竹田鄉從生產稻米的主產地，約莫三十幾年的光景，就因國家農業政策的易弦，變成為全國檳榔種植面積比例最高的鄉鎮，檳榔的產值成為鄉親每年很重要的經濟收入來源。近年來政府相關單位大力宣導三不政策（不禁止、不鼓勵、不輔導）及吃檳榔對健康有負面影響，檳榔價格已不如往昔，影響到竹田鄉農民的生計，面對政策不管、農村老化、土地疲倦、生產成本等問題，農民廢園轉作的意願，普遍還是保留觀望的態度。本文首先探討竹田鄉檳榔產業的發展歷程，主要採用深度訪談法，輔以參與觀察和相關文獻資料來進行資料蒐集，從竹田鄉的種植檳榔戶、檳榔「行口」、檳榔攤等業者的角度，分析竹田鄉檳榔產業由盛至衰的境況，以期掌握產業調整及轉型困境，再訪談公部門與社區協會，探討地方推動檳榔文化產業及開發附加價值，期能提出未來檳榔產業因應的策略。研究結果顯示，臺灣社會持續都有「反檳榔」的氣氛，政府努力推動廢園、轉作等措施後，竹田鄉檳榔種植面積，也從高峰的1,371公頃，減少到859公頃，仍是鄉內第一大農作物，佔耕作面積35.2%，由於檳榔轉作面臨產銷與管理的問題，因此竹田鄉正推動檳榔產業朝向綠色轉型，透過與客家文化的結合，辦理檳榔花卉活動，生產文創與環保的檳榔扇，研發檳榔美食，導入客家意象於整體綠色休閒農業區環境，加強觀光遊憩資源整合行銷等，使檳榔產業拓展應用領域、範圍，朝產業觀光化、休閒產業、知識產業來發展，以利檳榔文化延續、檳榔景觀再生。

Pingtung County was once home to the largest sum of betel nut farmlands in Taiwan. In the middle of Pingtung Plain, with the right soil and climate, Jutian Township is suitable for growing betel nut palms, which was once the major income for residents of the township. The purpose of this study is to understand the challenges [faced by betel nut farming and tourist resources in Jutian Township] by investigating the decline of betel nut farming in Jutian from the perspectives of betel nut farmers, betel nut wholesalers, and betel nut retailers. This study suggests that the betel nut farming industry must form cross-industry alliances, develop micro-enterprises, enhance product development and upgrades, establish brand identity, and integrate betel nut farming with tourism to expand its applications of betel nut farming, transforming it into an industry of tourism, recreation, and knowledge, so that the culture of betel nuts can continue, and betel nut farming landscapes can be revitalized.