KATHRIN HILLE: It's harvest time in Chihshang,
in eastern Taiwan.
Cut off by high mountains from the industrialised west
of the island, this valley is known as Taiwan's back garden.
Local farmers work small plots of land, often by hand.
But hidden from view, change is underway.
[? Alting, ?] a startup from Taipei,
is trying to give local rice farmers
a boost by linking their harvest to the web,
using the internet of things, and recording
all the information with blockchain technology.
These sensors measure weather patterns and chemical changes
in the soil, and can also allow consumers to watch,
in real time, how their rice is grown.
[? Alting ?] placed a set of sensors in one
of Wei Jui-ting's fields in July.
Mr Wei is shifting his father's rice fields to organic farming.
He hopes full transparency will give him an advantage.
Blockchain is distributed digital ledger that records
and stores all the information.
It is both open and secure.
And linking Jui-ting's fields to the internet
could achieve much more.
When farmers bring their rice to the local mill,
the grain is hulled, dried, and tested
for moisture, protein content, and potential pesticide
residues.
The increasingly unpredictable climate
has a big impact on these elements.
Chen Cheng-hung, who runs the mill,
believes that the data collected from farmer's fields will help.
Mr Chen says that tiny sensors will change the way farmers
work.
Once that is achieved, the project's backers
believe wild swings in agricultural commodity prices,
created by natural disasters, will be consigned to history.
A stable price, despite an unstable climate.
A benefit to consumers and farmers alike.
[SOUNDS OF RUNNING WATER]