A Case Study of Tomato and Strawberry Farmers in Japan
Population of Japanese agriculture workers is decreasing and aging is progressing at the same time. To embark on the current decline of agriculture labor force in Japan, there is need for high cutting-edge technological ICT to realize smart agriculture(MAFF) However, few small scale farmers are able or willing to risk significant capital on sensing technologies.
In this study, we have developed a simplified smart agriculture system with real-time information capability for monitoring crop environment condition, crop management and showed how crop harvest estimation can be achieved in greenhouse at limited resource expense using inexpensive wireless sensor network (WSN). We Collaborated with small scale strawberry and tomato greenhouse farmers in Tochigi and Nara in Japan respectively.
Real-time environmental conditions were monitored using WSN and daily farm activities. Crop cultivation activities were integrated into established web database that enabled farm activities visualization. Sensor data were also used to determine Cumulative growing degree-day (GDD) . GDD are typically used to monitor crop development, the assumption being that development is limited once the temperatures exceed a certain threshold. Crop calenders were also embedded into the web database for Tomato farmer( Tomato cultivation is about ten crop growth cycles per year).
Owning to Linear Regression models in sensor data analytics using GDD as predictor variable for crop development stages and crop harvest estimation, the results suggest that crop environmental conditions can be monitored using such inexpensive sensors data. Moreover, taking into account initial installation and running costs, this system is relatively cheap and affordable by small scale farmers. Reliablility of WSN data, make it efficient and consequently it can be used for crop production planning and decision making of cultivation activities
- To establish alternative approaches of ICT development and their applications in agriculture by transfer and propagation of new technology development through a collaborative support from research institute to small-scale farmers to improve agriculture development.
- to monitor and collect real-time climate data and daily farm activities in greenhouse during crop growth of tomato and strawberry.
- to analyse crop development stages and crop yield estimation.
- to develop a model to predict crop growth stages and crop yield from real-time Wireless Weather Sensors.