Cattle, People, and Weeds: "Grazing" Solidarity Conversations in Kanagawa, Tokushima, and Shimane (May 2004)

Cattle, People, and Weeds: "Grazing" Solidarity Conversations in Kanagawa, Tokushima, and Shimane (May 2004)

Around the time this grazing project was developed in 2004, Japan's farming communities were facing the triple burden of aging and depopulation, a shrinking agricultural workforce, and a rapid increase in abandoned farmland. Against the backdrop of the economic slump following the collapse of the bubble economy, local governments were searching for measures that would simultaneously revitalize rural areas and protect the environment.

The "restoration of farmland through beef cattle grazing" in Tsukui Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, was a symbolic example of such a measure. The data showing that one cow eats 50 to 70 kg of grass per day supports the potential of grazing as an environmental technology. The data shows that one cow eats 50-70 kg of grass per day, which confirms the potential of grazing as an environmental technology.

In Tokushima, small farmers in depopulated mountainous areas have found a way to make the most of grazing, backed by the regional brand strategy of maintaining the "Awa Beef" pedigree. This was another example of the wisdom of linking the relationship between cattle and people not only to "production" but also to the "survival of the community.

Furthermore, "Shimane-style grazing" in Shimane Prefecture is an advanced example of extending grazing to the context of forestry and environmental conservation. It has attracted nationwide attention because of its success in reducing damage from wild animals (wild boars and monkeys) by removing weeds, maintaining the landscape, and revitalizing farmland. The prefecture even published an introduction manual, "Guide to Shimane-style Grazing," and attempted to horizontally disseminate the know-how.

At this time, Japan was beginning to adopt a national strategy of "coexistence with the environment," as symbolized by the Basic Environment Law (enacted in 1993) and the Biomass Nippon Comprehensive Strategy (2002). Agriculture, too, came to be expected to play a role not only as a food supplier but also as a manager of natural resources, and "multifunctionality" became a key policy concept.

This grazing model, in which cattle and people work together to revive abandoned farmland, was a "quiet revolution" born out of this spirit of the times. In the sense that ecology, local autonomy, and human life and culture intersect, this is not just a livestock business, but an initiative that should be evaluated as a model of 21st century agricultural and environmental collaboration.