The Adoption and Its Effect on Performance of Organic Farming Technologies in Large-scale Corporate Rice Farming, Case Study of Ohshima Nojo, Corp.

Japan has set a goal of increasing the share of organic farming to 25% of arable land by 2050. However, compared to global trends, the expansion of organic farming has been very slow. Via a case study of Oshima Nojo, Corp., a large-scale rice farming operation, this study examines the expansion process of organic farming to determine the factors that have hindered such expansion and how they have been resolved. Based on this empirical knowledge, issues related to the development of new technologies and policy support necessary for the expansion of organic farming in Japan are discussed. Oshima Nojo, Corp. began organic rice cultivation in 2001, when the term “organic” was not yet common in Japan, for the purpose of product differentiation and high value added. Factors hindering the expansion included long hours of weeding work and labor shortages in production, as well as the need to secure sales channels. In conclusion, an approach involving the development of technologies and policies that promote both production and consumption aspects is important for expanding the spread of organic farming.