|
Growing with the
Earth
 |
|
Yasumi
Nishi (right) [İSeikyo Shimbun] |
Yasumi Nishi is a
mandarin farmer in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. After taking over the
family farm, he spent more than 10 years in painstaking experimentation
with soil improvement. This has enabled him to produce mandarins with a
consistently high sugar content that are now prized throughout Japan.
 |
|
Mauro Traini |
Mauro Traini has an organic farm in Tuscany, Italy, where he produces
wine, olive oil and grappa. He also cultivates ancient fruits, saffron
and legumes. Out of concern for the environment, he no longer transports
his produce to other parts of Italy but only sells it locally.
What aspect of the farming lifestyle gives you
the most joy?
Mauro: There are so many joys to
being a farmer. Besides working in the open air and sharing the rhythms
of nature, the greatest pleasure is being conscious of doing something
that benefits both oneself and others--producing healthy food that is
not contaminated with pesticides and attempting to maintain a healthy
environment.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau called agriculture the most useful and noble of
all professions. I agree with this, and it has inspired me to continue
in this job in spite of the many difficulties. Another pleasant aspect
of this job is one's relationships with other farmers, especially the
older ones, who have a lot of wisdom, not only about agriculture but
about life in general.
 |
Yasumi: What gives me the most joy
is bringing the fruits that I grew with such care to the market and
seeing people there really appreciating them. It is also very satisfying
that my livelihood is sustained by people who are happy to buy our
products. Over the past 20 years, I've studied how to produce a special
orange with a rich, sweet and juicy taste. I pour my love and affection
onto each tree, each leaf and each fruit.
Also, to experience the changes of the four seasons in my body as I work
makes me feel as though my own life is growing. It gives me a sense of
joy and appreciation, a sense of fulfillment.
What are the greatest challenges you face as a
farmer?
Yasumi: The greatest challenge is
when the crops, which we have poured so much effort and care into, are
destroyed or damaged by bad weather or other kinds of incidents. It's
also very challenging when our products don't get a fair evaluation at
market.
Mauro: There are many difficulties.
The financial rewards do not compare well with other economic sectors.
In recent years, however, climate change is the greatest problem
confronting us. I worry about this because, despite all the farmer's
efforts, the risk of crop failure is very high.
Also, we have to fight against this pervasive vision of agriculture
being the preserve of the big multinational companies with their
agrochemicals and genetic modifications.
How do you see the mission of farmers in
society?
Mauro: Agriculture has always been
about supplying food for humanity. Today it must provide for a
remarkable number of people; the difficulty is to fulfill this mission
without excessive exploitation and chemical pollution of the land.
We have to produce food that is full of the vital energy that supports
the lives of human beings. More often, modern agricultural produce is
full of residual chemicals and deprived of the subtle and more vital
nutritional elements that deeply nourish the human body. If human beings
are what they eat, given humanity's present situation, agriculture bears
a great responsibility.
Yasumi: SGI President Ikeda has
encouraged farmers to become beacons within our communities. I
completely agree with him. I believe we have a role to play in creating
harmony within society, and I have been exerting myself toward that end.
How does your Buddhist practice influence your
approach to your work?
Yasumi: I have changed a lot through
my Buddhist practice and through the influence of the writings of
President Ikeda; I have a deeper appreciation of the value of life. I
have also been able to develop a challenging spirit not to be defeated
by difficulties and to squarely confront each problem I face. I feel
grateful that I can continue to improve myself.
 |
Mauro: Through the process of my own
personal development inspired by my Buddhist practice, I've come to
understand the necessity of making improvements in my work. I've stopped
using chemical products and begun to farm organically, and I've also
discovered the importance of maintaining and recovering traditional
farming practices.
I've also begun to conserve and reproduce endangered varieties of
cereals, legumes, vines and fruits. When I learn about a strain which is
in danger of becoming extinct, I feel very emotional at the thought of
being able to protect it and pass it on to my children and future
generations.
Many people live in cities and have little
contact with nature. Does this concern you?
Yasumi: I think this is the result
of excessive emphasis placed on the pursuit of profit. One thing that
concerns me is that if people lose contact with nature, they are likely
to lose their gentleness.
Mauro: I always find it is strange
that there are people who do not produce at least some of what they
consume. It would be great if, in the future, many buildings in cities,
instead of having only parking lots, would also have vegetable gardens.
What do you feel you have learned about the
rhythms and laws of nature from your work?
Mauro: I think farmers develop a
natural grasp of the Buddhist outlook on life. You find that the simple
wisdom that farmers possess is the same as what Buddhism expresses in
more detailed terms--wisdom about life and death, impermanence, the
interdependence of all phenomena, and the inseparability of self and the
environment.
Farmers know that our lives are closely linked with plants and the land,
and studies are now demonstrating they can influence each other. This
link between plants, the soil and human beings can influence the quality
of the harvest. I believe in the positive effect on plants of dialogue,
and I would like to experiment with other ideas, such as the effect of
music in cultivation.
From this perspective, I feel hopeful. A positive change in human beings
will be reflected in the environment. We will be able to stop our
destruction of the natural environment.
Yasumi: Although the crops we grow
cannot speak, I think they probably know their mission.
What I mean is, seeds know when to sprout, and they endure numerous
hardships to bloom and bear fruit, progressing with all their might
toward the flourishing of their own progeny. We see how plants are able
to soothe a person's heart, bringing enjoyment and courage to others
through their own existence. If we give them our attentive care, they
never fail to respond. I think this is precisely what is taught in
Buddhism.
 |
|
