No abstract

Japan aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 by targeting various sectors including agriculture. One of the main strategies in this sector to mitigate climate change effects is environmental conservation agriculture (ECA); however, ECA utilization remains low in most of Japan’s prefectures to this date. To address this problem and to know what factors influence ECA adoption, we collected data from Fujioka city, Gunma prefecture, which has low ECA utilization but has high biodiversity conservation efforts. Using factor analysis and binary logistic regression, two major themes emerged by which ECA continuation can be increased, namely: farmers’ intent to improve their local/global environment and to enhance their production. The study highlighted the importance of ECA information dissemination as evidenced by the presence of a knowledge gap on how ECA translates into climate change advocacies. The promotion of farmer–consumer market channels and extension of ECA products in local industries by government and non-government institutions are also recommended to strengthen rural–urban linkages in the area. Increasing the ECA uptake of farmers would also have a positive impact on the ongoing preservation of endangered yaritanago fish species in Fujioka. Lastly, the results from this study highlight the heterogeneity of factors that affect any given farming community with respect to the strategies that can effectively drive ECA adoption.

Sado Island in the Niigata prefecture in Japan is one of the first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) among developed countries and has since been involved in environmental conservation agriculture (ECA). While ECA is still in its early stage in Japan, it has proven to be effective in mitigating climate change in the agricultural sector; hence, this study aimed to identify drivers of ECA among Sado Island paddy farmers. The data revealed the prevalence of farmers’ cognitive dissonance between ECA and its mitigating effects on climate change. Our findings confirmed the importance of perceived GIAHS involvement in the continuation of ECA. In addition, other identified drivers of ECA fall either on a macro-level (i.e., farmers’ awareness of their role in improving their environment) or micro-level (i.e., farmers’ differing farm optimizations). These perspectives highlighted the altruistic nature of the Sado Island ECA paddy farmers by valuing the improvement of their local and global environment as their main reason to continue ECA, whereas their various farm management optimizations support this observed farmer altruism by providing avenues to increase yield with only a moderate paddy land area. This study highlights the need to continuously develop sustainable strategies to maintain and improve a positive farmer mindset towards ECA.

Farmer perspectives are relevant for understanding agricultural issues and formulating policies. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey on 70 Filipino farmers (i.e., 35 organic and 35 biotech) to understand farmers’ perspectives regarding coexisting farming methods. Internal response variables were tested to verify the type of decision-making processes being undertaken by biotech and organic farmers. Our results showed that a non-linear decision-making process, similar to the Stimulus–Organism–Response Model, was present for both farmer groups. The study also found that biotech farmers were more influenced by internal factors (e.g., consumer resources) than organic farmers, who rely more on external influences (e.g., culture and social interactions), in connection to their coexistence perspective. The presence of “maverick executives” within the organic farmers gives traction to the notion that coexistence can help empower farmers in choosing what farming method is most suitable to their needs. Our data can also provide insights to policymakers in terms of surveying farmer perspectives to balance farmer needs, primarily in yield and income security, with the national agricultural agenda centered on environmental conservation. Thus, farmer perspectives should be considered alongside ongoing studies and debates on coexistence.

Sado Island in the Niigata prefecture is among the first Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems (GIAHSs) in Japan and among developed countries worldwide. Recent studies have pointed out the need to incorporate culture and farmer opinions to further strengthen GIAHS inclusivity in rural farming. In connection to this, this study explored whether farmer visibility, which is highlighted by GIAHS designation, actually translates to farmers’ actual perceptions of GIAHS involvement. A survey was conducted among Sado Island farmers to determine their knowledge and perception of their GIAHS involvement, in connection to their perspectives on youth involvement, Sado Island branding, and tourism management. Results showed that 56.3% of Sado Island farmers feel uninvolved or unsure towards the GIAHS, which is in stark contrast with the prevalent farming method in the area, special farming (which complies with GIAHS regulations) (77.3%). Further analyses revealed that farmers who feel that the GIAHS does not promote youth involvement, Sado Island branding, and tourism management have a higher predisposition to perceive themselves as uninvolved towards the GIAHS. This study highlights the need for careful reevaluation and integration of farmer insights and needs into the current GIAHS implementation in Sado Island and in other GIAHSs as well.