[1-day press tour in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture] Sponsored by: Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, My Farm Co., Ltd. | NEWSCAST

■From Tokyo, Saitama and Kansai to Minamisoma: Young people with a passion for agriculture aim to work in agriculture

People who chose Minamisoma from a different industry unrelated to agriculture and aimed to become employed farmers, people who moved to the area after becoming fascinated by agriculture as volunteer farmers, and people who had doubts about food safety after the earthquake and wanted to find safe vegetables. We will hear from young people who are responsible for the future of agriculture in Minamisoma City, including those who have the desire to create something, about their passion for farming in this area.

Mirai Agricultural School student comments (excerpt)

・Male in his 30s from Tokyo
“I tried farming before, and when I moved to Minamisoma City, I decided to try farming again!”
I was excited to try fruit vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as rice and wheat, but before I knew it, I had more items to try! While I am in school, I would like to keep my feet on the ground and choose subjects that are suitable for me and study them.

・Female in her 30s from Fukushima Prefecture
“I have no experience in farming, but I want to grow vegetables that will please everyone near my hometown, Soma City.”
I lived in Tokyo for a long time, but when I started getting a dog, I had more opportunities to go out and realized that I love nature again, so I decided to pursue a career in agriculture where I could work in nature. We will become a leader in sustainable agriculture by combining cultivated technology with cutting-edge technology.

・Male in his 20s from Saitama Prefecture
“I want to spread the charm of agriculture from Minamisoma!”
I fell in love with agriculture through volunteer work and decided to enroll. I not only want to learn about agriculture, but I also want to deepen my connections with my friends. After graduating, I would like to get a job at an agricultural corporation and do activities that will give back to me the knowledge I gained here so that people of my generation can learn about the wonders of agriculture.

・Male in his 30s from Osaka Prefecture
“I decided to move from Kansai because I was fascinated by Fukushima, where the rice and sake are delicious.”
I became interested in Fukushima Prefecture, which has delicious rice and sake, and came across Mirai Agricultural School when I attended a farming fair in Tokyo. I would like to study the basics thoroughly and be able to enter the industry in earnest.

■Mirai Agricultural School training scene: Farm training using cutting-edge agricultural equipment

You will be able to see actual farm training at the Mirai Agricultural School, which just opened in April of this year and provides skills and learning specialized for employment in agriculture.

■Regional revitalization through advanced smart agriculture: A large-scale agricultural corporation’s challenge “Kobai Yume Farm”

Kobaimu Farm is a large-scale agricultural corporation that achieves efficiency and high quality through automatic harvesting using robots and growth management using AI. We will be conducting an interview with President Sato and Mr. Suzuki, who is in charge of public relations.
Koubai Yume Farm is an agricultural corporation located in Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture. We continued our activities in Minamisoma City’s Odaka Ward (formerly Odaka Town), which was under an evacuation order immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and became a corporation in 2017. Kobaimu Farm, which mainly produces rice, vegetables, and rapeseed flowers, is a company that brings together young leaders and is working not only on agriculture but also on the recovery of the entire region.

■Background of collaboration and initiatives between Minamisoma City and My Farm

Aiming to recover from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Minamisoma City is working to improve farmland infrastructure, provide various types of support to increasingly large-scale agricultural production corporations, and consolidate farmland in order to accelerate the resumption of farming within the city. Additionally, the city is promoting urban development based on the Fukushima Innovation Coast concept.
Nishitsugu, the representative of My Farm, received a lot of media attention at the time for supporting the restoration of salt-damaged farmland that had been damaged by the tsunami at the time of the earthquake. We believe that the revitalization of agriculture in this area is a life-long job, and with the opening of the Mirai Agricultural School, we are proud to announce the opening of the Agricultural Innovation College, which has produced over 2,200 people over the past 13 years. Based on our agricultural education know-how, we will collaborate with Minamisoma City and focus on restoring agriculture in the disaster-stricken areas.

(reference)

Notice regarding collaboration agreement between Minamisoma City and My Farm_2023.11.13

[Event Report]“Future Agricultural Exchange Space TSUMUGI Opening Ceremony” in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture and
“Mirai Agricultural School Opening Ceremony” was held on April 11th (Thursday)_2024.04.12