FEB 08 2024

Food for Thought: Issues that Farmer’s Face on Awaji Island

　Tomatoes, onion, lettuce, and other produce grown on Awaji Island carry the reputation of the brand “Awaji,” renowned throughout the Kansai region for exceptional flavor and quality. Recently, we had the chance to talk to Mr. Aritoshi Aisaka, Director of the Awaji Agricultural Cooperative. The organization supports the business of agriculture in many ways including sales promotion and guidance for the adoption of new farming technology. Through this work, Mr. Aisaka has come to know every inch of the current situation and issues surrounding agriculture on Awaji. He told us about the state of farming on the island and had some advice for consumers as well.

Characteristics of Awaji Agriculture Mr. Aisaka started by reminding us that the essentials of agriculture are sunlight and soil. Sufficient sunlight and good soil with suitable drainage is sure to produce a wide range of great produce, he told us, whether lettuce, tomatoes, onions or fruits like oranges or loquats, and even beautiful flowers. Awaji Island has an ideal balance of these conditions, he declared. As he told us, Awaji Island was once submerged in the sea and was formed by an upheaval of land. Because of this, the soil contains a wealth of minerals perfect for agriculture. He also pointed out that many minerals also reach the island borne on the ocean winds.

For the best agricultural production, a good amount of fertilizer, like ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source, and potassium and phosphate as essential minerals, has to be supplied at appropriate times. He recommended adding compost to the soil before starting cultivation. Compost serves as a good fertilizer to stimulate microbial activity in the soil which aids the growth of vegetables. Usually, people make compost from grasses, leaves and the chaff of rice. Leftovers from meals are also a good base for compost production. He mentioned that as heads of cattle increased with the dairy industry, cow dung also came to be used as fertilizer on the island.

Mr. Aisaka explained the annual schedule of onion production as an example of Awaji agriculture. Onions are classified into 3 types depending on the planting-schedule: early, middle and late. Seeds for the early type are planted in late August. Then one month and two months later respectively, the middle and late types are planted. For all groups, one month after planting, seedlings are harvested and transferred to a larger rice field after draining water used in rice production. Three months later fertilizer is added to the field and grasses are removed. 6 months after, onions are harvested and dried under natural conditions for several weeks. Finally, they are sent to the market.

Awaji farming issues Mr. Aisaka raised two issues for agriculture. One is chemical fertilizer and the other is manpower. In terms of chemical fertilizer, he worries about excessive use leading to soil contamination which might decrease the overall fertility of farming activity. In Japan, chemical fertilizers are mostly imported from abroad which often destabilize agricultural production. He emphasized that fertilizer must be fit for the microbes in the soil as they are the key players to make high quality agricultural products. He again mentioned that good compost is better than chemicals. Ms. Hori, a member of Nouentai corporation for Awaji Agriculture agreed with Mr. Aisaka, that onions grown with well-fermented compost taste better.

The second issue raised by Mr. Aisaka is the decrease of young people working in agriculture. For elderly people supported by a pension, he proposed, farming might be a worthwhile second income. Income from a 100 m² field of onions would be around one million yen per year which could be a welcome complement for retirement pensions. Some organizations such as the PASONA group corporation, he pointed out, had become an “agri-partner” by helping elderly people learn the basics of farming after retirement.

Issues for Consumers:

Mr. Aisaka stressed 2 serious issues for farmers: the expiry dates of fresh foods as well as the common habit to discard farm products of uneven or inconsistent size and shape as unfit for the market. Such requirements entail a higher cost, while at the same time, have a demoralizing influence on the motivation of farmers. As one way to address such issues and to boost the motivation of producers, he noted that the support of consumers was crucial to reduce the volume of eventually discarded agricultural products.

　The experience of cultivating and harvesting vegetables by ourselves may provide a precious opportunity to deepen our understanding of food production, environmental issues, and the nutrition we all need for a healthy life. As shown below, there may be no better place for such an experience than Awaji Island.

Step into the fields and feel the earth with your friends at Challenge Farm on Awaji Island.