わが国における果樹産地の変貌と産地再編 -新たな「産地論」の構築に向けて-

Abstract

Substantial transformations in Japanese patterns of consumption, retail activity, and the distribution of agricultural products in recent decades have significantly affected many agricultural production areas, also known as Sanchi. Radical structural modifications in the production areas prompt investigation as to whether existing theories explaining the dynamics of Sanchi remain valid. To re-examine the context of Japan's fruit-producing areas, this paper employs a multi-perspective approach considering agro-ecological, technical, socio-economic and political dynamics, and farm management and regional governance. Toward building a new theoretical framework that articulates the significance of the fruit-producing areas, the paper claims that Rokuji-sangyo-ka ventures, or coordinated efforts to combine farming with other economic activities including processing and marketing, would be a significant driving force to re-organize fruit-production areas. For this to happen, conventional actors in these areas, such as farmers and their associations, the public sector, and the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA), have to succeed in establishing and coordinating sound governance and management that will embrace diverse actors with varying entrepreneurial interests.