Japanese farmers turn to AI to combat pests
Faced with the challenges of climate change and labour shortages, Japanese farmers are adopting AI-powered apps to forecast crop pests and improve yields.
Japanese farmers are embracing AI technology to address the challenges posed by climate change and labour shortages in agriculture. Farmers like Hiroaki Asakura in Aichi Prefecture are turning to smartphone apps that use machine learning to forecast pest outbreaks, enabling timely pesticide application. These tools help farmers optimise crop protection and reduce chemical usage, a significant step forward in modern farming.
One such app, developed by Mirai Vegetable Garden, analyses over a million pest and weather records to provide accurate predictions. For Asakura, this meant spraying pesticides earlier than usual to prevent black rot in his broccoli fields, a decision informed by the app’s warnings of rising risks. The technology, supporting crops like strawberries and tomatoes, also allows farmers to share outbreak information with neighbours for broader community protection.
These AI solutions are gaining traction nationwide. Apps developed by companies like Nihon Nohyaku Co and NTT Data CCS Corp identify over 1,100 pest species from photographs, offering farmers swift diagnosis and advice. As changing climate patterns lead to unusual pest behaviours, these innovations are vital. Japanese farmers and officials alike note that AI can bridge the gap between traditional know-how and modern challenges, ensuring sustainable crop production in the face of global warming.
