ブックタイトル平成26年度公開講座記録集

概要

平成26年度公開講座記録集

平成26年度新潟県立大学公開講座「新潟における食の風景」On Novenber 23rd, 2014 UNP held a RegionalPartnership Center event at the newly-openedAgripark, a public facility and research center inMinami-ku. As the second event this year for ourpopular ‘Foodscape’ theme, three guests were invitedto speak about their specialist fields: FujioTsubokawa from Agripark; Setsuo Kasahara fromShirone Grape Garden; and Naomichi Okamurafrom Okamura Grape Farm. These three specialistswere from the public and private sectors andwere chosen for their insights and leadership intheir areas.In preparation for the event, several visits weremade to their workplaces and discussions wereheld about how to connect the Regional PartnershipCenter’s ‘Foodscape’ theme with the natureof the speakers’ activities. It was decided to focusthe event on presentations and a panel discussionsurrounding three themes which we felt are alllinked to agricultural ‘sustainability’: 1. ‘next generation’farmers and who will take over the manyprivate farming businesses in this aging society; 2.‘appropriate ‘business models’ for the private sectorfruit farms in Niigata; and 3. agricultural researchand how the public sector can collaboratewith the private sector.Visiting the speakers before the event was particularlyinteresting and we committee memberscould see ‘first hand’ public and private workpractice. At Agripark we saw how research wascarried out in farm produce and how the publicsector helps to educate people about its unique localNiigata ‘Foodscape’ culture. On most visits wesaw children enjoying various fun cooking andfarming events.At Mr. Kasahara’s Shirone Grape Garden wesaw a business model based on great customerservice where all the family could enjoy ‘yakiniku’under grape orchards, children could play withfarm animals and pick strawberries, and manykinds of produce were for sale.Mr. Okamura’s business activity was part of theTsubame Sanjo ‘Asa cafe’ events in which participantswake early to enjoy breakfast and grapegathering under the guidance of a team of volunteers.I attended one morning event with my wifeand we were impressed by the specialist adviceabout grape production and the ‘regional branding’at the venue where all products (includingcutlery and tables) were ‘Made in Tsubame Sanjo’.The November 23rd event was hosted in Agriparkitself thanks to Mr. Tsubokawa. With a large audience,Mr. Tsubokawa gave us fascinating insightsinto the history and trends of fruit farming in theregion; Mr. Kasahara’s talk stressed the importanceof customer service and entrepreneurshipwith the support of his family; and Mr. Okamuraspoke of the regional branding concept of Asa Cafe,also relying on family and local volunteer support.It was a memorable event for the audience andcommittee members, all of whom came away witha sense of how public-private cooperation, familysupport, and regional branding can help to sustainNiigata’s unique ‘Foodscape’.Sustainable Foodscape in orchards in NiigataJohn AdamsonUniversity of NIIGATA PREFECTURE 16