Agriculture sector in Japan is facing a wide range of challenges including aging farmers, decline in the number of young people who want to work in fields and increase of abandoned farmlands and in order to solve this problem, it is important to promote the utilisation of new technology in agriculture.
The "Greenhouse Horticulture and Plant Factory Exhibition" was held in Tokyo. These booths are introducing agricultural machinery, materials manufacturers, and seed manufacturers. The exhibition is the place of opportunity for business expansion through technology proposals and information exchange, especially to farmers who hope to find the latest agricultural technologies and improve their work.
This is "plant factory" which implements a mechanism of artificial photosynthesis to grow plants. A plant factory maker said, "The plant factory is focusing now on producing lettuce, but we can make any kind of 60 to 70 vegetables. As Japan's farmers are aging, it is necessary to introduce new generation plants to attract young people. These new technologies will provide income for them in a new way."
The plant factory has an automatic control unit. It controls temperature, light, carbon dioxide, nutrient solution, and other environmental conditions. Even seeding, transplantation, harvesting and shipment adjustments of crops are also undertaken automatically.
Plant factory represents future type agriculture that is not affected by the environment of various regions. It is developed with Japan's advanced technology and is attracting attention worldwide.
It is possible to steadily supply crops without being affected by outside weather or damage of pests, because all production is completed inside the facility. Plant factories can also be made small in size to fit in small spaces while taking advantage of its nice appearance from the side of light.
"This Exhibition is very good for us because our country depends on agriculture and now we are facing some problems in agriculture. I saw new technologies for indoor plant factory and new models of agriculture. These new technologies will help us to make more quality product too," said a visitor from Thailand.
Source:https://www.business-standard.com/
