Toward a Paradise for the Elderly
That paradise is more than a paradise,There are many small happinesses in everyday life.This is the image of the project. Grandparents living on the island will be able to work and feel the joy and pleasure of working, and at the same time, the business of agriculture will be established.
We will work together with our grandparents to create a way of happiness that is typical of rural Japan, while managing the business of growing asparagus.
To make people work actively and feel a sense of fulfillment in their lives
Create jobs
Let them enjoy their work.
recognize one's fellow man
Interview Grandpa Grandma's "Relationship between Happiness and Work
Q: Mr.Obata, you actually have grandparents working for you.
A. In my sense, grandma and grandpa are happy when they work a little and get a little money.It is important to have a job that you can work at and that you enjoy working at and find rewarding.Grandma and grandpa are not here to make a living, but it is valuable for people to be able to get together and talk.
The other day, I distributed flyers on the island to recruit workers, and everyone was impressed by the message, "Sagishima Paradise Project members wanted.Auntie and others are getting excited, saying, "I want to do it! I want to do it!" and they get so excited.When I talk to these people, I find that like me, many of them are married couples, one of whom has passed away before the other, or they are single. They work, talk, eat, and feel useful to others. They feel like they have a place where they can be, a sense of community that is becoming less and less common in this day and age. Even so, everyone is getting older, and mistakes are made all the time. But it's important to cover that in the long run and help each other out.
Flyer for group members
Steps to paradise and the difficulty of each step
Issue 1: Difficulty in running a solid business in agriculture
The average annual income of a full-time farmer is 4.15 million yen (survey conducted in 2020), which is an average standard of living. However, there are unstable factors such as long working hours, physical labor, and the rise and fall of the market price of crops, and the hurdle becomes higher if one has to hire people to manage the business systematically.
While the stance on management differs between dual- and full-time farmers, the current situation is that until new farmers get on track, it is a tough road in its own right.
We chose low-cost, advanced greenhouse facilities with respect to our footprint asparagus harvesting operations. Under the guidance of the prefectural government, we incorporated smart agriculture to enable us to grow quality asparagus in auto-dimming greenhouses while minimizing management efforts. In addition, we have selected crops with high unit prices that are stable throughout the year, and the mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea has allowed us to have stable harvests. In terms of human resources, the farm employs local elderly people and has built high-ridged pathways to make farming easier on their bodies and the management system.
Issue 2: Difficulties in agricultural DtoC
In addition to these, a wide range of skills are required, such as "branding" to showcase products and communicate unified values, "planning" to grasp consumer needs and commercialize products, and "service" to deal with customers in a practical manner.
The major factors that bring them all together require "managerial acumen" and "execution skills that can actually take shape," which is a difficulty that cannot be handled overnight.
Demonstration of prototype products at a government-sponsored exhibitionMr. Kobatake, the representative of the company, is a veteran businessman who has led many businesses to success, including the launch of a computer system company, the construction of a regional broadcasting system, the operation of a fitness club, and a hotel business. In this entry into agriculture, he has of course kept cost and profitability in mind, but he has also demonstrated his keen ability in building direct sales channels, collaborating with other businesses, and developing a village concept, and is working on DtoC for farmers while keeping the key points of management in mind.
Issue 3: Difficulties in regional development
Rural development aims to create a situation where industries are revitalized in rural areas, jobs are created, and young people can do what they want to do in rural areas, and several success stories are now emerging among certain businesses.
There are possibilities to use technology to compete in the countryside, to raise children while maintaining a life-work balance in a rich natural environment, and even the elderly can do business with things close to home.
However, as an overall number, they are still a minority, and the difficulty for local development is whether they will continue to develop in the future.
We are convinced that the Sagishima Paradise Project is truly a model for regional development. First of all, it is necessary to create an environment in which the elderly can enjoy working and to have a solid management system, which has now been established. Beyond that, veteran business owners are currently working to create a model for regional development by linking the island with local tourism resources, offering hands-on experiences, and producing and selling a variety of products throughout the country.
Smart Farming to get closer to the Paradise Plan
To briefly explain smart agriculture, the objective is to reduce the amount of labor required to manage crops through DX innovation, while at the same time increasing the amount of produce that can be harvested and making it easier to generate profits from agriculture.
Specifically, automatic light control can be used to adjust the light by putting up shades when the light is too bright, automatic opening and closing of the greenhouse to control the temperature so that it does not get too hot, and automation by embedding sensors in the ground and running tubes that automatically spray nutrients and water. In addition, the high ridge type of greenhouses allows harvesting to be done while sitting on a chair and using rollers to move sideways, making the greenhouses more physically friendly and efficient.
The Secret of Stable Management
Q Mr. Obata, I'm grateful to be able to work every day and now I'm going to have a second farm. You always sell well, tell me the secret.
A. It's basic.It is an ironclad rule of business to keep people who buy well.I guess so. We have our own hotel, so people buy it there, and we also sell it to fitness clubs. Asparagus is a healthy food, good for beauty, and a perfect match. It's too risky to suddenly sell on the Internet or not.The secret is to have a solid connection with customers who understand the value.I wonder. When wholesaling through general distribution, the standards are strict and the prices are very reluctant. First of all, you have to have a solid relationship with your customers to ensure business stability.
I see. It's easy when you say it, but it's difficult to put it into practice with actual customers.
Q Mr. Obata, one more question. Why did you choose asparagus as the crop to make? I'm sure there must be a reason.
A There are several reasons,The price of the transaction is high and the value is stable.The "one" is a big deal when you think about running a business. If the product is too time-consuming and unprofitable, aunts and uncles can't hire them. Also, Sagishima and asparagus went well together, which was unexpected.The earliest and latest harvest in the prefecture.I also appreciated the enthusiasm of the prefectural government officials. The enthusiasm of the prefectural government officials was also very encouraging because I was an amateur farmer. I am grateful for that, too.
Message from Obata
Oh yes, here's a message for those of you who have read this far. Look at this site,If you are interested in agricultural management, if you would like us to teach you how to do business, or if you would like to cooperate with us in business or products, we welcome your inquiries.It is. For more information, please send it to us through the contact form and we will respond to you, so please contact us if you are interested.Maybe something new will start.
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