台中梨山地區外來農民的農業活動及生活調適─以宜蘭農民為例

Abstract

台中梨山地區是台灣最負盛名的高冷地農業生產區域，以梨、柿、桃、蘋果等溫帶水果，甘藍、青蒜等高冷蔬菜，及高山茶的種植為主，外來的平地農民為主要農業經營者。本文以農業糧食鍊及生活調適概念，透過參考相關資料、實地觀察、訪談外來農民等方式，了解台中梨山地區農業發展過程、產銷結構特色、及外來農民面臨的挑戰和生活調適情形。 研究發現，台中梨山地區的農業發展，在戰後時期快速發展，主因政府推行山地農業政策及中橫公路的開通。梨山地區平坦的稜面地形及冬季低溫環境，提供高冷地農業栽培的條件，果樹栽培獲利豐，加上原住民對果樹栽培的勞力、資金及技術的需求，1960年代後吸引大量平地漢人湧入，在相關單位陸續核准土地放租的情形下，農業種植面積隨之擴大，成為今日落葉果樹及高冷蔬菜栽培景觀。後續因德基水庫淤積及水土保持考量，政府欲收回超限利用的土地，由於溫帶果樹不被官方承認為造林樹種，「農民土地耕作權」成為梨山地區的一大爭議。 透過農業糧食鍊來探討時，發現梨山地區溫帶水果及高冷蔬菜農業屬於資金、勞力、技術密集型農業，資金和經營初期所需的各項訊息，多由親戚、家人或朋友協助，而能順利進入梨山地區，但是經營所需的生產資材及銷售網絡，則基於業緣的關係，不論在生產資材或銷售等方面，外來農民皆與台中、梨山或中南部地區互動較密切，與原居地宜蘭在互動上反而相當有限。而外來農民在日常生活和人際網絡、宗教信仰等生活層面的調適，則與原居地連結較多。 研究發現，外來農民在「生產面」與梨山及台中地區聯結較多，是由農業活動需要而結成的業緣關係；在「生活面」則與原居地聯結較多，是以血緣關係為主，台中梨山地區外來農民的農業活動呈現生產與生活分離的特色。

Lishan area in Taichung is one of Taiwan's most prestigious cold-upland agricultural areas. The main agricultural produce include temperate fruits, high mountain vegetables, and high mountain tea. Temperate fruits include pears, persimmons, peaches, and apples. High mountain vegetables include cabbage and garlic. The migrant farmers from the plains are the main agricultural operators. The paper is based on the agro-food chain and the concept of living adjustment, along with the relevant data, field observations, and interviews with the migrant farmers to understand the process of agricultural development in Lishan, the marketing characteristics, the challenges faced by these the migrant farmers , and how they adapt themselves to the new life style. The study found that agricultural development in Lishan area was rapid in the postwar period, mainly due to the implementation of agricultural policies in the mountainous region and the opening of Central Cross-Island Highway. The flat ledge terrain in Lishan and the cold in winter provided great cultivation environment for cold-upland agriculture. The abundant profit from selling fruits, coupled with the aboriginal inhabitants’ demand for labor, capital and techniques attracted a large number of Han people into the area after the 1960s. With the continuous leasing approval from the relevant government units, the agricultural acreage was expanding and resulted in today's cultivation landscape. Becauseof the sedimentation in Te-Chi Reservoir and conservation of water and soil later on, the government wanted to recover the overused land. The temperate fruit trees are not officially recognized as the tree species for afforestation. The farming rights of the farmers have become a major controversy in Lishan area ever since. The research based on the agricultural food chain has shown that the high cold temperate fruit and vegetable growing in Lishan is capital-intensive, labor-intensive and technique-intensive. Capital and the required information at the initial stage are usually assisted by relatives, family or friends of the farmers and therefore the business can function well in Lishan area. However, the essential materials for operations and the marketing network require the connections among business partnership. The migrant farmers are closely connected to Taichung, Lishan, or the central or southern regions of Taiwan from the aspects of production, materials, or marketing. The interaction with the farming location, Yilan, is quite limited on the contrary. The migrant farmers are more linked to their farming location when things are related to their daily life, interpersonal networks, religions or other aspects of life. The study has shown that the migrant farmers are more linked to Lishan and Taichung area when it comes to the production. The link is due to the partnership of agricultural activities. On the other hand, they are more linked to their birthplace when it comes to daily life. The link is kinship based. The migrant farmers in Lishan, Taichung have independent agricultural activities on production and daily life .