Climate Change Adaptation for Agro-forestry Industries: Sustainability Challenges in Uji Tea Cultivation

Abstract

The on-going changes in the climate conditions have been affecting the agriculture industries, where the effects are likely to be region specific. There is a need for different types and levels of adaptation in each region based on its conditions and resources. This study focuses on theUji area of Kyoto, which is one of the oldest and most famous producers of green tea in Japan. Recent changes have been slowly affecting the quality of the tea produced in the region, as well as further decliningofthe tea quantity cultivated in Uji area. In order to sustain the area as a vibrant tea producer, specific and localized adaptation methods need to be developed. The development of terroir(as used in winegrape producing regions) derived bio-climatic indicators linked withtraditional agriculture knowledgein long-standing tea farmer communities, is very important in developingprecision agriculture systemfor adapting to climate change. Indicators such as Heliothermal Index, THSW Index, Cool Night Index, Dryness Index, as well as Soil Respiration Index can be retranslated into indicators for evaluating optimal conditions for growing quality teas. Selection of the most appropriate land, cultivars and cultivation methods for quality tea production can be applied and conducted as these indicators are likely to become a powerful tool for monitoring the impacts of climate change and adapting pro-actively to the environmental transformation, while maintaining and enhancing the values of the teas produced.The development of bio-climatic indicators will not only be useful for Uji area, but also in other tea growing regions in the world.