Roles of Marketing-Related Policy Support in New Farmers

Process of Business Venturing and Utilization of Supportive Service for Challenging Farming in Tokyo

Abstract

Business venturing in a farm is an important factor that fosters the farm succession and motivates a new farmer. In urban areas, marketing management is required for the customer-oriented business venturing run by new farmers. However, acquiring marketing skill is such difficult for them that the policy support is needed. Using the data from interviews to new farmers in suburban areas in Tokyo, this study investigates a role of the public support service to lower entry barriers for new farmers in Tokyo. As a result, a network with public institutes was essential for them to recognize the existence of the service and business venturing by themselves makes them strongly notice the necessity of marketing management for their farm development. Moreover, because of the usefulness of the whole system of this service such as a advice from designer and a subsidy for farm investments, new farmers repeatedly use it over the years. While the direct effects of this service are their usage of marketing tools like web pages, social network service and farm logo, the indirect effects that provide new farmers with opportunities to enlarge their personal network are also important.