Transformative change of paddy rice systems for biodiversity and Sado Living Lab for Sustainability in Japan

Sado rice is a high-quality brand product from Sado island. The island is famous for the traditional rice cultivation system, characterized by a dynamic mosaic of woodlands, plantations, grasslands, paddy fields, wetlands, irrigation ponds, and canals. Its cultivation not only provides food and habitat for local biodiversity but also supports various cultural customs, such as shrine rituals, which are still the foundation of the spirituality for people in Sado. The Food and Agriculture Organization recognized Sado as one of Japan’s first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems in June 2011. The Japanese crested ibis is the most symbolic species among Sado’s rich biodiversity, and it feeds on small living creatures, such as fishes, loaches, and worms that live in and around the rice paddies. To promote ibis-friendly agriculture, Sado City in collaboration with the Sado Agricultural Cooperative introduced the "Toki-to-kurasu-sato" rice certification initiative in 2010. To help farmers attain this certification, Sado City encourages and supports farmers taking up the eco-farming certification to sell the certified rice at higher prices than regular Sado grown rice. To coordinate fragmented initiatives and activities related to biodiversity conservation, water management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, traditional food culture in the island, local university, local government, NGOs and business sector launched the Sado Living Lab for Sustainability in 2022. This lab facilitates cyclic processes of learning, visioning and actioning through developing database of knowledge and actions, connecting and networking existing efforts, and forming communities. Three key functions of the lab include 1) generating innovations, 2) capacity building, and 3) participatory policy design. Currently, the lab is implementing more than 6 projects including exploring new possibilities to use sea grass and bamboo, mapping and visualizing local resources, ethical production and consumption, eco-tourism, job creation, capacity building, and future scenario building by using IPBES Nature Futures Framework.