Abstract
As we near the 10-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, in this study, we analyze the current situation and future challenges in restoration of agricultural production in areas affected by nuclear disasters. Although there are differences between regions in terms of the status of agricultural restoration, depending on when the evacuation order was lifted, the common factor among the affected areas is the transformation of paddy field agriculture. In Kawauchi Village of Fukushima Prefecture, seven years have already passed since the resumption of farming, and the appearance of regional agriculture has transformed from conventional small-scale paddy farming, primarily run by part-time farmers to intensive paddy farming using a farm management system established based on communities. To establish sustainable regional agriculture, the first issue that needs to be addressed is the stabilization of the management of such farming groups of paddy fields. Meanwhile, small-scale agriculture and agricultural living that can be carried out by a wide variety of people, including those who have retired from paddy field farming, is also important from the viewpoint of livelihoods. In Kawauchi Village, in addition to community-based farming groups of paddy fields, since 2015, both small-scale and self-sufficient farmers have been participating in the production of grapes using paddy rice seedling greenhouses, thereby starting the challenge of forming a producing center that includes a wide variety of people involved in farming. In this manner, the reconstruction of regions affected by nuclear disasters requires the revitalization of farming built on the two wheels of “Industrial promotion” and “Community development.”
