Use "AI" and "Drone"!What is "smart agriculture" promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries?

(From left) Toyohisa Aoyama, Yuri Sasakawa

TOKYO FM's program "Digital Vorn Future Pix" where Yuri Sasakawa is personality.In this program, we will talk about a digital scene front runner as a guest and talk about the future society waiting for us.The broadcast on Saturday, January 8 was a guest of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the director of Toyohisa Aoyama, the director of the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Council, as a guest.

◆ Current status of Japanese agriculture

Aoyama was born in 1965 in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. After graduating from the Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. He has been in various positions, including the Secretary -General of the Minister's Secretary. He has been involved in the planning of Japan's first rice terraced owner system and preparing the provisions of the Basic Law on Food, Agriculture, and Rural. I am. Since joining the ministry in 1988, the environment surrounding Japanese agriculture has changed dramatically, and "the number of people running (compared to the time) has decreased to about one -third," said Aoyama. With the aging population, "the retirement of producers is increasing rapidly." Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries uses advanced digital technologies such as "robots, AI (artificial intelligence), and IoT (attempts to connect" things "like automobiles and home appliances to the Internet and use more conveniently). We are promoting smart agriculture that solves on -site issues. " For example, it is possible to grasp and control the temperature, humidity, sunshine hours, CO2 concentration, etc. by utilizing a sensor, and in addition to sunlight, it can be used to grow crops using artificial light in addition to sunlight. The use of digital technology in agriculture is progressing, with houses and robots that harvest crops. In addition, there are cases where drones are used, and "by patrol over the crops and shooting images, AI can analyze the video and determine whether it is eaten by crop illness and pests." Mr. Miss. And since the drone knows the location information by the received GPS, it is possible to reduce the amount of pesticides used by pinpoint pesticides to remove pests. The evolution of digital technology has an advantage for newcomers in agriculture. For example, "The appearance of a robot tractor and a field planting machine with a straight -line assistance function using GPS will also have a force for newcomers. I was able to learn whether I manage it, and the new entrants have stopped stumbling. " In addition, while interest in global environmental issues, such as working on SDGs (sustainable development goals), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has launched a green food system strategy in May 2021, and said, "Agriculture, forestry water in the future. We will reduce the environmental impact in the industry. "