Idle Fields Changed to Green Curtains with Fruits and Flowers

The Sekimugi Passion-Fruit Association in Mugi Area, Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, in central Japan, has been using idle farms to cultivate passion fruit, which make eco-friendly green curtains with flowers and fruits.

Passion fruit is a kind of fructiferous bine plant of the passion-flower family, which originally comes from the subtropical zone. The cultivation of passion fruits started in Mugi Area in 2006, when the local association of commerce and industry selected the bine plant, which produces green outer walls, as one of the prizes for its loyalty point cards. Some people voluntarily planted the seedlings in idle farmland, which inspired more people to grow the plant that people found easy for elderly people, too, to cultivate.

As of 2011, the passion fruit farm has a total space of three hectares. Among 4,500 seedlings cultivated, 1,500 were all bought by individuals as well as by public facilities in the area and businesses in neighboring prefectures.

They have plans not only to manage passion-fruit farms and produce fruits and seedlings, but to further promote their activities -- developing products using fruit and leaves as raw materials, advancing wall greening activities, and using the farms as places for senior citizens to mingle with children.

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Posted: 2011/09/25 06:0:15