4. Robots helping to
keep Japanese farms alive and thriving
Japanese farmers are under
pressure from both cheap imports and declining productivity due to the aging
of the population. But some are starting to take action. A high-tech
approach is one solution, and they are also changing their way of doing
business to take advantage of their strengths.
On a recent evening at 7 p.m.,
the sound of a machine echoed from a greenhouse in Yamamoto, Miyagi Prefecture,
in northern Japan. A 1.5-meter tall robot was picking bright red strawberries
in the dark, without human assistance.
Using its two high-performance
cameras, the robot located the fruit with a flash of light, then gently
stretched out its arm to pick only the ripest, sweetest ones. As a result, the
farmer can ship fresh strawberries first thing in the morning.
Farm equipment maker Shibuya
Seiki developed the harvest robot, which sells for 40 million yen ($374,100)
per unit. The company, based in Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku in
western Japan, is conducting demonstration experiments of the cutting-edge
technology.
Generally speaking, growing
strawberries in Japan requires 2,100 man-hours per 1,000 sq. meters. The number
is 80 times higher than for rice, another crop that needs great care.
Finely-shaped, deliciously sweet strawberries produced in Japan are considered
a high-end brand item among wealthy consumers in Asian countries. But Japanese
strawberry farmers are coming under heavy pressure due to the shortage of
skilled labor.
Japan's agricultural
productivity is rather low compared to other countries, but the development of
industrial robots holds promise in easing the problem.
In Tottori Prefecture, western
Japan, Coho salmon swim in aquaculture tanks floating off the coast near the
city of Sakaiminato.
The facility's operator,
Nippon Suisan Kaisha, has installed auto-feeding robots, delivering just the
right amount of feed to maintain the growth of its farmed fish, even in bad
weather. The technology also prevents excess feed from polluting the
surrounding sea.
Stronger together
Using industrial robots can
help keep farms and fishing operations open 24 hours a day, just like a
Japanese convenience store.
In Japan, people 65 years old
and older account for more than 60% of the agriculture workforce -- double the
number in the U.S. Many believe that robots hold the key to maximizing
productivity of farming and fishing, given the country's limited land and human
resources. Tsukasa Teshima, a senior researcher at the National Agriculture and
Food Research Organization, said the robot will partner with farmers and help
create new forms of agriculture. The organization has been conducting research
and development on Japanese agriculture and food.
Advanced technology is also
starting to challenge the mindset of farmers, who traditionally focus on
producing crops, and their products are usually sold by other entities. But at
least one early mover is looking to expand its presence in the near future.
In Chiba Prefecture, northeast
of Tokyo, Shigeru Someya, a rice and wheat farmer, recently introduced a
self-driving tractor produced by Japanese farm machinery maker Kubota and
spent 1 million yen for a control system. He believes the tractor will improve
efficiency, and he has gained management know-how since starting a co-operative
farm stand to sell crops directly to consumers. "We set the prices,"
said Someya. "Because we are selling our products by ourselves, we can now
decide the direction for growth."
Refurbishing the land
Abandoned farmland in Japan
totals roughly 42,000 hectares, about the size of Toyama Prefecture, on the
coast of the Sea of Japan. Such disused farmland is expected to continue to
expand and deteriorate, due to an inflow of cheap imported agricultural
products.
But some innovative companies
are bucking the trend. Ehime-based venture company Telefarm has played a key
role in bringing new life to farmland left derelict for more than 10 years in
the mountains around the city of Ozu, Ehime Prefecture.
Refurbishing the land,
including removing tree roots with heavy machinery and other labor, cost
roughly 1.3 million yen. But the money did not come from the traditional
sources of agricultural cooperatives or banks. The project attracted 140
capital investors from across the country, who are now waiting to see the
results of their investment in the reclaimed land. It took three months to
raise the cash through crowdfunding -- sourcing funds over the internet from a
large number of people who agree with the concept of the project. Along with
the tech-oriented approach, the internet and its potential to connect any
number of people around the world is helping to create new channels of funding
in Japanese agriculture.
