Temporal and spatial changes of agricultural regions in terms of the energy efficiency of crop production

Thesis (Ph. D. in Science)--University of Tsukuba, (A), no. 2585, 2001.3.23Includes bibliographical reference

ブラジル・南パンタナールにおける観光業の導入と発展

本研究は，ブラジル・マットグロッソドスル州の南パンタナールを対象として，農家民宿（ファゼンダポウザーダ），ホテル，釣り宿などの宿泊施設の経営を分析することから，パンタナールにおいて観光業が発展するための課題を解明する。その際，エコツーリズム発展の地域的差異に着目した。すなわち，エコツーリズムを提供する宿泊施設が集中するエストラーダパルケ（公園道路）沿線を「核心地域」，主要都市から離れた奥地であるニェコランディアを「核心周辺地域」，州境・国境地帯を含む遠隔地のパイアグアスを「外縁地域」に区分した。考察の結果，地域的に偏った観光業の発展，環境保護と観光業発展のアンバランス，多様な観光客への対応力，人の激しい流動性，パンタナール周辺地域との連携の低さなどの点で課題が指摘された。今後，内発的で持続的な観光業の発展を提案していくためには，湿原内外の資源を活用しながら，それぞれの地域性を十分に考慮した計画が必要である。In the Brazilian Pantanal, traditionally, extensive cattle grazing has continued because ot the area of inundated land changes significantly by seasons, and of its location is remote from large cities. Meanwhile, tourism based on the eco-tours that utilize the wetland\u27s unique fauna and flora was developed recently. Part of the wetland was listed as World Heritage in 2000, and the development of tourism was accelerated along the axes of main roads in the wetland. Estrada Parque in the south Pantanal and Transpantaneira in the north Pantanal are the main axes of development. This study examines the development of tourism in the Brazilian Pantanal by focusing on the management of accommodations such as Fazenda Pousadas (farm inns), hotels and anglers\u27 inns that are located in the south Pantanal. To examine the accommodations, the author pays attention to five stages, i.e., circumstances of farms before the introduction of tourism, seasonal management of land and water, structure of farm facilities, types of ecotourism and their charges, and tourists and their home countries. Considering the regional differences of tourism in the south Pantanal, three types of regions are obtained as follows. (1) "Core region" is Estrada Parque in which various types of accommodations are accumulated. (2) "Peripheral region" is Nhecolândia where several farms introduced tourism after the 1990s. (3) "Outside peripheral region" is Paiaguás where ecotourism began after 2000. As the results of the examination, some characteristics that are in common with the tourist resorts including World Heritages are extracted, i.e., (i) progress in speculative management by the managers from outside of the region, (ii) difficulty in maintaining the quality of guides, and (iii) shifting to mass-tourism and changes in types of tourists. While these characteristics are applied mainly to the core region, the others are considered especially in the peripheral and the outer peripheral regions, i.e., (iv) changes in farm management from stock raising to tourism, (v) acceptance of side-job by cowboys as tour guides, and (vi) enlargement of disparity of development between the core region and the other regions. To make profitable proposals for endogenous and sustainable development of the wetland tourism, it needs to establish well-considered plans that will make the best use of the regional resources

Characteristics of sugarcane production in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Brazil is the largest producer of sugar and ethanol made from sugarcane. It is well known that automobiles in Brazil run on ethanol, but the current conditions of sugarcane production have not yet been explained from the viewpoint of human geography. To present basic data pertaining to sugarcane production, this study reconsiders its characteristics by examining the production elements such as land use, cultivation methods, and the management of cases involving farms, custom harvesters, agricultural cooperatives, machinery manufacturers, and sugar factories. The main data used were obtained from fieldwork conducted in the State of São Paulo. The results show that the vast amounts of land used in Brazil for sugarcane production have developed around the sugarcane production centers, especially those in the State of São Paulo. In this area, the scale of production has grown through the introduction of new technology, mechanization, tenant farming, and single-crop production. The structure of sugarcane production that comprises these elements is complex, but it can be rationalized in terms of economy. With respect to environmental load, there are anxieties about the amount of industrial materials being applied in the course of land use

Understanding climate change vulnerability, adaptation and risk perceptions at household level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Purpose – This study aims to investigate risks associated with climate change vulnerability and in response the adaptation methods used by farming communities to reduce its negative impacts on agriculture in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – The study used household survey method of data collection in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, involving 116 randomly selected respondents. Findings – Prevalent crops diseases, water scarcity, soil fertility loss and poor socio-economic conditions were main contributing factors of climate change vulnerability. The results further showed that changing crops type and cultivation pattern, improved seed varieties, planting shaded trees and the provision of excessive fertilizers are the measures adapted to improve agricultural productivity, which may reduce the climate change vulnerability at a household level. Research limitations/implications – The major limitation of this study was the exclusion of women from the survey due to religious and cultural barriers of in Pashtun society, wherein women and men do not mingle. Practical implications – Reducing climate change vulnerability and developing more effective adaptation techniques require assistance from the government. This help can be in the form of providing basic resources, such as access to good quality agricultural inputs, access to information and extension services on climate change adaptation and modern technologies. Consultation with other key stakeholder is also required to create awareness and to build the capacity of the locals toward reducing climate change vulnerability and facilitating timely and effective adaptation. Originality/value – This original research work provides evidence about farm-level vulnerability, adaptation strategies and risk perceptions on dealing with climate-change-induced natural disasters in Pakistan. This paper enriches existing knowledge of climate change vulnerability and adaptation in this resource-limited country so that effective measures can be taken to reduce vulnerability of farming communities, and enhance their adaptive capability

ブラジル・南パンタナールの伝統的な農場経営とその課題 : バイアボニータ農場の事例

ブラジル南パンタナールのバイアボニータ農場では，天然草地の放牧地に依存した，肥育用の仔ウシ生産を目的とする仔取り繁殖経営が中心に営まれている。ここでは，季節的な河川の水位変化に起因して発現する多様な天然草地の状況に合わせて牛群を管理したり，火入れや伐採・巻き枯らしにより草地の森林化を抑制したりするなど，農場間の相互扶助システムとともに，パンタナールで培われてきた牧畜経営のワイズユース（wise use）が現在も継承されている。しかし，農場規模が小さいうえに，労働力不足，ウシの受胎率の低さ，生産性や品質の低さといった諸課題に直面して，伝統的な牧畜経営の維持・発展は困難な状況にある。こうした現状を打開して経営の安定化を実現するためには，繁殖・出荷カレンダーを作成してウシの繁殖時期を特定化し管理作業の効率化を図ることや，質の高い種牡ウシや牝ウシを導入して，より厳格な牧区規制の下で両者の頭数管理や繁殖を効果的に実施することなどが必要である。The people of Pantanal (pantaneiros) have conducted the extensive calf production that depends excessively on natural grassland in the Pantanal of Brazil. According to the case of Fazenda Baía Bonita in the Nhecolândia of south Pantanal, this study examines the problems of traditional cattle grazing and appropriate measures for the future management by focusing on the relationships between natural environment and social surroundings. The wise use of wetlands fostered for centuries still remains in the ranch, e.g., management of cattle herds corresponding with seasonal water level, methods for preventing grassland from plant succession to semi-deciduous forest by means of intentional burn, tree girdling and cleaning, and mutual aid customs between neighboring ranches. However, the management of extensive calf production confronts difficulties at present because of the scarcity of labor, small-scale grassland of the ranch, low conception rate of heifers and cows, and low productivity and quality of calves. In order to resolve current situation and to achieve stable management of calf production, it needs to create a calendar of breeding and shipping that especially specifies the season of breeding to promote the efficiency of administrative work. It is also necessary to introduce stud bull and cows of high quality, and to practice appropriate controls on their numbers and breeding under strict regulations of grazing areas

カナダ・ブリティッシュコロンビア州のローワーメインランド地域におけるサークル・ファーム・ツアーの意義 (特集 カナダ・ブリティッシュコロンビア州における農村空間の商品化)

この報告では，魅力的な自然景観が展開し，多様な農業が営まれ，都市住民のレクリエーションや農村居住をはじめとして様々な形の農村空間の商品化が進んでいるカナダのブリティッシュコロンビア州のうち，人口集中地域に近接しているローワーメインランド地域を取り上げ，農村空間の商品化がどのような特徴をもっているかを明らかにする。この地域では，ホビー農業や農産物直売所，農場ツアー，摘み取り，ワインツーリズム，乗馬，農村居住など多様な商品化がみられた。特に様々な農村観光資源を結びつけ，地図化し，それぞれの訪問者に自分でそれらを訪れさせようとするサークル・ファーム・ツアーの試みは独特なものであった。その特徴は，自然，景観，歴史，家族志向，手作り商品のほかに，家族経営，地元，新鮮・高品質，エコロジー，地域社会との連携といったキーワードによって示されている。Presently in developed countries, such as Japan, the most important function of rural areas is still food production; however, since the 1990s there has been a sharp increase in using and consuming rural resources in different ways. Such a phenomenon can be regarded as the "commodification of rural spaces". Since present rural spaces are strongly influenced by commodification, it is important to clarify in what way the commodification of rural spaces has been promoted, and how rural commodification characterizes rural spaces, in order to understand characteristics of present rural areas in economically advanced countries. We have studied the characteristics of the commodification of rural spaces in Japan over the past ten years. By expanding this research theme to British Columbia, Canada, our geographical perspectives on present rural areas will widen and develop. This study examines the characteristics of commodified rural spaces in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The Lower Mainland is a vernacular region but for the purpose of this study is defined as the plain that extends along the lower Fraser River, from downtown Vancouver to 120km east of the city. This is a highly productive agricultural area in which approximately 60 percent of the population of British Columbia is concentrated. There are diversified rural commodities in the Lower Mainland. Heritage tourism, wine tourism, pick-your-own farms, tourist farms are common. It is also popular for urban residents to live in the countryside, which has led to the development of scattered estate homes. Some people have hobby farms on which they raise horses and enjoy horseback riding on Sunday mornings. A unique example of agri-tourism in the Lower Mainland is the Circle Farm Tour, which is a self-guided tour, allowing visitors to explore the rural attractions in the Lower Fraser Valley at their own pace (Hayden, 2015). This was started by the District of Kent for Agassiz/Harrison Mills in 2003 and was later followed by Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley and Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows. In this paper we mainly focus on the Circle Farm Tour in Abbotsford. The program\u27s "roadmap" presents a wide range of high-quality rural attractions, including farm produce markets and shops, tourist farms, pick-your-own farms, wineries, restaurants, garden centres, and other facilities. Based on our interviews with agri-tourism operations and an analysis of their websites, we can find important themes for rural tourist attractions, such as the beautiful landscape, favourable natural environments, family-oriented places, fresh and high quality rural products, family farms and their histories, local products, ecological practices, and a strong connection with local communities. In this region residents from greater Vancouver, Victoria and other nearby cities visit on weekends to enjoy and consume rurality. The commodification of rural spaces in British Columbia, especially those in the Lower Mainland, is much more advanced and diversified than that of Japan, and plays an important role in sustaining rural economies and societies

バンクーバー島カウチンバレー地区における農村観光の構造

本研究は，カナダ・ブリティッシュコロンビア州バンクーバー島のカウチンバレー地区を対象として，その農業生産と観光資源の構成と結びつきの分析を通じて，地域資源を活かした農村観光の構造を明らかにした。対象地域を含むバンクーバー島は，州都のビクトリアを除けば島全体の人口が希薄で，経済的な活動としては伝統的な林業や農業に依拠するやや停滞した農村であった。しかし，カナダの中では比較的温暖な気候条件に加えて，農村の価値が見直されるようになると，先駆的な農業の取り組みへの参入者が増加するようになった。これらの新しい農業として，本研究では地元産の農産物を使用した農家レストラン，水牛を導入したアグリツーリズムの事例を分析し，農業と地域コミュニティ，観光とが結びついている構造を明らかにした。こうした結合関係はファーマーズ・マーケットやスローシティというこの地域の特徴を示す取り組みとして表出し，これらは地域の伝統文化と結びついて当地を農村空間の商品化へと導いている。これらの農業と観光の要素は，生産者や住民，観光客など農村地域の価値を見直し活動しようとする多様な要素が個別に結びつくことにより，この地域の魅力を高めてきた

Commodification of Rural Space and Changes in the Main Varieties of Paddy Rice in the Tohoku Region

This study examines the mechanism of commodification in regional paddy rice production by focusing on the development and adoption of new varieties of rice. By presenting cases of the Tohoku region - one of the main paddy rice-producing regions in Japan - the spatial distribution of new rice varieties after the 1990s is recapitulated as follows: (1) at the regional level, distinct regional differentiation appeared with the emergence of main rice varieties in each prefecture; (2) at the prefecture level, planted areas of paddy rice decreased and the percentage of the main rice variety increased; and (3) throughout the regional and prefectural levels, the naming of new rice varieties was simplified and generalized. In the process of development and distribution of the new varieties of paddy rice, some conditions are considered as the commodification of the paddy rice-producing centers: (1) corresponding with recent market demands, new varieties with good flavor were constantly bred and spread; (2) values of some of the new varieties increased by being designated as "regional brand-name varieties"; and (3) the primary new rice varieties were introduced simultaneously by individual farms according to marketing strategies developed by prefectural and municipal administrations and agricultural cooperatives. As for future proposals, the regional rice-producing centers will have to cooperate with small and medium-size enterprises that have the singular technology to produce new varieties. Agricultural subsidies to address the aging of farmers and increasing idle farmland are also needed.Special Issue: The Commodification of Rural Spaces in Japa