Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems in Japan: investigating selected agricultural practices and values for farmers

The concept of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) evolved as a global collaborative endeavour to identify and protect a mosaic of traditional agro-ecosystems and landscapes that are rich in biodiversity and have both cultural and livelihood importance for farmers. In this study, we document prominent features of selected agricultural practices and GIAHS values using empirical data from two GIAHS sites in Japan. The designation of GIAHS in traditional farming landscapes encouraged farmers to maintain age-old practices, protect local crop varieties, revitalize discontinued agriculture (e.g. swidden agriculture), and add nature-based technologies such as micro hydroelectric projects. Farmers’ cooperative efforts have been reinforced, community bonding has been strengthened, local festivity has been expanded, and relationships with numerous government and non-government organizations have been formed. Their farm productivity remained modest, but household income increased owing to branding, certification, internet marketing, and farm stays supported by partnerships. The above attributes of GIAHS are closely linked to the principles of sustainable and regenerative agriculture. The primary issues for the viability of GIAHS are aging farmers and the depopulation of younger people. Lessons from this study could be valuable for developing GIAHS in countries where local agricultural practices and farmer livelihoods are under threat.

全球重要农业文化遗产（Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, GIAHS）的理念，起源于一项全球性协同事业，旨在识别并保护兼具丰富生物多样性、且对农民兼具文化价值与生计意义的传统农业生态系统与景观镶嵌体。本研究依托日本两处GIAHS试点点位的实证数据，对选定的农业实践特征与GIAHS核心价值进行了系统梳理与记录。传统农耕景观中的GIAHS认定工作，有效激励农民维系世代传承的耕作范式、保护本地作物种质资源、复兴已式微的农业模式（如刀耕火种农业），并引入基于自然的技术手段，例如微型水电工程。农民的合作互助得到强化，社区联结愈发紧密，本地节庆活动得以拓展，同时与众多政府及非政府组织建立了稳定的合作关系。其农场生产力仍维持在较为有限的水平，但借助品牌打造、资质认证、互联网营销以及依托合作伙伴关系开展的农场民宿项目，农户家庭收入实现了显著增长。GIAHS的上述核心特征，与可持续农业及再生农业的基本原则高度契合。制约GIAHS可持续存续的核心挑战，在于农民老龄化与青年人口流失问题。本研究所得的经验启示，对于那些本地农业实践与农户生计正面临威胁的国家推进GIAHS建设工作，具有重要的参考价值。