公益財団法人 自然農法国際研究開発センター 公益財団法人 自然農法国際研究開発センター

Outreach

INFRC promotes Nature Farming through various activities both in Japan and overseas.

In Japan, we hold workshops and symposiums and publish newsletters.  We also entrust experienced Nature Farming farmers as instructors for giving advice to farmers who are interested in Nature Farming.

In overseas, we promote Nature Farming through APNAN (Asia-Pacific Natural Agriculture Network), which is a network for spreading Nature Farming in the Asia-Pacific region.  We also hold workshops on Nature Farming in Thailand in cooperation with the Kyusei Nature Farming Center in Saraburi, Thailand.  Some publications on Nature Farming are available in English.

Thailand Thailand

Activities in Japan

The Chita-Kusagi Farm is the main demonstration farm of Nature Farming in Japan. The farm was established in 2011 in the Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture. Our staff of the farm visit experienced local farmers practicing Nature Farming and study their farming practices to share them with other farmers. We also entrust some local farmers practicing Nature Farming with the instruction of the farming method in various areas in Japan.

O1. Holding Nature Farming Workshops
Organic farming is practiced only in 4 ~ 5% of the entire farmland in Japan. There are not many opportunities for farmers to learn organic farming. These workshops offer opportunities for both experienced and beginning farmers and those interested in Nature Farming to learn the farming method and to share their knowledge and techniques with others. They learn the principles and practical techniques of Nature Farming and build new connections to support each other through visiting Nature Farming fields. The workshops are held at 7 different locations in Japan every year.
2. Hosting Symposiums
Nature Farming is not only a method of agriculture but is also strongly linked to the environment and our health and food. To promote Nature Farming among consumers as well as farmers and to vitalize local communities, we organize symposiums on food, health, agriculture and the environment.
3. Publishing the Newsletter ‘Shizen Nouho ’
The newsletter Shizen Nouho (Nature Farming) provides information related to Nature Farming and organic farming for our supporters. We also issue reports of Nature Farming Workshops and guidebooks of Nature Farming.
4. Nature Farming Instructors
We entrust farmers who have been practicing Nature Farming for many years as instructors for farmers in various regions in Japan.

Overseas Activities

Spreading Nature Farming to the World
INFRC promotes Nature Farming and the technology of Effective Microorganisms (EM) in cooperation with various organizations in countries in the Asia-Pacific region through APNAN (Asia-Pacific Natural Agricultural Network). APNAN was founded in 1989 for spreading Nature Farming utilizing EM technology in the Asia-Pacific region and works on a wide range of activities around Southeast Asia.

APNAN mainly carries out such activities as spreading information on Nature Farming and EM technology through APNAN News and its website, holding workshops and accepting visitors from other countries. APNAN News is an English information magazine carrying news on APNAN activities, Nature Farming and EM technologies around the world. (APNAN News is not available currently.)

Furthermore, for disseminating information on Nature Farming and facilitating academic exchanges, we held seven international conferences on Kyusei Nature Farming in the major regions of the world and made presentations at the IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) Organic World Congress.

Proceedings of the International Conferences on Kyusei Nature Farming

Holding International Workshops
We hold international workshops on Nature Farming and EM technology at Kyusei Nature Farming Center located in Saraburi Province, Thailand, with the cooperation of the center to promote Nature Farming and EM in other countries with the following main objectives.
  1. Training of extension workers.
  2. Collecting and spreading information on the activities, practices and application technologies in various countries.
  3. Increasing the number of people who are interested in Nature Farming and EM technology.
Support Based on Agreement
We signed agreements with the government agencies of such countries as Laos and Bhutan and sent our staff to promote Nature Farming and EM technology there. In Myanmar, we cooperate with Multi-agri Development Association, a new domestic NGO in which a several private organizations participate to promote Nature Farming, based on the signed agreement.
Promotion Activities in China
Since China was not a founding member of APNAN, we have conducted dissemination activities in China separately from the other APNAN member countries. The program of accepting researchers and short-term trainees at our Agricultural Research Station in Matsumoto has become a big support for the dissemination of Nature Farming in China. We received 32 visiting researchers and 109 trainees from China since 1991 until 2018 for participating in research or receiving training. Among them are the president of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the deputy mayor of a municipal government, directors of the Bureau of Agriculture and research institutes and university professors. They are now working to promote Nature Farming. Currently, we organize an international forum on Nature Farming every year in China and co-held it at the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Harbin City in August 2018.
APNAN website (currently under maintenance)