Which is precisely what needs to happen all over the world. So, we will look at what prompted these Japanese women to not only demand organic food, but to be prepared to support farmers financially and physically in growing it for them. It has been going for over twenty years and involves more than 16 million people 1 . In other words it is pretty successful. Even if this may be considered an optimistic figure, it is still a significant movement.
Japan holds a critical leadership position in the South East Asian region.
The sort of economic growth experienced in Japan, and especially its consequences, presents a vital lesson for other countries of the region, who are now repeating it, sometimes quite consciously. So, the reason I am here today is to tell you about a successful system of farming and distributing organic food in a heavily urban industrial society. During the next forty five minutes I will talk about the background of farming problems and pollution in Japan which lead to people developing ideas like teikei. Then you will engage in a group brainstorming session. And, at the end, we will leave with a working knowledge of this particular method of providing, if not a perfect community, then at least a system which has the potential to occupy that important transition stage between what we have now and the sustainable future we would like to see.