MODERNIZATION of agriculture in Japan has reached the point where scientists have succeeded in utilizing a material originally designed for human kidney treatment—transparent, porous polymer membranes—to revolutionize agriculture.
Plants are grown on this membrane, which functions to store water and nutrients. This technology not only allows crops to grow in any conditions, but also reduces water use by up to 90% compared to traditional farming methods. In addition, the polymer prevents viruses and bacteria, so there is no need to use pesticides.
This innovative approach is one of the solutions adopted by Japan, which faces limited land and human resources, in an effort to carry out an agricultural revolution. According to the scientists who developed this technique, they used materials that are usually used to filter blood in the kidney dialysis process. This discovery was patented by Mebiol, in almost 120 countries.
This technology reflects the agricultural revolution underway in Japan, where farmlands are being transformed into technology hubs with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and cutting-edge innovation. This agricultural technology is expected to play an important role in ensuring precision and efficiency in crop cultivation in the future.
A UN report estimates that by 2050, 40% of grain production and 45% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will face problems if damage to the environment and water resources continues. Cultivation methods such as those developed by Yuichi Mori have been implemented in more than 150 locations in Japan and even in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This technology was critical to restoring agricultural areas in northeastern Japan that were contaminated after the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster.
As the world population is predicted to increase from 7.7 billion to 9.8 billion by 2050, companies see the growing demand for food as a major business opportunity, in addition to the need for agricultural machinery.
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The Japanese government provides subsidies to develop 20 types of robots that can help in various stages of agriculture, from seeding to harvest. For example, Yanmar, in collaboration with Hokkaido University, has developed a robot tractor that can be operated by one person to control two tractors at once.
Apart from that, the Japanese government is also trying to attract the younger generation’s interest in agriculture through the application of technology. This is important because in the last 10 years, the number of people involved in agricultural production fell from 2.2 million to 1.7 million, with the average age of farmers reaching 67 years.
In an effort to diversify, technology has also made landless farming possible. By utilizing hydroponics and production in greenhouses, Japan has succeeded in increasing fruit and vegetable productivity up to 100 times compared to conventional methods. The global hydroponics market, currently worth around US$1.5 billion, is predicted to quadruple by 2023.
Apart from that, Japan is also committed to helping countries in Africa double rice production, reaching 50 million tons by 2030. In Senegal, Japan is investing in training agricultural technicians and technology transfer, especially in the field of irrigation. Productivity increased from four tonnes to seven tonnes of rice per hectare, increasing farmer income by 20%. (hellowork-asia/bbc/trubus/Z-3)
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