 researchers, 1 technician, 3 assistants.

Facilities and Equipments：

The facilities include one training classroom for participants, 23 dormitory rooms for attendees, one archive room for research and development outcomes, and one exhibition hall for showcasing the history and achievements of the institution.

Ongoing Works：

The primary focus of the research is in the field of social sciences, encompassing knowledge dissemination and counseling implementation for net-zero emissions, research on agricultural social responsibility, guidance on horticultural therapy techniques in rural communities in the central region, research on risk assessment and training effectiveness for Farmers’Academy participants, and the application of Social Return on Investment (SROI) to calculate the benefits of the institution's pro bono outreach efforts.

Future Research Prospect：

This research involves an initial exploration into the social responsibility of farmers in agriculture, Research on the benefits of horticultural therapy for the elderly and special populations, This research investigates the promotion and counseling execution of knowledge related to net-zero emissions, Research and development achievements presentation and industry application.

Recent Research Results：

1. Publishing Taichung's monthly agricultural newsletter, agricultural newsletters, and technical magazines.
    
2. Using horticultural therapy, we have counseled 17 rural communities, green care stations and social welfare organizations, serving more than 3,300 people.
    
3. This research focuses on assessing the training effectiveness of participants in the basic and advanced courses at the Farmers’ Academy, This study examines the risk assessment of Farmers’ Academy participants engaging in farming activities, To establish a competency blueprint for the grape industry and competency standards for farm management specialists, A Study of Young Farmers' Management Skills, This study explores the attitudes and behaviors of agricultural associations and farmers towards agricultural social responsibility, This research evaluates the outcomes of compensated technology transfer and the pro bono promotion of research and development achievements at the institution.
    
4. Technology transfer of research and development achievements. Intellectual property rights application and maintenance matters. Responsible for managing various patent, trademark, variety, and technology transfer cases; strengthening and implementing the protection and application of scientific research and development achievements; establishing operating procedures and document examples for research and development achievements.