Post-disaster reconstruction of Hualien Ma Tai'an tribe started planting 2,500 Moringa trees to create a spiritual restoration base

Shovel Superman is back, this time not shoveling mud to rescue disasters, but planting hope. The overflow of the Matai'an barrier lake in Hualien will be celebrating its first anniversary. Although the area is gradually being rebuilt, large areas of farmland are still covered by sediment, and residents are also under pressure from losing their land and livelihoods. Flowers Tree Bank of Dachun Township, Changhua County, has joined hands with tribes and civil society groups to launch the "Ma Tai'an Resilient Agriculture Start-up" project. It is expected to plant 2,500 Moringa trees to create a spiritual recovery base to accompany residents out of the post-disaster haze.

In order to assist the Matai'an Tribe in post-disaster reconstruction, the Matai'an Tribe Ecological Culture Industry Development Association joined hands with Taiwan Moringa Industry Promotion Association, Huashu Bank, International Medical Science Research Foundation, Great Wisdom Agricultural Exchange Association and other relevant groups six months ago to plan. They attended a meeting of tribal elders at the Guangfu Township Office to explain the plan and received enthusiastic responses from the leaders and elders. Today (22nd), everyone went to the spiritual restoration base to hold an opening ceremony and jointly planted the first batch of Moringa seedlings, symbolizing the re-germination of the damaged land.

Guo Junyin, founder of Huashu Bank, said that after the disaster, some residents lost their farmland and financial resources and suffered from long-term psychological pressure. Although the government proposed measures such as afforestation, it was difficult to meet the expectations of the tribesmen to "witness the rapid recovery of the land."

Guo Junyin pointed out that the local area lacks irrigation water resources, but Moringa is drought-resistant, fast-growing and has strong vitality. Its leaves are edible and have high nutritional value. It has both industrial development and green healing functions, so it is promoted as a plant. He also said that in the future, the Moringa processing and industrial chain can also be gradually established through the public adoption model, allowing residents to regain their focus in life while taking care of the trees and "plant back" the lost land.

Cai Yichang, the chief reconstruction officer of Mataian, said that this project is not to conquer nature, but to relearn to live with the land. He hopes to restore the vitality of the land, rebuild residents' livelihoods and regain the confidence and future of the tribe through resilient agriculture.