This study examined the effects of agricultural experience programs on elementary school students. Questionnaires were administered at two intervention schools and one control school before and after their experiences in rice paddies. The effects were analyzed using the difference-in-differences method. The results indicate that students at the intervention schools showed significant increases in both their motivation to interact with local residents and their interest in living organisms within the rice paddies. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in other areas, such as interest in agriculture or attachment to the local community. These differences may stem from the program content. However, the five-point scale used in the survey may have had limited sensitivity to children’s perceptions due to ceiling effects. Moreover, the program’s effects may unfold over time, suggesting that the pre- and post-survey design may not have fully captured them. Improving measurement methods remains a challenge for future research.

Knowledge, including subjective knowledge, objective knowledge, and product-related experience, plays a crucial role in consumer decision-making. However, the relationship between these types of knowledge and organic food purchases has not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study examines the role of knowledge in organic vegetable consumption in Japan using structural equation modeling. The results show that subjective knowledge is the strongest predictor of organic vegetable consumption, whereas objective knowledge has only a limited indirect effect mediated through subjective knowledge. Product-related experience is positively associated with both types of knowledge and directly correlated with organic vegetable consumption, suggesting its dual role as a driver of both knowledge formation and purchases. These findings highlight that enhancing subjective knowledge and offering experiential opportunities, such as farm visits and hands-on learning, may be more effective than simply providing objective information in stimulating consumer demand for organic food and supporting the transition to organic farming.

To address the limitations of small-scale farming, farmland transfer has been promoted in China. Following the 2018 revision of the Rural Land Contracting Law, a practice has become widespread whereby village collectives retain their farmland ownership and farmers maintain contractual rights, while transferring operational rights to third parties. This study examines farmland transfer and the development of greenhouse vegetable production in S Town, located in inland China. The findings indicate that farmland transfer has enhanced both agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes. However, the following issues were identified: (1) land rents are significantly lower than the profits from vegetable production, highlighting the need for more equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms between producers and landholding farmers; (2) although farmers retain contractual rights, it is nearly impossible for them to resume cultivating the leased land themselves, rendering their rights largely symbolic; and (3) while village collectives maintain land ownership, their role in farmland management has partially diminished.

We analyzed the economic effects of a simple ensiling method in corn grain production. Two distinct analyses were conducted. First, break-even prices for corn grain production were compared between drying and simple ensiling methods on paddy-based farms in Ibaraki Prefecture. Second, based on production cost statistics, feed costs were compared by replacing compound feed and imported corn with corn grains stored via the simple ensiling method in dairy cattle rations. The results show that the simple ensiling method can reduce break-even price by approximately 5–15%. Furthermore, feed cost reductions were achieved even without increases in market price. Future research should focus on improving yield, enhancing storage methods, and clarifying the limitations of the distribution range.

This study examines how combinations of individual and organizational conditions shape organizational commitment of core members in specialized farmers’ cooperatives. Using survey data from 21 shiitake cooperatives in China, we apply fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify configurational pathways to high and low commitment. The results reveal two pathways to high commitment: one based on the complementarity between human capital and vertical integration, and another driven by large operating scale under limited external social capital. Commitment erosion occurs when individual resources exceed the cooperative’s structural capacity, leading members to seek external opportunities or experience dissatisfaction under insufficient returns. The findings point to a two-level logic of commitment formation, in which human capital serves as a necessary threshold, while the effects of individual resources depend on their fit with organizational capacity. These insights contribute to a configurational understanding of cooperative commitment and are relevant for smallholder systems facing structural constraints.

The purpose of this study was to construct a concept of engagement among officers of management organizations responsible for common agricultural resources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five young officers. Statements considered relevant to engagement were categorized into behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions. The results indicate that engagement in resource management involved, on the behavioral side, maintaining an attitude of participating in activities as much as possible while also attempting to improve work methods and related practices. On the emotional side, it involved positively valuing newly formed connections and interactions with farmers, maintaining interest in the management system, and taking pride in one’s role as an officer. Cognitively, it included recognizing the significance of the organization and its activities while striving to understand the management system. The social dimension entailed showing respect for predecessors who had sustained the community while also maintaining a desire to contribute personally.

This study examines the emerging role of worker cooperatives in farm management under Japan’s Workers Cooperative Act (2022), focusing on the Tsukuba Workers Cooperative, established in 2025 by three rice farmers in Tsukuba City. Drawing on field interviews and internal documents, this study explores the cooperative’s organizational characteristics, management practices, and institutional context. The findings suggest that the worker cooperative model may offer a framework for collective farm management emphasizing member participation, equality in decision-making, and non-profit-oriented principles. At the same time, the case reveals several institutional and practical constraints, including complex administrative procedures, financing challenges, and restrictions imposed by the Agricultural Land Act. Rather than presenting definitive evidence, this study positions the Tsukuba case as an initial empirical reference for discussing the potential and limitations of worker cooperatives in the agricultural sector. Further comparative and longitudinal research will be needed to assess their long-term sustainability and broader applicability.