Monthly Archives: June 2014

【News】 International cooperative alliance condemns Japan’s agricultural reform proposals (June 2, 2014)

  The International Cooperative Alliance President Pauline Green criticized the Japanese government advisory panel’s proposals on agricultural reform, saying they pose a threat to the unity and welfare of farmer co-operatives and family farming. “The proposal totally disregards the values and principles of co-operatives,” Green noted in her remarks posted on the organization’s website on Sunday, June 1. “The whole global co-operative movement – owned by a billion of the world’s citizens – will stand with their Japanese fellow co-operators in opposition to the dismantling of the Japanese agricultural co-operative movement and the diminution of the members’ rights,” Green said. Titled “Japanese agricultural co-operatives and family farming threatened by reform … Continue reading

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【News】 Experience means a lot in wet paddy field (June 1, 2014)

  Hiroki Arai All-Japan Rice Planting Championship Tournament took place at Iwate Prefectural Mizusawa Agricultural High School in Oshu-shi, Iwate Prefecture, in late May. The supra-regional and supra-generational event is for agricultural high school students and local farmers to compete on the speed and accuracy of their hand rice planting. It was originally a school event of the prefectural high school for encouraging skill learning. It has been open for public, however, since 1999 as an “all-Japan” competition and as an opportunity for students and farmers to get together and have fun. (June 1, 2014)  

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【Editorial】 Biodiversity or imported rice? (June 1, 2014)

  “We haven’t seen red dragonflies recently.” We hear such claims in various regions nationwide. Researchers who conducted dragonfly habitat surveys also say the number of dragonflies born in rice fields is declining drastically. They attribute the decrease to the changes in farming and watering methods, as well as pesticide applications to parts of rice fields, but details are unknown. It is necessary to find a way to maintain biodiversity while avoiding putting excessive burden on the agricultural industry. Dragonflies flying about in a cluster in the twilight are a common sight in the countryside. However, many research papers site drops in the number of dragonflies, and many farmers must … Continue reading

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