- The following is content from the press release -
(headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Nobuaki Chiba, President; hereinafter referred to as "Sen") and VegeLink, Inc. (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Yoshiyo Tsukada, President; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") have announced the launch of "Yes Cheese! ×(headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Yoshihiro Tsukada, President; hereinafter referred to as "the Company"), have announced that they will begin offering a "consignment cultivation service," a win-win situation for both parties: nursery schools can have their own fields for food education purposes and farmers can have a new and stable source of income. This is the first time in the industry (*1 according to our own research) that a company that distributes food ingredients for school lunches provides a service that allows nursery schools to own their own fields and also supports the use and distribution of the vegetables they grow as food ingredients for school lunches.
This initiative was initiated based on feedback from nursery schools that they were losing opportunities to interact with local farmers (producers) and experience nature through agriculture, which had been taken for granted in the past, due to the decrease in farmland in urban areas. The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare's "Guidelines for Nursery School Childcare" stipulates the goal of "cultivating the foundation for the development of children's ability to eat as the basis for a healthy life," and exchanges with producers and agricultural experiences have contributed to these goals.
In the "Outsourced Cultivation Service," we rent a farmer's field that uses safe cultivation methods that minimize the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers so that children can experience agriculture with peace of mind, and grow crops together while interacting with the farmer. Furthermore, the harvested crops are used as ingredients for the nursery's daily school lunches, and the service is different from other rental field services in that it outsources the entire process from cultivation planning to storage management to the farmer.
In order to increase opportunities for more children, especially in urban areas where there is physical distance from farming villages, to "feel close to the fields" and "learn how vegetables they usually eat grow," we aim to provide "cultivation consignment service" to 100 gardens as a first step.
■Background
Fewer farmlands in urban areas, fewer opportunities for children to interact with farmers
In urban areas, farmland is decreasing at an accelerating pace, and children are having fewer opportunities to come into contact with fields and farmers. Children's contact with local farmers and vegetables is a series of discoveries for them and has a great impact on them, such as "children who had never touched soil or insects enjoyed playing with them," "children became interested in vegetables themselves and wanted to water vegetables in the vegetable garden willingly," and "children were proud to tell us what they learned from the farmers. This is an experience that has a great impact on children as it provides an opportunity to nurture their sensibilities. In addition, having children grow their own vegetables and eat them is a valuable opportunity for them to become aware of the bounty of nature and the importance of life. However, many day-care centers have voiced their concerns about the challenges they face in conducting nutrition education activities in today's urban areas, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to interact with farmers and gain hands-on experience in agriculture.
Learning from real fields and real farmers
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of rental farms in urban areas that make use of idle farmland, but most of these services do not have professional farmers who make their living from agriculture, so basically, the farmers themselves must do all the work. The "Outsourced Cultivation Service" was designed to provide a service that goes beyond just experiencing the cultivation of vegetables, by allowing visitors to experience real soil from farmers who are particular about soil preparation, and to learn about farming from real farmers.
In addition, with conventional rental fields, the cultivation of crops is the responsibility of the contractor, and it is necessary to visit the field about once a week to ensure that crops are grown. With the "Cultivation Consignment Service," a portion of a farmer's farmland is rented and daily cultivation is consigned to the farmer, allowing nurseries to grow crops without strain.
Aging producers, declining agricultural workforce, and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
The aging of Japan's farmers is currently a serious problem. According to the "2020 Census of Agriculture and Forestry" conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, approximately 70% of farmers are over 65 years old, and the decline in the farming population is expected to further accelerate in the future. As the decline in the farming population becomes an issue and the participation of diverse human resources in agriculture is required, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is attracting attention as a new model for agriculture. Outsourced Cultivation Service" is one form of CSA (*2), and is realizing a new model of agriculture.
2 What is CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)?
It is a system in which producers and consumers work together and mutually support each other through contracts for agricultural products based on advance payment. It is said to have first started in the U.S. in the 1980s, and is now spreading worldwide, especially in Europe and the U.S.
CSA is characterized by the participation of consumers in farm operations such as farming and shipping, and is based on an equal relationship based on trust, with producers and consumers sharing management risks. It is attracting attention as a new agricultural model that brings diverse benefits to the region, such as community building and promotion of organic farming.
Excerpt from "A Guide to the Introduction of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)" by NARO
https://www.naro.go.jp/publicity_report/publication/pamphlet/tech-pamph/063139.html
2020 Census of Agriculture and Forestry Report
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/tokei/census/afc/2020/030628.html
What is "Cultivation Consignment Service"?
The "Outsourced Cultivation Service" is a service that allows nursery schools to rent a portion of a farmer's field and have their own farm, and VegiLink will recommend the most suitable farmer based on the location and crops to be grown. Even nurseries that are not familiar with agriculture can have a farm without difficulty.
(Point 1)
Positive behavior change toward food through regular contact with farmers and experience from cultivation to eating.
The greatest feature of the "Consignment Farming Service" is that children can experience being both a "grower" and a "eater" by eating vegetables grown in their own fields for school lunch. We also believe that this is an effective way to provide children with nutritional education, as they become familiar with farmers, which in turn helps them develop a sense of affinity with vegetables other than those grown through the "consignment farming" service.
During the contract period, nursery schools can interact with farmers and experience planting, management, and harvesting in the field, and the crops grown and harvested become the property of the school. When using the harvested produce as school lunch ingredients, nursery schools can easily place orders for "Consignment Cultivation Service" crops along with other school lunch ingredients by using the school lunch ingredient delivery service provided by VegeLink. This makes it possible for nursery schools to receive fresh vegetables as school lunch ingredients in the required quantities and in small quantities. (*3)
Because the produce is harvested from the garden's own fields without a market, what would normally be discarded as out-of-spec vegetables before market distribution is used for dietary education and cooking at the nursery, leading to interest in out-of-spec products and a reduction in waste vegetables.
3 After harvest, it is possible to store and manage the harvest for a certain period of time.
(Point 2)
Crops "desired by the garden" can be grown with the cooperation of farmers.
The "Outsourced Cultivation Service" allows nurseries to cultivate the variety of vegetables they wish to grow, starting with a minimum of one type. Nursery schools can freely select the crops they want their children to be exposed to and eat, such as local vegetables and rare crops, and can grow multiple varieties of vegetables. In addition, after the nursery decides on the variety to be grown, VegiLink and the farmer will create a cultivation plan with a series of steps in mind, "from cultivation to serving school lunches," allowing the nursery's nutritionist to plan the menu smoothly.
(Point 3)
A new source of income for farmers
The "Outsourced Cultivation Service" is a new type of income source for farmers, who can rent out part of their fields and manage the cultivation of their crops in addition to their normal crop cultivation. This is also a form of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), a new model of agriculture that supports farmers facing the challenges of an aging and shrinking farming population. In addition, it is clear which children and staff members will be eating the vegetables grown through the "consignment cultivation service," and it is also rewarding for the producers to be able to "see the face" of the farmers.
■Toward Sustainable Food and Agriculture
We believe that we can realize sustainable food and agriculture by connecting local farmers, distribution, and consumption in a series of processes. Since our partner farmers use cultivation methods that minimize the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, they are able to provide safe and secure food to children, while at the same time protecting the environment. In addition, we are able to reduce food loss by utilizing off-specification products that cannot be shipped to the market from the perspective of "natural food = food education". We will continue to support sustainable agriculture and contribute to the realization of a food cycle that is friendly to preschools, children, and the environment.
[What is "Yes Cheese! ×x Veggie Link"]
Hai Cheese!", a comprehensive childcare tech service for more than 10,000 childcare facilities nationwide and "Vegi Link", which has a strong network with farmers, provide a school lunch food delivery and nutrition education service for daycare centers. We deliver foodstuffs to day-care centers with a focus on freshly grown vegetables so that children can eat food safely and securely. In addition, with the aim of reducing the burden on nursery school teachers and enhancing nutrition education activities for children, we provide free nutrition education classes and food-related deliveries, and even design exchanges with farmers, such as field tours. Our activities are designed to make farmers and vegetables more familiar to children attending nursery schools, and to encourage them to develop even the slightest interest in the "food" that forms who they are.
What is ■VegeLink?
With the mission of "connecting urban and rural areas," we aim to solve food issues faced by urban areas and realize the ideal food sought by urban areas by partnering with farmers who practice particular farming methods, such as not using unnecessary pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and by having a system that covers everything from vegetable cultivation to supply.
Company Profile
VegeLink Corporation
President: Yoshiyo Tsukada
Head Office: Keidanren Kaikan 13F, 1-3-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: November 2009
TEL: 03-6759-3263
HP:https://vege-link.com
Business activities: Sales of agricultural products and processed products, planning and operation of home delivery service system, planning, production and provision of nutrition education contents
■Cheese! is
Cheese and cheese! (https://sencorp.co.jp/serviceWith the motto of "Peace for Children," "Peace for Children" is a comprehensive childcare tech service that aims to nurture the happiness of children together with daycare centers, kindergartens, and other facilities that take care of children and their parents.
We provide total support for seasonal events such as athletic meets and recitals, from photography to sales and response to inquiries, through our photo-specialized Internet photo sales service "Hai Cheese! Photo", childcare ICT "Hai Cheese! System", album production "Hi-Cheese! Album," and the video distribution service "Hi-Cheese! Movie," a video distribution service, and the school lunch and nutrition education service "Yes Cheese! ×x Vegi Link" supports the healthy growth of children. We provide services that approach both the physical and mental aspects of children's lives so that their future lives will be richer and happier.
Company Profile
Thousand Corporation
President and Representative Director: Nobuaki Chiba
Head Office : Keidanren Kaikan 13F, 1-3-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Establishment : October 2004
TEL : 03-6266-6662
HP :https://sencorp.co.jp
Business : SaaS-type comprehensive childcare tech service "Yes Cheese! Business
Internet photo sales service "Yes Cheese! Photo" (https://info.8122.jp)
- Photographer Shooting Plan
- Teacher Photography Plan
- Photo Studio Shooting Plan
ICT service for childcare operations "Yes Cheese! System" (https://hoiku-ict.com)
Food service nutrition education service "Yes Cheese! ×x Veggie Link" (https://vege-link.com/shokuiku)
Album production service "Yes Cheese! Album" (https://album.8122.jp)
Video service "Yes Cheese! Movie" (https://enchannel.jp)
- Video distribution platform
- Event Video Shooting
- PR video production and editing
Yes, Cheese!" is a registered trademark of Sen Corporation.
Childcare ICT System "Yes Cheese! series, Sen-san, together with VegiLink, has launched an initiative that allows nurseries to have a field for food education purposes and create a new source of income for farmers.
Let's take a look at the details from the press release.