## (4) Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture

• In agricultural production activities, an excessive quest for efficiency and inappropriate utilization and management of materials may impose a burden on the environment.

• We should promote sustainable agriculture, aiming at the conservation and enhancement of the natural cyclical functions concerning agriculture, the fostering of sustainable production activities, and the reduction of the burden on the environment.

Main Environmental Risk by Agricultural Production Activity

Main agricultural activity	Rivers, lakes, groundwater, sea areas	Air, warming, ozone layer	Soil, ecosystem
Fertilizer application	· Excessive fertilizer application leading to water pollution and eutrophication	· Generation of greenhouse gases derived from the ingredients of fertilizers (dinitrogen monoxide)	· Use of low quality fertilizers leading to possible accumulation of heavy metals· Dependence on chemical fertilizers leading to deterioration of soil
Pest control	· Use of inappropriate pesticides leading to deterioration of water quality	· Use of methyl bromide as a soil sterilizer leading to destruction of the ozone layer	· Inappropriate use of pesticides leading to possible deterioration of circumferential natural ecosystem
Irrigation	· Outflow of contaminated water during soil puddling in the paddy field leading to water pollution and eutrophication
Heating facilities and farm machinery	· Use of fossil fuels leading to the generation of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide)	· Use of farm machinery in farming leading to soil packing
Plastic materials	· Combustion in fields leading to the generation of toxic substances	· Inappropriate landfills leading to disturbance of the ecosystem
Livestock farming	· Inappropriate treatment of wastewater from animal barns and livestock excretion, leading to water pollution and eutrophication	· Repellent odors· Fertilizers in the digestive tracts of ruminant animals leading to the generation of greenhouse gas (methane)
Field control	· Soil particle loss leading to water pollution and eutrophication	· Generation of greenhouse gas (methane) from the paddy soil

• The number of commercial farm households engaged in sustainable agriculture was 919 thousand, accounting for 47% of the total in 2005. The number of certified eco-farmers has been increasing steadily, and reached 111 thousand (as of the end of September 2006). The agricultural products that satisfy the requirements of the Certification System for Organic JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) Standards are qualified as organic agricultural products. The production of such qualified agricultural products has been increasing.

• More farmers have made efforts to introduce sustainable agriculture because the consumers’ needs for environmentally-friendly agricultural products have been increasing. The farmers, however, face various problems, including increased work, reduced yield and decline in quality.

• In the future, whole rural communities are expected to make efforts to increase farmlands for such production. Introduction of “Measures to Conserve and Improve Land, Water and Environment” is also expected to contribute to improvement of the present conditions.

Number of Certifications as Eco-farmers (Unit: 10 thousand qualifications)

Source: Investigated by MAFF

Note: The figure as of the end of September 2006 was listed as that for 2006.

Volume of Agricultural Products Qualified as Organic Products under the Certification System for Organic JAS Standards (Unit: 10 thousand tonnes)

Source: Investigated by MAFF