Twenty-one representatives from the German Smart Farming Delegation of the Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) visited the Research and Education Center for Robust Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Industry (Robust Center) at Hokkaido University on May 24, 2023, to observe and exchange information on smart agriculture.

The visit began with a greeting from Professor Noboru Noguchi of Hokkaido University (Dean of Research Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School of Agriculture, and School of Agriculture) followed by a greeting and a presentation by Executive Vice President Aya Takahashi. Henning Müller, the delegation representative, greeted the gathering and introduced German agriculture, accompanied by an exchange of gifts.

After a short tour in which the delegates took a close look at the automated agricultural vehicles, a brief information session was held. Professor Yoichiro Hoshino of Hokkaido University’s Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere (FSC) introduced the FSC and gave a brief outline of its mission and educational programs.

Following the session, Professor Noguchi gave a quick overview of control and communication systems used in automated agriculture, and then guided the delegation to the control room. There, the delegates were able to observe, in real time, the basic operation of an automated tractor—in the fields just outside the Robust Center—and two electric robots for wine grape growing operations including weeding, chemical spraying, transporting and scouting—in the village of Urausu, about 60 kilometers away.

Professor Noguchi explained how the remote control and sensing of the two vehicles worked, and demonstrated some basic safety features. He went on to outline the benefits of these automated vehicles in agriculture, especially in the context of agriculture in Japan. Most of the questions from the delegates addressed potential safety issues that would come up once the robots were widely deployed.

Written by Sohail Keegan Pinto