The NPUST International Service Center for Irrigation R&D has developed a “System of Probiotic and Rice Intensification” (SPRI), which can reduce irrigation water usage by 30% when compared with conventional farming methods. As part of their method, probiotics are added to the field to diversify the microorganisms in the soil, make the environment healthier, and reduce fertilization frequency—and thereby reduce personnel costs. It not only saves water, fertilizer, chemicals, and manpower, the results of the research show that when this method is used to cultivate one hectare of land, it can reduce carbon emissions by about 5.3 metric tons. This “low-carbon rice” was recognized by Uni-President Enterprises Corporation’s 7-ELEVEN, which is now cooperating with the team from NPUST to launch the first “low-carbon rice balls”, based on recipes for two popular rice ball products (Hai Rei Foods Korean Fried Rice Ball and Shin-An Farm Soft Boiled Egg Rice Ball). The new campaign was launched on April 19th at limited 7-ELEVEN outlets in Taiwan.

In the fourth holding of the Global Views Magazine “University Social Responsibility (USR) Evaluation”, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology once again lived up to its ‘Green’ reputation, earning the top prize for the newly added ‘Outstanding Projects’ category in the Green Campus Group. Adding to this, Professor Yi-Lun Tsai of the NPUST Veterinary Transfusion Medicine Center won the ‘Model Award’ for her project, “Guarding Warm-Blooded Warriors and the Happiness of Pets”, which was submitted under Welfare and Symbiosis Group.

The NPUST International Service Center for Irrigation R&D and its Taiwan Sustainability Hub shared the university’s latest achievements in the Sustainable Development & Net Zero Innovation Pavilion of the Kaohsiung Smart City & IoT Exhibition from March 30th to April 1st, 2023. The team from NPUST was represented by university vice-president, Chao-Lin Tuan, during the opening ceremony of the event while the International Service Center for Irrigation R&D was headed up by distinguished research fellow, Yu-min Wang, who exhibited their “Innovative and Sustainable Intensive Rice Cultivation and Precision Irrigation Farming Production Method”, “Sustainable and Innovative Organic Fertilizer and Probiotics Carbon Storage Farming Method”, and “Sustainable Carbon Reduction and Innovative Intelligent ICT Rice Precision Production Farming Method”—topics which are closely connected to issues capturing world-wide attention.

Global Warming anomalies and fears that a 1.5°C increase in global temperatures may impact food production or cause species extinction, has incited a major response. National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), which is known for excellence agricultural science and technology is actively cooperating with the Taiwan Sustainability Hub (TSH) in order to promote sustainability goals. On February 14th, at the NPUST Big Data Center, a plaque unveiling for the “TSH@NPUST 1.5 Degree Food and Consumption Transformation Sustainability Hub” was held together with a “Vision Forum”. The forum put into focus the nexus between water resources and food (WF Nexus), as researchers discussed new models of carbon reduction and regenerative agricultural production, as well as issues related to green consumption. The overall goal will be to conduct a series of forums which will help reshape food production and consumption systems and keep them in balance with the ecosystem. For the plaque unveiling ceremony, which was hosted by Deputy Minister Minn-Tsong Lin of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang, a number of related VIPs, including NSTC Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Development Director Meng-Fan Luo, NSTC Department of Life Sciences Director Yang Tai-horng, Taiwan Sustainability Hub convener Hsing-Sheng Tai, and head of the NPUST Sustainability Hub, Herlin Chien, were invited to jointly do the honors.

O-TA Precision Industry Co., Ltd. has donated 5 carbon fiber bicycles and NT$ 600,000 to National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) to be use for educational development. A ceremony was held on December 30th, 2022 to recognize the donation, with NPUST President Chin-Lung Chang, O-TA chairman Kung-Wen Li and a many university representatives present to witness the occasion.

Following several years of set-backs due Covid restrictions, the University Network for Tropical Agriculture (UNTA) has resumed business as usual. This year, the annual members’ meeting was hosted in Thailand on December 6th by founding-member, Maejo University. At the gathering, representatives of 12 member universities in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan addressed the theme of “Driving Economy for BCG Model: A Road to Sustainable Growth in High Value Products and Smart Agriculture”.