Change of Community-Based Farming Groups in Tohoku Region in Early 2010s

A Case Study in Akita Prefecture

Abstract

This paper deals with a case study of community-based group farming in the early 2010s. Japanʼs agricultural policy was revised in 2007. The policy aimed to increase efficiency of paddy cultivation by expanding paddy field size. Under the policy, the number of community-based farming groups involved in paddy cultivation increased rapidly in the Tohoku region. However, most of the community-based farming groups in the Tohoku region did not have an efficient cultivation system at that time because the groups were formed in order to abide by the policy. This study aimed to clarify how community-based farming groups in the Tohoku region have changed. First, this study showed that farmers worked as a team by sharing agricultural machinery. Second, the conditions for the development of community-based farming groups in paddy cultivation were analyzed. The research was conducted in Akita Prefecture. The clarification of this paper is as follows:（1）Reorganization of farming groups as a corporation created an opportunity to begin working together.（2）Members of farming groups still worked on the field and earned income from farming.（3）The income of main operators was lower than that of other industrial sectors.（4）Farming groups accumulated farmland in their areas.