The social consensus formation toward conservation and management of rice terraces in Japan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K11763
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64060:Environmental policy and social systems-related
• Research Institution: Meijo University
• Principal Investigator: Hirako Shintaro 名城大学, 農学部, 准教授 (00391425)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 棚田景観 / 都市農村交流 / 棚田オーナー制度 / テキストマイニング / 共起ネットワーク / 環境教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research is conducted a survey on the image of "Terraced paddy fields", "Rice produced in rice terraces (terraced rice)" and "Ownership Program of rice terraces” for 589 residents of Toyama prefecture, estimated a co-occurrence network and used it to clarify the frequent words and co-occurrence related to them.
As a result, there were many positive responses, which meant that they showed a uniform normative attitude toward environmental goods such as rural landscapes including rice terraces, and natural ecosystems. However, it was suggested that there is still a part that must be overcome, such as the misalignment between consciousness and activity, to reflect it in actual activities, such as visiting familiar rice terraces and participating in conservation activities.
While it was suggested that the rice terraces could be used in agricultural experience and environmental education, and useful information was obtained for future prospects.

Free Research Field

環境社会

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

棚田や棚田景観に対する好意的な印象が先行し、それが直面する様々な課題が認識されているというある種の規範的なintentionsが形成されているに関わらず、棚田保全が円滑に展開せず、棚田オーナー制度が機能しなくなりつつある集落も少なくない。
本研究で得られた知見と実態と併せる中で、棚田保全に対する意識と行動の乖離が改めて浮き彫りになった。こうした問題を少しでも解消する手立てとして、地域の棚田を農業体験や環境教育の教材として積極的に利用することで、棚田の存在やそれが抱える課題を身近な問題として捉え直し、棚田保全に対する意識と活動の乖離を解消していく方策を考えるべき時期が迫っている。