Sustainable Agricultural Practices and Market for Organic Products: An Empirical Analysis in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

在项目的第一年，我调查了日本滋贺目前的可持续农业促进政策和可持续农业实践的好处。数据来源于2023年7月至11月在三个城市对112名稻农进行的问卷调查和对6名关键信息提供者的深度访谈。另一方面，还从这些调查地区的8个稻田中采集了土壤样品。本研究结果显示，滋贺县的永续稻作，可带来环境效益，尤其是土壤肥力。另一方面，它面临着与传统耕作相比每10年37.4公斤的低生产率和区域农民长期可持续农业的动机有关的挑战。面对可持续水稻种植效益低、消费下降和销售价格低等挑战，稻农现在正逐渐减少水稻耕地，转而种植小麦或大豆等效益更高的作物。其他一些国家正在其农田上部分实施可持续水稻种植，并与传统水稻种植相结合（即，用于主食、加工大米、饲养大米）。可持续农业的直接付款计划不足以支持生态农民。最近，该政策得到更新，以促进稻米向其他稻米品种和其他战略作物的转变。与此同时，它给稻农及其决策带来了巨大挑战。

In the first year of the project, I investigated the current promotion policies for sustainable agriculture and the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The data were obtained from a questionnaire survey with 112 rice farmers and in-depth interviews with six key informants in three cities from July to November 2023. On the other hand, soil samples were also collected from eight paddy fields in these surveyed areas. The result of this research reported that sustainable rice farming in Shiga Prefecture brings the environmental benefits, especially soil fertility. On the other hand, it faces challenges concerning for to lower productivity of 37.4 kg per 10a compared to conventional farming and regional farmers’ motivation for sustainable agriculture in the long term. Facing several challenges of low benefits of sustainable rice farming, a decline in consumption, and low selling prices, rice farmers now are gradually reducing their cultivated land for rice and shifting to other crops like wheat or soybeans which can bring higher benefits. Some others are partially implementing sustainable rice farming on their farmland in combination with conventional rice farming (i.e., for staple food, processing rice, feeding rice). The direct payment schemes for sustainable agriculture become insufficient for supporting eco-farmers. Recently, that policy has been updated to promote the conversion of rice to other rice varieties and other strategic crops. Simultaneously, it generates big challenges for rice farmers and their decision-making.