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Volume 43, Issue 3
Displaying 1-6 of 6 articles from this issue
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Mitoshi Yamaguchi, Wan Jun Yao2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 293-301
Published: December 25, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSIn China, there is still a very wide economic gap among the Eastern, Middle and Western regions. The same is true for their respective agricultural economic conditions as well. Therefore, we calculated the total agricultural factor productivity among 28 provinces in China from 1983 to 2002. Then, we found that there are big differences of total agricultural factor productivities among regions. Also, we found that there are β and σ convergences for the Chinese agricultural total factor productivity among regions. Therefore, we could find the diffusion of technologies from East region to two other regions. However, the speed of diffusion is still slow and unstable. From these facts, first, we concluded that it is very important to increase the agricultural total factor productivity of the Middle and Western regions to increase Chinese agricultural output. Second, China still suffers much damage from natural disasters and bad climatic conditions. Therefore, she has to strengthen the agricultural infrastructure so as to avoid the big damages caused by natural disasters. Third, the speed of diffusion to Middle and Western regions was slow and unstable as stated above. Therefore, we need to increase Chinese and foreign investments, to strengthen the infrastructure, and also to increase the level of education in order to speed up the diffusion.View full abstractDownload PDF (3259K) -
The Actual Condition and Future Challenges Taking an Example of Town A of Jiangsu Province as Leading Agribusiness on Contract CultivationMing Zhao, Kotaro Ohara2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 302-310
Published: December 25, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSIn recent years, the production of “unpolluted vegetables” in China has increased continuously. This case study explains the contractual content of the cultivation of unpolluted vegetables, their sale modes, and the income levels of contract farmers, Unpolluted vegetables are mostly produced by the alliance of agribusiness and farmers. With agribusiness' technical guidance and other measures that lessen the economic burden on farmers, farmers have started to engage in the contract cultivation of unpolluted vegetables. Agribusiness guarantees the vegetables' security to a certain extent due to its participation in cultivation management. Moreover, when the market prices of vegetables drop down unceasingly agribusiness still has to purchase the farmers' products according to the contract agreement on quantity and prices, which is advantageous for the increase of the farmers' income.
Even if the farmers plant the vegetables according to the agribusiness' guidelines, the ratio of qualified products is still not high because of the farmers' relatively low technical skill level. Because the percentage of crop that qualifies for the agribusiness guideline is low, i. e. the passing ratio is low, the farmers' income is not stable. To raise the farmers' overall technical level is the biggest task at present. The best solution is to establish a technique-transmitting mechanism to improve farmers' skills regarding growing unpolluted vegetables, in the planting process for unpolluted vegetables, the accreditation authority encourages farmers to use compost actively. But the supply of compost is limited. In areas with insufficient supply of compost, farmers need to buy high-price fertilizers. As a result, the cost of production is Increased. When the production scale of unpolluted vegetables is enlarged, the compound of district agriculture is also a problem we need to discuss.View full abstractDownload PDF (3149K) -
Focusing on the Spread of “Natural Farming” by the Akame Natural Farming SchoolShingo Hokazono, Kotaro Ohara2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 311-323
Published: December 25, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSIn recent years some urban residents who find it hard to accept the excessive industrialization, urbanization, and artificialization of modern society are now hoping to practice farming. No less than 250 urban residents meet monthly to be taught “natural farming” by Yoshikazu Kawaguchi at the Akame Natural Farming School, one of the many voluntary agricultural schools in Japan today.
According to the questionnaire survey, students in this school who have studied more than one year seem to deepen their understanding of the essence of farming, and they seriously and delightfully discuss their new way of living and the close relationships they have formed. As a result, most of them change their lifestyle to a more sustainable style and do farming steadily. Actually some enthusiastic students practice the farming life in various ways of life, such as as a full-time, part-time, or weekend farmer. Moreover, graduates from this school have opened 44 similar learning sites throughout the country, where a total of more than 900 people now learn “natural farming” and form a so-called natural farmers network.
This paper suggests that such voluntary learning sites as the Akame Natural Farming School do much to encourage urban residents to engage in more sustainable farming. This paper especially reveals the significant role of the Akame Natural Farming School in 1) providing a experience similar to life in rural society, 2) giving needed support to learn a new way of life, and 3) supporting the formation of a new kind of community.View full abstractDownload PDF (4364K) -
Osamu Takada2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 324-325
Published: December 25, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (586K) -
Takanori Matsushima2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 326-327
Published: December 25, 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (590K) -
2007 Volume 43 Issue 3 Pages 328
Published: 2007
Released on J-STAGE: September 05, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (75K)
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