Non-market Food Provisioning Services on Hachijo Island, Japan, and Its Implications for Building a Resilient Island

Abstract

The resource consumption pattern of remote islands is assumed to differ from that of the mainland because of the constraints of both material distribution and human interaction. This study investigates food production and consumption patterns of remote islands with a focus on the food supply flow, a food-sharing network, and food stock for emergencies. The study uses a household questionnaire survey and interviews with the residents of Hachijo Island, Tokyo. We find that sharing food provisioning services plays an important role by sustaining roughly half of the total food consumption during the high cropping and harvesting season of agricultural and marine products. A large proportion of the islanders’ annual consumption of potatoes, vegetables, seafood, and fruits are obtained through the food-sharing network. Non-market food largely saves the household budget and provides calories and a wide variety of nutrients. The results also indicate that many households own additional deep freezers to store food product, which are then shared and exchanged with neighbors and relatives on Hachijo Island. Based on the findings from Hachijo Island, we discuss the potential role, opportunities, and challenges of this food-sharing culture to build an island resilient to natural disasters and socioeconomic changes.