18 September, 2021 Another Citizens’ Food Summit:
The “Green Food System Strategy” proposed by MAFF is not that “Green”
Another Citizens’ Food Summit
“The “Green Food System Strategy” proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is filled with ambitious goals, such as increasing the area of organic farming to 25% of all farmland by 2050 and reducing the use of chemical pesticides by 30%. It is said to have been formulated in preparation for the UN Food System Summit to be held in September this year, but many NGOs have criticized the summit as being dominated by profit-oriented multinational corporations.
We are organizing another Citizens’ Food Summit in response to the UN Food System Summit. We will learn about the current situation of corporate domination of food on a global scale, find out what the true aim of Japan’s “Green Food System Strategy” is, and think about the agriculture and food we want.
Date and Time: Saturday, 18 September, 2021, 13:30 – 16:30
Venue: Bunkyo Silver Center, Silver Hall (Bunkyo Civic Center 4F)
Online participation is also possible.
Program (tentative)
13:30-13:40 Opening remarks
13：40-13：50 Issue: “Why Green Food System Strategy is not Green” by Mr. Toshiyuki Saito (National Federation of Farmers Movement)
13：50-14：00 Issue: “The UN Food System Summit that gives priority to large corporations”, Ms. Setsuko Yasuda (Food Policy Center Vision 21)
14：00-14：10 Issue: “Slow Food International Movement / Food System Strategy from the Viewpoint of an Organic Farmer” Ms. Megumi Watanabe (Japan Slow Food Association, Organic Farmer)
14:10-14:20 Issue: “Breaking away from chemical pesticides with RNA pesticides?” Keisuke Amagasa
14：20-14：40 Animation “Big Brother is Coming – The Invisible Threat to Our Food” Screening and commentary
14：40-14：50 Break
14：50-16：15 Panel discussion “We are the main actors! The Future of Food Created by Consumers and Farmers
16：15-16：30 Message Board Campaign and the Future
Panelists
Toshiyuki Saito was born in Chiba Prefecture in 1949. He became a standing committee member of the National Federation of Farmer’s Movements when it was formed in 1989, and later became its secretary general. He has been practicing organic farming in Chiba Prefecture.
Setsuko Yasuda worked for Consumers Union of Japan, where she was in charge of the anti-nuclear power movement, food safety and food agriculture issues. She established the Food Policy Center Vision 21 in 2000. Her major publications include “Suicide Seeds” (Heibonsha Shinsho), co-authored “TPP and Japan’s Issues” (Noubunkyo Booklet), and “Food is Degrading Japan: Seeds for Life and Safe Food for the Next Generation” (Eats Food News).
Megumi Watanabe is a graduate of the Faculty of Education at Waseda University. In 2015, she moved to Italy and received a master’s degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a university founded by the Slow Food Association. After returning to Japan in 2016, she played a central role in the launch of Slow Food Japan and will become the President in April 2019. She is also the wife of an organic farmer and the mother of two children.
Coordinator
Keisuke Amagasa graduated from the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Waseda University. After working as an editor for the magazine “Gijutsu to Ningen” (Technology and Humanity), he became independent in 1993. Currently, he is a representative of the Citizens Biotechnology Information Office, a representative of the No! GMO Campaign, and advisor to Consumers Union of Japan. His recent publications include “Genome Manipulation and Human Rights” (Jiyu Shuppansha), “Postwar History of Agriculture and Food: From Defeat to Post-Corona” (Midorikaze Shuppan, co-author), and “New Corona Vaccine: Its Real Image and Problems” (Midorikaze Shuppan).
Animation: “Big Brother is Coming: The Invisible Threat to Our Food
ETC Group
In addition to the huge agribusinesses, this video shows how huge IT companies are now entering the world of food, and asset management companies are buying up shares in food-related companies. What in the world is happening in the food industry? We will consider the true nature of the digitalization that is unknowingly shaking our food industry from the perspective of the food world. Presented for the first time in Japan.
(Original title: Big Brother is Coming to the Farm: the digital takeover of food)
Organized by: Consumers Union of Japan