Tags：Food and AgricultureChubu

A board meeting of the MOA Nature Farming and Culture Foundation (president Masanori Sugimoto) was held on February 18 at the MOA Zuiun Hall in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture to expand the area of organic farming and create an organic village. They discussed the further promotion of the Green Food System Strategy Act, which was included in the plan.

 

 

First, Mr. Natsuto Sato, Director of Agricultural Environment Policy Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, gave a lecture titled “Future Promotion Strategy of the Green Food System Strategy and Development of Sustainable Agriculture.” After confirming the situation that pest control is becoming more difficult due to the emergence of bacteria that have an increased resistance to chemicals, and climate change such as global warming is causing deterioration in the quality of agricultural products and intensification of disasters, he gave an overview of the system strategy. He explained the examples of works at agricultural sites to reduce chemical fertilizers and control greenhouse gas emissions, examples of works by prefectures based on the Green Food System Strategy and the status of organic villages.

 

Afterwards, the gathered directors reported on their own works. Hitomi Hiraki, representative of the Tottori Zuisen Producer’s Association, began using natural farming to protect her family’s health after her father-in-law’s illness. Mr. Kazuya Itagaki, of Sakae Fuyukai in Niigata Prefecture, introduced the successful results of cultivating rice using ridge plowing, which is unfamiliar on the Sea of Japan side of the country. Yoshifumi Tasaka (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) Agriculture, Environment and Health Research Institute, Nature Farming College Principal, works together with educational institutions in Shizuoka Prefecture to spread and expand organic farming and develop human resources while working to build a network. Chieko Higuchi, of the Gunma Prefectural Takasaki Study Group, introduced the “Everyone is Happy and Cheerful Vegetable Day,” which has been held once a month since 2008 with the aim of building a food system that harmonizes people and the environment.

 

 

On top of that, they discussed the challenges in promoting organic farming and Nature Farming and discussed cooperation with local governments, cooperation with agricultural cooperatives, and the necessity of research on the health effects of organic agricultural products. In particular, they confirmed the need for a place to exchange information on organic farming and the Nature Farming Method techniques.

 

Sponsored by: MOA Nature Farming and Culture Foundation