Kyota Yoshikawa, from Kawaityo-Kawai Kitakatsuragi in Japan, is the recipient of a Nuffield International scholarship supported by Norinchukin Bank to study the feasibility of sustainable agriculture for global soil conservation.
Kyota is interested in how to address nutrient-depleted soils caused by excessive chemical fertilizer use and how to safeguard the world's food supply, given the ongoing growth of the global population. He aims to research the collaboration between agricultural science, conventional farming and organic farming, particularly in limited production areas, to find sustainable agricultural practices.
Kyota is the managing director of a family-owned poultry farm. Operations primarily involve raising 20,000 laying hens, harvesting eggs, egg packaging and delivery of eggs. The business employs 20 family members as staff.
As a representative of Young Farmers in Japan at the GFFA (Global Forum for Food and Agriculture), Kyota was one of 20 young farmers to address agricultural ministers from 70 countries on food security solutions. Through this, he has developed a keen awareness of global food and environmental challenges.
Kyota believes "many Japanese people are unaware of global food system issues because they often only access information written in Japanese due to a lack of English proficiency. This has led me to feel that Japan lags behind in sustainable agriculture practices. As a farmer, I believe it's crucial to convey that sustainable agriculture, including organic farming, serves a broader purpose: People working for the sake of others and the environment."
