Adaptation activity
Natural disasters are expected to intensify due to the effects of climate change. In Niigata Prefecture, where there are many low-lying areas, flood damage is a frequent occurrence. In response, the "Paddy Field Dam (for flood mitigation)" has been developed. The Paddy Field Dam is an effort to prevent and mitigate flood damage downriver by temporarily storing overflow in paddy fields, in which sluice gates and drainage pipes have been installed, which allow for controlled draining of the field over time . The project began in 2002 in the Murakami municipal region, and in FY2017 spread to 15 municipalities in the prefecture, covering a total area of approximately 14,000 hectares. Since the cooperation of farmers is necessary for the project to proceed, it is essential that the objectives and effects are properly understood. It is also important to build consensus, as the countermeasures (upriver) and benefits (downriver) have different impacts for different people.
