1987 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Socioeconomic Geographical Approach in connection with the Strategic Fundamental Synergy of the Underpopulated Mountain Village Community in Kyushu.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	60580190
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Human geography
Research Institution	KUMAMOTO UNIVERSITY
Principal Investigator	YAMAGUCHI Morito Faculty of Letters, Kumamoto University, 文学部, 教授 (30015581)
Project Period (FY)	1985 – 1987
Keywords	Chronological Study / Underpopulated Mountain Village Community / Agroforestry / 'Yakihata Agriculture' / Land-Possesive Pattern / 土地の集団所有制 / 入会地 / 村落の社会経済構造
Research Abstract	This report describes the results of chronological studies on the utilization and the possesive pattern of 'yakihata-nougyou' (shifting agriculture of slash and burn cultivation) at the Kyushu mountainous regions in Japan. we are facing many serious problems for which measures should be taken urgently, especially in the underpopulated mountain village community, such as shortage of clinical and educational facilities, deterioration of land utilization, etc. All these problems are interrelated and when we think of the solutions, the increase in the opportunities for employment and the preservation of the life environment - especially afforestation, at least should be considered at the same time. Now in the underpopulated mountain village communities, great emphasis is placed on agroforestry, a production system combining agriculture and forestry which makes it possible to produce food,foddee and various matterials in the forest in the short run, and to pursue afforestation simultaneously, this is one of the directions which could contribute to the solution of the problems. However, this complex known generically as agroforestry is not new, and has a long history in 'yakihata-agriculture in Japan. In order to establish effective agroforestry systems suited to each area, we should in the first place make a chronological study of exsisting cases of agroforestry, and clarify their formative factions and their functions from the socioeconomic and ecological points of vies. We made a chronological analysis of agroforestry in Japan. We also intended to develop a sound agroforestry system to achieve high productivity and income in taking full advantage of plant ecosystems in accordance with the respective natural and socioecononic conditions.