Robots to replace ageing Japanese farmers to preserve food security

As the average age of farmers globally creeps higher and retirement looms, Japan has a solution: robots and driverless tractors.

The Group-of-Seven agriculture ministers met in Japan’s northern prefecture of Niigata this weekend for the first time in seven years to discuss how to meet increasing food demand as ageing farmers retire without successors. With the average age of Japanese farmers now 67, Agriculture Minister Hiroshi Moriyama outlined his idea of replacing retiring growers with Japanese developed autonomous tractors and backpack robots.

US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has warned that left unchecked, ageing farmers could threaten the ability to produce the food the world needs. The average age of growers in developed countries is now about 60, according to the United Nations. Japan plans to spend 4 billion yen (US$36 million) in the year through March to promote farm automation and help develop 20 different types of robots, including one that separates overripe peaches when harvesting.

“There are no other options for farmers but to rely on technologies developed by companies if they want to raise productivity while they are greying,” said Makiko Tsugata, senior analyst at Mizuho Securities in Tokyo. “The government should help them adopt new technologies.”

The meeting will also be attended by ministers from other countries including Germany’s Christian Schmidt, Italy’s Maurizio Martina, and Canada’s Lawrence Macaulay. Britain is represented by George Eustice, parliamentary undersecretary, and France by Thierry Dana, ambassador to Japan. Moriyama said at the beginning of a bilateral meeting with Vilsack on Saturday that he wants to serve the guests premium Kobe beef, which Japan wants to promote overseas.