Fulbright program selects Boise State professor to study agriculture in Taiwan

Pei-Lin Yu's research could assist the indigenous Taiwanese people improve their agricultural methods. 
Pei-Lin Yu's research could assist the indigenous Taiwanese people improve their agricultural methods.  | File photo

Boise State University assistant professor of anthropology Pei-Lin Yu will study in Taiwan for seven months beginning in December through a Fulbright Scholar Research award. 

While in Taiwan, Yu will work alongside employees at the National Taiwan University of Taipei. His research will focus on the indigenous tribes of Paiwan and Amis to better understand the labor necessities for indigenous crops vs. labor needs for industrialized crops, and which crop group is better adapted to the local environment.

Yu and her team suspect that the indigenous crop taro is the best adapted, and is a link to some modern crops. If their hypothesis is true, and other indigenous crops follow suit, the information could assist the indigenous Taiwanese people improve their agricultural methods. 

Yu will present the data to the Taiwan National Museum of Prehistory, academic and government groups, and to the indigenous communities the information could potentially help.