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MAFF to Draft "Food Guide" as Part of Action Program for Enhanced Food Self-sufficiency
On May 30, The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) decided fiscal 2005 action program for the enhancement of food self-sufficiency. Under a pillar of the action program that deals with the promotion of food awareness education, it will draft "Food Guide" by the end of June. The "Food Guide" will show optimal amount of intake, item by item, such as rice, meat and vegetables for easy reading by the public, and hopes to attain public awareness of the "Food Guide" among 20% of people by March 31, 2006. On the production pillar, the program sets out to increase the area of farmland of which the use is to be concentrated in the hands of core farmers ranging from 2, 310 thousand to 2,330 thousand hectares from what was 2,250 thousand hectares at the end of fiscal year 2004.
The action program was presented to and endorsed by the Food Self-Sufficiency Enhancement Council on the same day, which is composed of organizations in agriculture, food industry and of consumers etc. The action program is made up of two pillars: one dealing with food consumption and the other agricultural production.
The program on its food consumption aspect features food awareness education and measures for increased consumption of domestic agricultural produce such as rice. It aims to implement school lunch with rice for 3 times a week as soon as possible as well as to enhance the degree of awareness about food made of rice flour among 20% of the people, which at present stands only at 13%.
On the agricultural production front, in addition to promoting the concentration of the use of farmland, priority areas for increased forage production will be designated at 120 places to increase from the present 79 points so as to enhance feed self-sufficiency rate. Actions to develop producing area brands will also be undertaken at 45 places over the period of 5 years in a joint food industry-agriculture collaboration.
Other features include drafting of the plans for "consumption of local
products by the end of the fiscal year at 600 areas, and the increasing of the number of main driving force of farming such as approved farmers, agricultural corporations and community farming organizations.
The Council will make a check on implementation by items of activities and the status of feasibility studies for activities with a view to expanding or modifying the program as necessary.
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