Changing Japan through natural farming in marginal villages

In May 2024, Yasuto Saeki, representative of Shizentai General Incorporated Association, visited Mori no Kuni Valley (Meguro Village, Matsuno Town, Ehime Prefecture).

Influenced by Fukuoka Masanobu, who established the "natural farming" method in Japan that uses no pesticides, fertilizers or weeds, and Kimura Akinori, the first person in the world to successfully grow apples without pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides, Saeki Yasuto learned natural farming as Kimura's top disciple, and is currently working to spread natural farming to 100 locations across the country.

He practices natural farming by considering not only the fields but also the environment in which the fields are located, and teaches us that vegetables should be viewed as "living things" rather than "things/commodities." Natural farming is not "a method of leaving things alone" but "a method of observation." It is important to understand the characteristics of plants from the characteristics of their grass and leaves. He taught us the philosophical, theoretical and practical aspects of natural farming.

Fieldwork in Mori no Kuni Valley (Meguro Village, Matsuno Town)

We gathered at Meguro Table (a community facility within the village) at lunchtime and headed straight to the Sustainable Garden (a shared field within the village).

As soon as he steps out into the fields, Saeki looks out at the surrounding mountains, puts his hand into the waterway in the rice paddy and asks, "What temperature do you think all this water is?"

"Nine degrees!" "Maybe around 11 degrees." "16 degrees?"

"That's right. Let's check the temperature with a thermometer," I said, and it was 15 degrees.

"Rice plants and humans have similar lifestyles. They don't like it when it's too hot, and they don't like it when it's too cold. That's why we want to create an environment that's just right for rice, around 25 degrees Celsius ±5 degrees Celsius. Imagine being in 15 degree water for 15 minutes. It would be painful, right?"

There was a row where a bug-eaten cabbage and a shiny lettuce were planted. "This is a great combination! All you had to do was plant the lettuce and cabbage in the opposite direction," he advised. The Asteraceae family acts as a substitute for pesticides. So, on the inside of the row, there is a cabbage of the Brassicaceae family, which butterflies love. If you plant the Asteraceae lettuce on the outside, the lettuce will act as an impregnable wall for the cabbage (a bunker plant) and protect it from bugs.

I'm thinking about growing vegetables, but I don't know where to start.

In response to a question from a participant, Saeki said, "First, dig up the soil and take a good look at the environment. Where there is a lack of nutrients, plant wheat, then beans. When the beans stop growing, that means there is too much nitrogen, and any vegetable you plant will grow."

"You can't put in too much of anything. Think about taking things out."

He taught us that there is no one-size-fits-all magic bullet, and that it is important to look closely at the local environment and try to think from the perspective of the vegetables, flowers, and insects.

For lunch, we enjoyed vegan curry next to the fields, which allowed us to enjoy the deliciousness of the vegetables (Chef: Hori Reika). The onion and tomato-based spice curry was topped with plenty of fried, grilled and raw vegetables, and was served with Meguro rice.

The need to spread natural farming

The government has set targets of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers to 30 percent and pesticides to half, and increasing the area of organic farming to 25 percent of the total cultivated land by 2050. However, currently only 0.5 percent of the country's farmers are organic.

"Will things really continue like this and the proportion of organic farmers reach 25 percent?" Saeki questions.

While farmland overseas is turning into desert, groundwater is drying up, and countries are doing their best to protect their own food supplies, the fact is that Japan relies on overseas sources for 90% of its seeds.

"When the pandemic hit, I had no worries at all. If anything were to happen, I would have the fields in front of me and the seeds to hand. So everyone should have their own seeds. I started walking with the intention of spreading this natural farming method all over Japan, from newborns to those who will go to heaven tomorrow."

Becoming One with Nature

Meguro village in Matsuno-cho is a marginal village with a population of 270 people, and the local elderly people who have supported the local food supply are gradually giving up their fields. Our Mori no Kuni Valley has become a community where young people gather, and while exploring what they can do to revive the soil and forests, they are working to learn how humans can coexist with nature, such as practicing natural farming, thinning and regenerating abandoned forests, researching wild plants such as mugwort, and creating living environments.

A wave of change is coming from rural areas to change Japan. The day when marginal villages will change the future of Japan may not be far off.

Click here for the full article ▼