Japan sees record drop in self-employed farmworkers
The drop is part of a broader trend driven by an aging agricultural workforce, which is posing significant challenges to Japan’s food security. The average age of core agricultural workers fell slightly from 67.8 years in 2020 to 67.6 years, the first decrease since 1995, largely due to retirements. However, the overall number of agricultural workers has decreased by 342,000 since the last survey, with comparable data dating back to 1985.
The declining workforce highlights the difficulties of attracting younger people to the farming profession, raising concerns about the abandonment of agricultural land. As more elderly farmers retire, the lack of new entrants into the sector could lead to further challenges in maintaining food production.
The number of farm business entities, including corporations, also fell by 23%, dropping below 1 million for the first time since data tracking began in 2005. In contrast, the number of cooperative agricultural businesses rose by 2.9% to 39,000.
Farmland consolidation has continued, with the average cultivated area per business increasing by 0.6 hectares to 3.7 hectares. Notably, for the first time, over half of the country’s cultivated land is now operated by large-scale farm businesses that manage 20 hectares or more. This trend towards larger agricultural operations reflects the growing challenges faced by small-scale farmers in Japan's rapidly changing agricultural landscape.
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