Professor Ke-Chung Peng of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) has been honored with the Ministry of Agriculture’s “31st Outstanding Agricultural Education and Extension Personnel Award.” This recognition affirms his long-term dedication to agricultural education, academic research, and extension services, as well as his exceptional performance in agricultural talent cultivation, industry-academia collaboration, local industrial development, and agricultural policy application. Over the years, Professor Peng has committed himself to bridging academic research and agricultural practice, translating professional expertise into concrete outcomes for industrial development and local innovation.
To commend outstanding entities and extension personnel who have long cultivated agricultural and fishery extension, served farmers and fishermen, and promoted the development of rural villages, the Ministry of Agriculture recently held the awards ceremony for the “4th Golden Farmers’ Service Awards and the 31st Outstanding Agricultural Education and Extension Personnel Award.” The later aims to recognize exemplary model individuals and teams from agricultural and fishery associations. This year, a total of 22 outstanding extension talents from academic institutions, farmers’ associations, and the Ministry of Agriculture’s research institutes participated in the selection, with only three winners ultimately standing out. Professor Peng was among them, demonstrating his professional achievements in long-term agricultural education and extension work.
Having previously received the “49th National Ten Outstanding Agricultural Experts” award, Professor Ke-Chung Peng has a strong reputation for his dedication to agricultural education, research, and extension. He possesses a combination of policy vision, educational passion, and industrial practical capability, making exceptional contributions in talent cultivation, extension services, research application, and regional networking.
In talent cultivation, Professor Peng spearheaded the reinstatement of NPUST’s Department of Agribusiness Management, modernizing its curriculum around farm management, leisure agriculture, and agricultural trade. He also established the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Technological Agriculture, creating a government-sponsored, cross-disciplinary model that integrates smart farms, internships, and startup counseling to train next-generation young farmers.
Since 2016, as Director of NPUST’s Continuing Education Center, Professor Peng has expanded agricultural extension by promoting professional training, food and agriculture education, and senior learning. By pooling resources across government, academic, and private sectors, he built a tripartite “School—Industry—Society” co-prosperity model.
Scholarly, Professor Peng has published over a hundred Chinese and English papers utilizing efficiency analysis, econometric models, and consumer behavior studies to guide policy and market decisions. He translates these findings into local industry applications, helping farmers’ associations drive product innovation, friendly farming, and net-zero initiatives.
NPUST proudly celebrates Professor Peng’s achievement, reaffirming its commitment to leveraging agricultural technology and cross-disciplinary integration to cultivate top-tier agricultural talent and drive Taiwan’s sustainable development.
