Japanese farms shift toward corporatization, farmers rely on smartphone apps to grow crops and calculate costs

Japanese farms are gradually moving toward corporate-style operations, and farmers are beginning to rely on smartphone programs for scientific cultivation. According to a January 28 report by Taiwan's "United News Network", as Japan's society ages rapidly, experienced farmers are dwindling day by day. Against this backdrop, smartphone applications (Apps) that help monitor crop growth and control costs are becoming increasingly popular.

According to the report, software developers are interested in developing agricultural Apps. Due to the looming threat brought by the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), farmers may be prompted to improve economic efficiency and move farms toward corporatization.

In September 2013, 34-year-old Yuichiro Nagai, an employee of Fukuhara Farm, used a smartphone to scan the IC tags in the rice fields one by one, adjust the water valves, and transmit the rice growth conditions to the data network "NoshoNavi". He said: "At rice harvest time, the amount of irrigation water used varies according to weather, soil and growth conditions."

Nosho Navi can suggest the water usage and harvest timing for each field, which is very helpful for farmers with little experience.

Kyushu University in Japan developed this system and smartphone App in the hope of passing on the skills of older farmers to the younger generation. Fukuhara Farm joined the program during its trial period in 2010.

59-year-old Shoichi Fukuhara, chairman of Fukuhara Farm, said: "In order to maintain the quality and efficiency of large-scale management, we need to develop a complete plan. Information technology allows beginners to operate smoothly and effectively boosts labor productivity." ⟦9 Teruaki Nanseki, a professor at Kyushu University who leads the NoshoNavi program, said that agriculture is undergoing major changes, "Over the past 10 years, the number of agricultural companies has continued to increase, and agricultural businesses, which were mostly managed by families in the past, have also undergone major changes in recent years."

Akira Minamiishi, a professor at Kyushu University who leads the NoshoNavi project, says agriculture is undergoing major changes: "Over the past 10 years, the number of agricultural companies has continued to increase, and agricultural businesses that were mostly family-run in the past have also seen major changes in recent years."

Nanseki explained that local farmers are accustomed to acting based on experience, but as their businesses expand, farmers increasingly need information technology to help with management, just like ordinary companies. The birth of the NoshoNavi program helps farmers respond to climate change and other risks, and also makes cost calculation more precise.