In July's Straight Furrow, Rachael Breckon, attendee at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries seminars...
discovers that Japan views its agriculture very differently from the way we do here in New Zealand.
Questioning the heavy subsidies that rice farmers receive, Rachael learned that the rice paddy field had multiple functions, one of the primary ones being: "They give a good feeling of rest and relaxation for the people".
Contrast that with our own 'hell for leather' pursuit of profits from the farm and you can feel Rachael's unease.
She discovered further, that the aging population in Japan, coupled with the lack of females in the younger population is resulting in a rapid deterioration in the rural workforce and the fields they manage.
As well, the system of 'successionship', where land can't be sold freely has meant that land is being walked away from and left to degrade, or at least become unproductive.
Rachael describes the Japanese countryside as being a p[lace where, "hunched-over 60 year-olds hand prune the rice fields."
She finishes by saying, " I would feel incredibly sad if the fields no longer existed because rice was not profitable and young people and young people continue to choose to play video games in box-sized apartments in the city".
This is not good.
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