When Burning Soil Starts Breathing Biomass and Farmland Turns to Energy (December 2008)

When Burning Soil Starts Breathing Biomass and Farmland Turns to Energy (December 2008)
The policy of utilizing farmland to promote biomass self-sufficiency is an effort to shift the role of farmland from being limited to food production to being a source of energy. around 2008, the global recession and wild swings in resource prices caused the prices of fertilizers and feed to soar, and the instability of farmers' businesses became pronounced. At the same time, the amount of abandoned farmland in Japan was growing, and the stagnation of the food self-sufficiency ratio and the exhaustion of farming villages were becoming serious. Under these circumstances, the concept of using unused farmland for the production of energy crops attracted attention as a means of reducing dependence on imports and establishing a resource cycle within the region. Diversification of farming operations will lead to an increase in revenue sources and is likely to contribute to the economic stability of farmers. In addition, local production of renewable energy with low environmental im
pact can be expected to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, there are many practical obstacles to overcome, such as competition between food production and energy crops, coordination of farmland conversion and legal issues, and development of production facilities and distribution systems. For the policy to be successful, the selection of crops to be introduced based on regional characteristics, consensus building among farmers, and long-term support from local governments are essential. The ideal is a recycling-oriented society in which local communities utilize their own land to produce resources, and the bounty is returned to the community. The biomass farmland policy is positioned as a step toward this future vision.