新規就農支援 魅力ある産業へ若者呼び込め

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 24, 2012)
Make farming attractive to young generations
新規就農支援　魅力ある産業へ若者呼び込め（2月23日付・読売社説）

We hope that enticing young generations to the farming industry will be a step to reinvigorate the nation's agriculture.
　若者たちを呼び込むことで、日本農業を活性化させる契機としたい。

From fiscal 2012, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry will introduce a new measure to encourage people to enter farming.
　農林水産省が新たな就農支援策を、２０１２年度から導入する。

It will be the first item to be introduced as part of the government's program for revitalizing the nation's farming industry, which was decided on in autumn with an eye on Japan's entry into talks regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade framework.
　環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）の交渉参加をにらみ、政府が昨秋に決定した農業再生計画の第１弾である。

The nation's agricultural population has decreased 20 percent in five years to 2.6 million, and it is expected to decrease by another 1 million over the next 10 years.
　日本の農業人口は５年間で２割減り、２６０万人となった。今後１０年でさらに１００万人減少すると予想されている。

The accelerated graying of farmers is another cause for concern, as the average age of farmers has reached 66.
農家の平均年齢は６６歳に達し、高齢化の加速も憂慮すべき状況だ。

It is essential to recruit ambitious people from various regions and industries to develop a robust agriculture industry that can withstand the wave of trade liberalization.
　貿易の自由化に耐えられる強い農業を実現するには、広範な地域や業種から、意欲ある人材を確保することが欠かせない。

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Cash for new farmers

Under the new measure, the government will provide 1.5 million yen annually for up to seven years, including a two-year training period, to people under 45 who wish to begin farming.
　新制度は、農業を志す４５歳未満の人を対象に、２年間の研修を含めて最長７年間、毎年１５０万円ずつ支給する。

Each newcomer can receive a maximum total of 10.5 million yen. The government has secured more than 10 billion yen in the budget for the inaugural year.
１人当たり最大１０５０万円で、初年度の予算は１００億円超にのぼる。

The new measure differs from available government support to new farmers, such as providing interest-free loans and subsidizing the purchase of farm machines and tools. The government has taken a decisive step to cover newcomers' expected shortage of income by directly giving them cash.
　無利子融資や農機具購入の助成といった従来型の支援と違い、補助金の直接支給による収入補填(ほてん)方式に踏み込んだ。

One of the reasons young people hesitate to become farmers is concern their earnings are likely to be low in the early years.
　若い世代が農業を敬遠する一因は、就農直後の低収入への不安だ。

The government aims to double the number of young people entering farming, now at about 10,000 each year, by easing their anxiety about income.
それを和らげ、年間１万人程度にとどまる若手新規就農者を２万人に倍増する狙いがある。

The model for this new measure is a similar support program introduced in France in the 1970s.
　１９７０年代に同様の支援策を実施したフランスが、今回のモデルとなっている。

The proportion of farmers aged under 40 doubled in 30 years to 30 percent in that country, according to sources.
４０歳未満の農業者比率が３０年間で３割に倍増する効果を上げたという。

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Help farmers stand on own feet

The government needs to be careful that the new measure does not end up as a mere handout policy.
　注意したいのは、新たなばらまき政策に終わらせないことだ。

The agriculture ministry and local governments need to check on new farmers and give them thorough instruction on how to stand on their own feet in the future.
　農水省や自治体は、新規就農者の経営状態をチェックすると同時に、常に自立への指導を徹底する必要がある。

We hope the ministry and local governments will create an environment in which support for new farmers is effective enough to keep them in the industry.
支援が十分効果を上げ、就農者が農業を継続できる環境整備を図ってもらいたい。

The important point in increasing the number of new young farmers over the medium and long term is to make the agricultural industry attractive to young generations and make it possible for farmers to profit sufficiently.
　中長期的に若手の就農者を増やすポイントは、何よりも若者が魅力を感じる農業、稼げる農業に再生することである。

The farming industry would become a growth field if farmers and agricultural corporations accelerated their advancement into food processing and marketing. Agriculture should no longer be satisfied to exist in a primary-industry framework and should add elements of secondary and tertiary industries.
　農家や農業法人がもっと食品加工や販売分野に進出し、１次産業に２次、３次をプラスした「６次産業化」を目指せば、農業は成長産業に変わるはずだ。

There are already successful examples of people who have moved from the information technology, financial and other industries to the farming industry, developing agricultural businesses free from conventional mind-sets.
　情報技術（ＩＴ）や金融など異業種から参入した人材が、旧来の発想にとらわれない農業ビジネスを展開している成功例は多い。

Such successful people have increased their earning power by producing high-value-added farm products after studying the tastes of customers and finding markets abroad.
　顧客の好みを把握し、付加価値の高い農産物を作ったり、海外に販路を開拓したりして、収益力を高めている。

We want to urge the agriculture ministry to review various laws, regulations and customs, such as the Agricultural Land Law, which limits corporations' entry into agriculture.
　農水省は、企業の農業参入を制限する農地法など様々な法規や慣行を見直すことが求められる。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 23, 2012)
（2012年2月23日01時13分 読売新聞）