Farmers’ Markets and Women

: Some Cases in Shonai Region of Yamagata Prefecture

Abstract

　　　Shonai region of Yamagata prefecture is, as is well known, one of the prominent rice farming districts in Japan. Perhaps because of this characteristic of the region, not so many farmers’ markets were opened in this region until recently. That is to say, vegetables, fruits, flowers and the like, to be sold in farmers’ markets, were not produced so much.
　　　However, from around 2000, farmers’ markets came to be founded in various places of Shonai region. Many of these farmers’ markets have been established and managed by woman farmers. Our research on some cases in Shonai region shows evidently that these farmer’s markets have improved the women’s status in the farmer’s Ie（farming families）.