On behalf of JA-Zenchu and JA-Group (Japanese Agicultural cooperatives), please find below our contribution.
Best regards
Taku Fujimoto
JA-Zenchu (Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives), Japan
We, JA-Group, consist of 700 agricultural cooperatives in Japan. It is one of our most important issues to improve women and youth farmers’ positions since almost all of 2.4 million farmers are family farmers in our country. This year, designated as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by the United Nations, is the best opportunity to discuss this theme and share experiences and best practices on the global level. We would like to introduce two cases that we have engaged in.
First, how can farmers’, especially women farmers’, financial independence be ensured in food chain? Our members’ agricultural cooperatives totally own 2,000 farmers markets to provide women and aged farmers with opportunities to make agricultural incomes by selling their agricultural products and handmade products. In these shops, farmers can set the right price by themselves. In addition, there are 16,800 farmers markets in the nation including ones owned by local governments, selling 8.6 billion USD in 2010 that is direct incomes of farmers, excluding 15% sales charge on average.
Second, how can voices of youth farmers, who will take a key role into the future, be reflected in agricultural policies? JA-Youth, which has 60,000 youth farmers in our organization, has conducted the Policy Book Activities that are building up and delivering actual voices of young farmers for local and national governments since 2010.
These efforts are still in progress. We would like to make them further better learning from best practices in the world.
Dear colleagues,
On behalf of JA-Zenchu and JA-Group (Japanese Agicultural cooperatives), please find below our contribution.
Best regards
Taku Fujimoto
JA-Zenchu (Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives), Japan
We, JA-Group, consist of 700 agricultural cooperatives in Japan. It is one of our most important issues to improve women and youth farmers’ positions since almost all of 2.4 million farmers are family farmers in our country. This year, designated as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by the United Nations, is the best opportunity to discuss this theme and share experiences and best practices on the global level. We would like to introduce two cases that we have engaged in.
First, how can farmers’, especially women farmers’, financial independence be ensured in food chain? Our members’ agricultural cooperatives totally own 2,000 farmers markets to provide women and aged farmers with opportunities to make agricultural incomes by selling their agricultural products and handmade products. In these shops, farmers can set the right price by themselves. In addition, there are 16,800 farmers markets in the nation including ones owned by local governments, selling 8.6 billion USD in 2010 that is direct incomes of farmers, excluding 15% sales charge on average.
Second, how can voices of youth farmers, who will take a key role into the future, be reflected in agricultural policies? JA-Youth, which has 60,000 youth farmers in our organization, has conducted the Policy Book Activities that are building up and delivering actual voices of young farmers for local and national governments since 2010.
These efforts are still in progress. We would like to make them further better learning from best practices in the world.