Bringing Back a Lost Grain: Taitung, Part 3 | TaiwanPlus News

For decades, it was missing from fields, kitchens and memory. But now, an Indigenous grain once thought lost is making a quiet return in eastern Taiwan.

In part three of our five-part series “Where’s the Taitung County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan travels to rural Taitung to meet Indigenous farmers who are reviving Taiwan oil millet, an endemic crop that disappeared from farms for more than 60 years.

In the foothills of Yanping Township, a father-and-son team from the Bunun community began with just a handful of seeds. What followed was years of trial and error — and a rediscovery of a crop that once sustained generations. As they worked the land, elders recognized the grain by its Bunun name, reconnecting it to a language and culture nearly left behind.

Resilient to drought, pests, and extreme weather, Taiwan oil millet is now drawing attention as both a cultural treasure and a climate-smart food for the future. From steamed buns to porridge, it’s slowly finding its way back to the table — and back into the story of Taitung.

WATCH other episodes of Andrew Ryan’s journey through Taitung County in our series playlist for "Where’s the County Chief Taking Us?” https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu5MSnfNvpMb3ZFYxt5_eJfl9tPzPRywj&si=sNf234QSf4h5C1QN

[Taiwan’s Mayors and County Chiefs]
Taiwan is home to 13 county chiefs, six mayors of special municipalities (New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung) and three mayors of provincial cities. These elected officials serve a maximum four-year term and can be re-elected for one additional term. The first episodes of the series aired prior to the local elections in 2022.