The One-Straw Revolution - Multiworld India

nationwide by the government's agricultural leaders, and the farmersgladly gave it up. At the same time, because of the low price of importedwheat, the government encouraged the farmers to stop growing thetraditional winter crops of rye and barley. This policy was carried outand the fields of Japan were left to lie fallow through the winter.About ten years ago I was chosen to represent Ehime Prefecture inNHK television's "Outstanding Farmer of the Year" competition. At thattime I was asked by a member of the screening committee, "Mr.Fukuoka, why don't you give up growing rye and barley?" I answered,"Rye and barley are easy crops to raise, and by growing them insuccession with rice we can produce the greatest number of calories fromJapan's fields. That's why I don't give them up."It was made clear that no one who stubbornly goes against the will ofthe Ministry of Agriculture could be named Outstanding Farmer and Ithen said, "If that's what keeps someone from getting the OutstandingFarmer Award, then I'm better off without it." One of the members of thescreening panel later said to me, "If I were to leave the university andtake up farming myself, I would probably farm as you do, and grow ricein summer, and barley and rye over the winter every year as before thewar."Shortly after this episode, I appeared on an NHK television programin a panel discussion with various university professors, and at that time Iwas again asked, "Why don't you give up growing rye and barley?" Istated once again, very clearly, that I wasn't about to give them up forany one of a dozen good reasons. About that time the slogan for givingup winter grain cultivation called for "A merciful death." That is, thepractice of growing winter grain and rice in succession should pass awayquietly. But “merciful death” is too gentle a term; the Ministry of106