Cropping Behavior and Incentive Compatibility in Vegetable Producing Upland Farming Area

Abstract

　The first purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical framework by introducing concepts of incentive compatibility and externality to analyze economic conditions for sustainable cropping systems in the vegetable and field crop-producing area.

　The second purpose is to clarify managerial and local policy conditions which make it possible for farmers to maintain the sustainable land use by positive an analysis focused on the radish-producing area in Tokachi.

　Main points mentioned in this paper are as follows :

　1) Two types of the behavior are classified depending on how the cost of land use is to be borne by a producer. The first one is named rotation cropping behavior and the cost is internalized in this case. The other one is continuous cropping behavior and the cost is externalized. The former can maintain sustainable productivity although the latter cannot because the soil malfunction inevitably rises as a result of the externalized cost. With this framework, economic conditions of incentive compatibility for sustainable land use are presented and pointed out that the higher the cost, the more difficult to maintain the rotation cropping behavior.

　2) To find out conditions for proper land use at the local policy level, the role and significance of the producers' agreement is evaluated. Consequently it is pointed out that the agreement functions as a symbol of common consciousness in the area, which is one of the important factors to prevent raising the cost.

　3) The actual cropping system of radish-producing farms is evaluated. Then it is clarified what managerial conditions deter the desirable land use such as immature technical career and insufficient acreage to realize a proper crop rotation. These are the factors to deter farmers from implementing the rotation cropping behavior.