Yunlin County Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area officially unveiled, spotlighting a new water-centered agritourism attraction

(中央社訊息服務20260508 12:29:30)Yunlin County officially unveiled the “Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area” in Linnei Township at Linnei Station on Jan. 24, marking the establishment of the county’s fourth recreational agricultural area in 19 years. County Magistrate Chang Li-shan (張麗善), Deputy County Magistrate Stacie Chen (陳璧君), Legislator Chang Chia-chun (張嘉郡), Linnei Township Mayor Liu Tzu-yen (劉姿言), Director of the Agriculture Department of the County Government Wei Sheng-te (魏勝德), County Councilors Chen Fang-ying (陳芳盈), Chang Wei-cheng (張維崢), Huang Sheng-chih (黃勝志), Lai Shu-nei (賴淑娞), Linnei Township representative Hsu Lin Yu-chin (許林玉琴), Chairman of the Linnei Township Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Development Association Paiyang Madiklaan (百漾‧馬地克拉安), General Manager of the Linnei Township Farmers' Association Huang Kuo-chou (黃國洲), Section Chief of the Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture Shih Mei-Chin (施美琴), Chairman of the Yunlin Leisure Farming Development Association Ho Yu-nan (何鈺男), Chairman of the Yunlin County Leisure Association, Taiwan Leisure Agriculture Association Professor Lin Ming-chang (林銘昌), as well as local representatives, community representatives, and industry partners attended the event to witness the official launch of Yunlin County’s newest leisure agriculture area, which features water culture, ecological environment, and local agriculture as its core characteristics.

County Magistrate Chang stated that the Linnei Township Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area has been undergoing planning and development by the county government since 2020. The initiative involves years of data collection, site integration, interdepartmental coordination, and review by the central government, reflecting the complexity and challenges involved throughout the process. Through the joint efforts of local industry organizations and the continued support and assistance of the county government team, the area has progressively integrated its agricultural, ecological, and water-related resources while building upon its existing foundations and development achievements.

County Magistrate Chang added that the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area spans more than 562 hectares across the four villages of Wutu, Chong Sing, Linbei, and Linzhong. She emphasized that the successful designation of the area as a leisure agriculture area was made possible through the strong consensus and active participation of local residents and community organizations. Returning young farmers, local farmers, or community organizations have worked closely with the county government, which has served as a reliable partner and support system for the community, helping transform local ideas and resources into sustainable and long-term industrial development. Looking ahead, the county government will continue to support the area in advancing its water-centered agritourism through policy guidance, resource investment, and integrated marketing efforts. The goal is to bring greater visibility to Linnei’s agriculture, ecology, and local culture, promote the development of recreational agriculture in the plains, and achieve long-term, stable regional development.

Legislator Chang Chia-chun (張嘉郡) stated that the establishment of the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area marks not only an important milestone, but also the beginning of long-term commitment to integrating rural life in Linnei Township with industry and economic development, creating a sustainable cycle for a better quality of life. She hopes that more visitors from across Taiwan will come to Linnei and the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area to experience its best scenic waterways, ecological environment, and premium agricultural products.

Agriculture Director Wei Sheng-te (魏勝德) noted that Linnei, situated on the alluvial plain of the Zhuoshui River, is rich in irrigation infrastructure, water culture, and agricultural resources, making it an important base for the development of plain-based leisure agriculture in Yunlin. He stated that the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area has been developed around the core themes of “Tracing the Source of Zhuoshui, Shared Prosperity and Sustainable Living.” By integrating water resources, ecological conservation, food and agriculture education, and rural culture, the area highlights the coexistence of agriculture and life in Linnei while establishing a new brand identity for Yunlin's leisure agriculture sector.

Director Wei further explained that the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area Tourist Service Center, located at Linnei Station, will provide comprehensive visitor services, such as travel information, tour itineraries, experiential activities, guided tour services, transportation, and route guidance, as well as information on local agricultural specialties and souvenirs. It will also serve as an important hub connecting various agricultural tourism sites and communities within the area, helping visitors gain a deeper understanding of the unique attractions of the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area, while enhancing the overall quality of visitor reception services and creating a friendly, convenient, and recognizable gateway for agritourism experiences.

Chairman of the Linnei Township Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Development Association Paiyang Madiklaan (百漾‧馬地克拉安) said that the establishment of the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area brings together four villages in Linnei and more than 30 businesses, representing the tangible outcome of years of communication, consensus building, and joint efforts among local farmers, young farmers, community organizations, and the public sector. In recent years, the association has actively integrated the hydrological resources of the Zhuoshui River, irrigation systems, ecological habitats, and local agricultural resources into a diverse range of themed tours and experiential activities. These include itineraries featuring irrigation canals and ecological observation, farming experiences and food and agriculture education programs, as well as farm-to-table dining and agricultural processing experiences centered on local specialty products such as taro, rice, papaya and pineapple. Combined with ecological highlights such as the migration of purple crow butterflies and the habitats of the Fairy Pitta, the association has developed seasonal agritourism itineraries throughout the year, gradually shaping the distinctive agritourism identity of the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area.

He further pointed out that the association has continued to enhance the visibility and recognition of the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area through themed events, market fairs, social media marketing and cross-regional collaborations, while putting into practice the development vision of "using Linnei's water to showcase the beauty of Linnei," introducing more visitors to Linnei’s water-centered rural lifestyle. He added that the association will continue to encourage residents to participate in guided tours interpretation, tour operations, experiential activities, agricultural product processing and marketing, with the aim of creating stable local employment opportunities and enabling local talents to remain in and serve their hometown.

County Magistrate Chang expressed hope that, through industrial development, talent cultivation, and brand management, the Water Dance Leisure Agriculture Area will steadily develop into a sustainable agriculture model that balances industrial development, environmental sustainability, and diversified employment opportunities.