RESEARCH REPORTS FROM INSTITUTE FOR AGRO-MICROBIOLOGY, Vol. 13, 2009 p.7-31
Copyright © Institute for Agro-Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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SPECIAL REPORT

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1.On the possibility of natural farming to change medicine

― Exploring the philosophy between agriculture and medicine ―

Yoshihiko Sugioka(Department of Health Science, Asahikawa Medical College)

It is generally believed that agricultural chemicals or chemical fertilizers are indispensable for growing crops. However, natural farming involves the use of methods developed for cultivating crops without using pesticides and chemical fertilizers; some data showed the crops of rice by natural farming was equivalent to 80% of conventional farming. In this paper, we have highlighted that natural farming is not laissez-faire. A common misconception that natural farming is non-scientific stems from the view that agricultural science is essentially an applied science. Agricultural science as well as medicine is unique, and field experiments are essential components of this science. Natural farming seems to provide a new paradigm in medicine: (1) to introduce an ecological view into medicine (2) to value spontaneous healing and (3) to avoid a rapid use of medicament. Consumers and farmers who seek safe agricultural products have promoted farming without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Similarly, it is the patients and medical staffs that develop a medicine suggested by the view of natural farming. Now it is quite essential to address consensus-building on coming agriculture and medicine between consumers/ patients and farmers/ medical staffs. To this end, we must explore a philosophy to reflect agriculture and medicine concurrently.

Keywords: Natural Farming, Natural Healing Power, Producers and Consumers, Philosophy of Agriculture and Medicine