The Advantage of Natural Farming as an Eco-Friendly Way of Living: Practice and Discourse on the “Learners’ Fields” in Fukuoka, Japan

Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment Previous article in Early View: Growing Food, Growing Consciousness: Gardening and Social Justice in Grand Rapids, Michigan Authors Kaoru Fukuda First published: 3 December 2017Full publication history DOI: 10.1111/cuag.12101 View/save citation Cited by (CrossRef): 0 articles Check for updates Citation tools Kaoru Fukuda is a Professor in the Department of Liberal Arts at the National Institute of Technology, Kurume College. Abstract This article is based on participant-observation research among a small group of people who practice Natural Farming (Shizennō) in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Natural Farming differs from organic farming in that practitioners do not plow the land, use fertilizers or agrochemicals, or try to eliminate weeds and insects. The members of the group chose this method primarily to improve self-sufficiency in an ecological way, but they were also attracted to the way of life working closely with and “in harmony with” nature. This research reveals that, although the productivity of Natural Farming per land area is about the same as that of mainstream organic farming, the higher labor intensity hinders commercialization. The absence of commercial intention, however, appears to be an “advantage” that makes Natural Farming easy to start for laypersons. Above all, Natural Farming gives practitioners not only an improved self-sufficiency, but a feeling that they are getting to know the essence of nature.