TY - JOUR
T1 - Fostering cooperation between farmers and public and private actors to expand environmentally friendly rice cultivation
T2 - intermediary functions and farmers’ perspectives
AU - Kishioka, Tomoya
AU - Hashimoto, Shizuka
AU - Nishi, Maiko
AU - Saito, Osamu
AU - Kohsaka, Ryo
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-15-1) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan; JSPS KAKENHI [grant number 15KT002], [grant number 17KT0076].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2017/9/3
Y1 - 2017/9/3
N2 - This study investigates the intermediary functions and the farmers’ perspectives in the development and implementation of agri-environmental schemes in Shiga Prefecture of Japan by employing the innovation journey analysis and the statistical analysis. The innovation journey analysis demonstrates that the prefectural government served as an ‘innovation intermediary’ to: (1) provide a clear vision of sustainable agriculture for farmers and other actors, (2) create and reinforce both technological and market niches and (3) develop actor networks involving local actors. It also identifies the following roles of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JAs) and the specialist wholesaler as innovation intermediaries to: (1) develop new farming materials such as fertilizers, (2) translate and deliver practical farming knowledge for farmers and (3) establish the market of environmental-friendly rice. Statistical analysis uncovers that farmers more appreciated the supports from the JAs than those from other intermediaries to participate in the schemes. Complemented by the innovation journey analysis, our findings suggest that the keys to increasing farmers’ participation in the schemes include a clear vision and economic incentives for farmers as well as the coordination among intermediaries who have different expertise.
AB - This study investigates the intermediary functions and the farmers’ perspectives in the development and implementation of agri-environmental schemes in Shiga Prefecture of Japan by employing the innovation journey analysis and the statistical analysis. The innovation journey analysis demonstrates that the prefectural government served as an ‘innovation intermediary’ to: (1) provide a clear vision of sustainable agriculture for farmers and other actors, (2) create and reinforce both technological and market niches and (3) develop actor networks involving local actors. It also identifies the following roles of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JAs) and the specialist wholesaler as innovation intermediaries to: (1) develop new farming materials such as fertilizers, (2) translate and deliver practical farming knowledge for farmers and (3) establish the market of environmental-friendly rice. Statistical analysis uncovers that farmers more appreciated the supports from the JAs than those from other intermediaries to participate in the schemes. Complemented by the innovation journey analysis, our findings suggest that the keys to increasing farmers’ participation in the schemes include a clear vision and economic incentives for farmers as well as the coordination among intermediaries who have different expertise.
KW - Environmentally friendly agriculture
KW - agri-environmental scheme
KW - agricultural innovation system
KW - innovation journey analysis
KW - intermediaries
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U2 - 10.1080/14735903.2017.1374321
DO - 10.1080/14735903.2017.1374321
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85029434826
VL - 15
SP - 593
EP - 612
JO - International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
JF - International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
SN - 1473-5903
IS - 5
ER -