In recent years, common millet, a traditional upland crop, is being cultivated once again in some islands of Okinawa after a period of abandonment. This study reports on the revival and spread of common millet production on the islands of Tonaki and Aguni in Okinawa Prefecture. Regional features of the two sites are compared and the background and factors leading to this phenomenon are examined.
The results show that the village office of Tonaki Island has been actively involved in the development of common millet production, while on Aguni Island, individual farming households have been concerned with its production, with relatively little involvement of local authorities. This difference is attributable to agricultural circumstances; Tonaki households tend to have a weak basis of agricultural management and require the involvement of authorities, whereas agricultural management on Aguni Island is comparatively well-established and stable.
Factors in this revival include the following: 1) ease of cultivation, an important concern for the ageing populations of these islands; 2) the common millet under cultivation on the islands is glutinous, thus suiting the taste of the local people, which results in the stability of and increase in demand for the product; 3) the preservability of common millet is an important factor for the people of these islands, where an efficient transportation system has not been developed.
In addition to the above factors in the revival of common millet production, it is also necessary to consider the deep-rooted feeling held by the people of Okinawa for traditional upland crops such as common millet, foxtail millet, barley, wheat and so on. This strong feeling inspired people with the idea of cultivating millet once again and they accordingly brought seeds to the islands. The revival of common millet production indicates the intensity of feeling concerning traditional upland crop production among the people of the islands of Okinawa.
