田植え1回、収穫3回？目指す「再生三期作」石垣島での挑戦に密着「持続可能な農業を」【羽鳥慎一モーニングショー】(2026年6月5日)

We interviewed a farmer on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa who is undertaking a groundbreaking rice-farming method that utilizes the warm climate to achieve three harvests from a single rice planting. ■ Significant Cost Reduction: The Amazing Power of Regenerative Double Cropping May 17th. The rice planting season was in full swing in the rice paddies of Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Lush green seedlings were being planted in the soil. Terunuma Farm Yohei Terunuma (45) "(Q. Will you finish planting here today?) I will finish today. Absolutely! (If I don't finish) I won't be able to go to Ishigaki Island." Yohei Terunuma has been farming rice in Mito for 24 years. On his back are the words "Rice Producer," "Ishigaki Island," and "Ibaraki Prefecture." Last June, the program interviewed Mr. Terunuma, who was farming rice in the rice paddies of Ishigaki Island. "(Q. How many times have you traveled back and forth between Ishigaki Island and Mito this year?) I'd say at least 10 round trips." Mr. Terunuma continues to cultivate rice in both Mito and Ishigaki Island. On this day, he was in Mito with his parents, planting rice on approximately 3 hectares from early morning until evening. "(Q. Rice planting is really hard work, isn't it?) It's hard work. It takes many days (for seedling preparation, etc.). And you need a lot of manpower." Seedling preparation takes about a month. Furthermore, including the transportation and setup of seedling trays during planting, it requires a considerable amount of labor and cost. Therefore, since last year, he has been trying "regenerative double cropping" on Ishigaki Island. Regenerative double cropping is a farming method where, during the first harvest, the rice is cut higher than usual to leave nutrients in the stems, and the regeneration of the rice is used for a second harvest. While conventional rice paddies are harvested down to the roots, the rice paddies using the "regenerated double cropping" method are harvested higher, leaving the stalks intact. This method, an evolution of the "double cropping" practiced in Okinawa Prefecture using the warm climate, allows for two harvests from a single planting. By significantly reducing the labor time and costs associated with planting the second crop, it becomes possible to offer cheaper rice. "(Q. What are the rice paddies like in Ishigaki Island now?) They're almost ready for harvest! I'll hurry to plant (in Mito) and then quickly fly to Ishigaki Island!" ■ Three Harvestings!? Regenerated Triple Cropping Ishigaki Island, a southern paradise located approximately 2000 kilometers from Mito, is where Mr. Terunuma is undertaking a further challenge this year, combining Ishigaki Island's warm climate with the rice-farming know-how he cultivated in Mito, going beyond the "regenerated double cropping" method. On May 20th, amidst the lush green rice fields, only Mr. Terunuma's field was a golden hue, laden with grain and bowing its head. Mr. Terunuma: "(Q. Looking from above, it's clearly different, isn't it?)" This is the extremely early-maturing rice variety "Iogawa." Mr. Terunuma has been cultivating this rice, which has characteristics similar to Koshihikari, on Ishigaki Island this year. The harvest season had already begun. "While the surrounding fields are still green, I'm already able to harvest. Next, I'm aiming for a third crop!" Last year, Mr. Terunuma undertook a "regenerative two-crop" project. This year, he's taking on a new challenge: "regenerative three-crop." By combining the cultivation of extremely early-maturing varieties with the regenerative two-crop project, he aims for three harvests from a single rice planting. "(Q. Are you harvesting rice now?) I'm thinking of harvesting the rice tomorrow." "(Q. You're harvesting tomorrow. What about today?) I'm going to try a little method: sowing the seeds." "(Q. You're sowing the seeds before harvesting the rice?) Yes, I'm sowing them!" ■Challenges Mr. Terunuma puts the Iogawa seeds into a tank and enters the rice field before harvest to sow the seeds. There, he has a secret strategy to compensate for the weaknesses of the regenerated three-crop system. Looking beneath the rice stalks, the ground is densely covered with seeds sown the previous day. "Around here. I think it would be good if we could harvest (the rice) leaving about 30 centimeters of nutrient-rich soil. I'm still very excited!" On May 21st, the first harvest of the season finally began. The "high harvest" characteristic of the regenerated two-crop system is evident. You can see that the stalks are left high. On the other hand, amidst the golden rice fields, there seem to be a few rice stalks that are still green… "There are animals that eat the rice from the stems up. It looks like some were eaten. These are the plants that have regenerated from those damaged stalks. This shows that they can regenerate this well, so we can be optimistic." Looking at the harvested new rice… "The ...