復帰後沖縄における肉用牛繁殖経営部門の成長 : 経営群の進化と適応的技術変化

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Agriculture in Okinawa has experienced a significant growth in the beef cattle breeding sector since the reversion to Japan in 1972. Especially since the mid-1980s, induced by booming calf prices and declining profitability of sugar cane farming, many farmers have embarked on or expanded their beef cattle breeding, and this has resulted in the rapid growth of the sector to the present day. This study viewed this process in terms of the evolutionary process of the population of farm management making up the sector, tries to deepen the understanding of this phenomenon and sets forth a reliable view of the future through an analysis focusing on their adaptive technological changes. Adaptive technological changes result from a process of trial and error by farmers striving to incorporate new technology, induced by the changes in the external environment. This aspect of technological change has captured little attention in existing theories such as that of induced technological innovation.In Okinawa after 1972, the population of beef cattle breeding management has evolved, differentiating into roughly three types. The first is small-scale management (type C) which generally tends to have less than 20 female breeding cattle. This type of management makes no major investment in agricultural machinery or facilities. Farm households adopting this type earn their living depending on other principal sectors. The second is middle-scale management (type B) which generally tends to have 20-40 female breeding cattle. This type of management possesses a set of machinery for mowing and producing roughage and makes a moderate investment in upgrading and expanding grasslands and facilities according to need. Farm households adopting this type enlarge the management from type C and increase their reliance on beef cattle breeding. The third type is large-scale management (type A) which tends to have at least 40, normally more than 60, female breeding cattle. This type of management makes large-scale investment in fully-fledged facilities, machinery, and the acquisition and creation of vast grasslands taking advantage of subsidized projects and institutional financing. Farm households adopting this type enlarge the management from type C in stages (type A3) or take a sudden jump by joining government projects to create large-scale livestock management (type A2) or to develop wide-scale grasslands (type A1).With respect to beef cattle breeding in Okinawa, it has been repeatedly pointed out that it has the advantage of reducing cost due to lower material costs for roughage which is naturally supplied in the subtropical climate where it is warm throughout the year and the productivity of grass is relatively high. However, according to knowledge based on the analysis of sample farm management from Tarama and Ishigaki islands in this study, it is only small-scale management that can be said to enjoy this advantage. As regards middle-scale and large-scale management, especially the latter, the ecological and social environments in Okinawa impose many difficulties to be overcome in their operation. What is in question there is the high level of technological capability of individual farm management, including the ability to cope with the unfavorable situation in Okinawa.The shift from sugar cane farming among "the second sugar cane boomers" contributed a great deal to the growth of the beef cattle breeding sector after 1972 and in conjunction with this, small and middle-scale management have occupied an important share in the population of beef cattle breeding management. The second sugar cane boomers are the generation who responded to changes in the policy environment after 1972, including price rises for sugar cane, and decided to enter into or remain in the agricultural sector during the period from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.
人文地理学会の論文

復帰後沖縄における肉用牛繁殖経営部門の成長 : 経営群の進化と適応的技術変化

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