Delivering surplus vegetables directly

Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama

from produce stands to urban areas
by trains: Mobility transition and foodloss reduction through industrygovernment-academia partnerships
Project name: TABETE Rescue
Chokubaijyo
Background and Reason for the Project

belief that the company's expertise in food loss

Higashimatsuyama City, located in the centre ofreduction would be effective in solving the food loss

Saitama Prefecture, plays a role as a residential city

issue caused by the disposal of agricultural productsin the suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area due

in Higashimatsuyama City. After repeated

to being about 50 kilometres from central Tokyo anddiscussions and deliberations with other related

its excellent transportation system. At the sameorganisations, the decision was made to implement

time, the city still retains a verdant rural landscape,this project.

and its agriculture has contributed greatly to thelives of its citizens and to the development of theProject Aims

local economy.

(1) Reduce food loss by reselling surplus produce

The city's agricultural produce stand sales are one

from produce standsof the highest in the prefecture. However, it is(2) Increase profits for farmers who sell produce at

customary for the producers to take back unsold

produce stands

goods, and much of it is disposed of even if it still(3) Revitalization of areas along the Tobu Tojo Line

has commercial value. Not only did farmers have to(4) Provide education and employment

spend time and labour to pick up the unsold

opportunities for students

produce, but they also had to bear the psychological(5) Share information with related organisations

burden of discarding produce they had painstakingly(6) Provide support for single-parent households

grown themselves.

Project Outline

CoCooking Co., Ltd. was looking for a way to work
together to solve the city's problems through aTABETE Rescue Chokubaijyo is a joint project of six

public-private partnership after receiving anparties working together to support farmers andinvestment from the Higashimatsuyama

reduce food loss. They are Higashimatsuyama City,

Entrepreneur Support Fund. The TABETE Rescue

CoCooking Company Ltd., Tobu Railway, Central

Chokubaijyo initiative was conceived based on theSaitama Agricultural Cooperative, Daito Bunka1

University, and the Otsuka Ouen Company Ltd.

participants are benefiting from it. It is also

CoCooking purchases surplus produce from fiveinnovative in its use of passenger railways for

produce stands in the area, includingtransportation, taking advantage of theHigashimatsuyama City, after they have closed, andgeographical proximity of the production andtransports it to Ikebukuro Station, a terminal station

consumption areas.

in the city centre less than one hour from
Higashimatsuyama City using the Tobu Tojo Line toResults of the Project

reduce CO2 emissions. Once there, students fromTABETE Rescue Chokubaijyo has purchased 183,625

Daito Bunka University will resell the produce on

agricultural products, and estimated food loss has

the station premises to passengers on their way

been reduced by approximately 55.1 tonnes (as ofhome.

the end of September 2023). In addition, the use ofpassenger railways has led to a reduction in CO2emissions compared to transportation by freightonly means.
This program has not only led to increased
income for the producers, but has also been wellreceived by the buyers, who are happy to contributeto the program. Participating student staff members
have also established their own management
organizations and are responsible for planning,
operating, and managing sales and profits,

Choosing Produce for Delivery

In addition, surplus produce is also donated to a

providing a valuable opportunity for them to think

Kodomo Shokudo, or eatery that serves

about their own career paths.

discounted/free meals for children, to help support

Surplus produce from TABETE Rescue

single-parent households and thereby reducing theChokubaijyo is used by the ‘OOC Kodomo Shokudo’amount of food loss by utilising produce that would

run by Otsuka Ouen Company Co., Ltd. asotherwise have gone to waste.

ingredients for lunch boxes, which are distributed
free of charge to single-parent families so that all
produce is put to good use without being wasted.
These efforts were highly praised and led to theawarding of the ‘SDGs Promotion Deputy General
Manager (Chief Cabinet Secretary) Award’ at the 6thJapan SDGs Awards, which recognises outstanding
efforts by companies and organizations to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals.

Produce Stand at Ikebukuro Station

Issues, Problems and Responses
The TABETE Rescue Chokubaijyo conducted two trial

Features and Innovations

tests to implement the project. The first trial failed toAs the private sector, Agricultural Cooperative,

generate the revenue necessary for the continuation

farmers, university, and government agencies are allof the business due to inadequate product volume.

working together to solve a common problem, aThe second trial increased the number of produce

significant feature of this project is that all2

stands participating in the project from one to five,which increased the volume of goods and in turn its
profits. As a result, the company was able to secure
the necessary revenue to implement the project, andfull-scale operations began in August 2021. Since
then, regular meetings have been held among theparties involved to discuss and improve their efforts,such as responding to periods when produce isscarce, improving sales methods, and introducing
electronic payment methods, to further increasesustainability and profitability.

Future Developments (expected effects andproject vision and issues)
Currently, all five of the produce stands participatingin this project have less surplus produce available on
Saturdays and Sundays, and are all closed ondifferent days. For these reasons, TABETE Rescue
Chokubaijyo is open three days a week on Mondays,Wednesdays, and Fridays. However, the parties
involved are also considering how to deal withsurplus products on other days of the week. The six
cooperating parties will continue to work to reducefood loss by identifying issues and making
improvements through regular meetings.

Reference URL
https://www.city.higashimatsuyama.lg.jp/soshiki/16/1473.html

Contact:
Division in Charge: Higashimatsuyama City HallEnvironmental Industry Department
Agricultural Administration Division
E-mail: NOSEIKA@city.higashimatsuyama.lg.jp
Tel.: +81-493-21-1400

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