The traditional tea-grass integrated system in Shizuoka is the first example of a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems(GIAHS)site in Japan that was proposed by a local government.In this paper,we report the...The traditional tea-grass integrated system in Shizuoka is the first example of a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems(GIAHS)site in Japan that was proposed by a local government.In this paper,we report the background and circumstances leading to the recognition of this system,its registration as a GIAHS,and its current use after registration.Although semi-natural grasslands have decreased considerably in Japan,we found unique semi-natural grasslands with no pest insects and a rich biodiversity around the tea fields.These grasslands and the farming method employed are known as'Chagusaba',which was registered as a GIAHS in 2013.However,the registration process for GIAHS was not easy,as many local farmers do not understand the value of their traditional farming methods or the GIAHS honor.After registering Chagusaba as a GIAHS,our main agenda was branding.Traditional farming,with time and effort,produces high-quality tea.As labor saving technologies in agriculture have progressed in Japan,the price of high-quality tea has declined,and consequently,the numbers of farmers performing the inefficient traditional farming methods are decreasing.It is necessary to correctly brand the Chagusaba-grown tea and reflect the value of the traditional farming method in the price.The local government of the Shizuoka Prefecture is currently working on implementing a certification system,which includes scientific evaluation using GPS,and the introduction of biodiversity indicators.展开更多
文摘The traditional tea-grass integrated system in Shizuoka is the first example of a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems(GIAHS)site in Japan that was proposed by a local government.In this paper,we report the background and circumstances leading to the recognition of this system,its registration as a GIAHS,and its current use after registration.Although semi-natural grasslands have decreased considerably in Japan,we found unique semi-natural grasslands with no pest insects and a rich biodiversity around the tea fields.These grasslands and the farming method employed are known as'Chagusaba',which was registered as a GIAHS in 2013.However,the registration process for GIAHS was not easy,as many local farmers do not understand the value of their traditional farming methods or the GIAHS honor.After registering Chagusaba as a GIAHS,our main agenda was branding.Traditional farming,with time and effort,produces high-quality tea.As labor saving technologies in agriculture have progressed in Japan,the price of high-quality tea has declined,and consequently,the numbers of farmers performing the inefficient traditional farming methods are decreasing.It is necessary to correctly brand the Chagusaba-grown tea and reflect the value of the traditional farming method in the price.The local government of the Shizuoka Prefecture is currently working on implementing a certification system,which includes scientific evaluation using GPS,and the introduction of biodiversity indicators.
