How BASF’s AI Farming Tool Is Helping Japanese Growers Struggling With Labor Shortage
German chemical group BASF has gained a foothold in Japan’s rice country with a tool that uses artificial intelligence to help skilled farmers make up for a shortage of labor, according to Nikkei Asia.
Yamazaki Rice, based near Tokyo in Saitama prefecture, began using BASF’s xarvio Field Manager system this year with five workers on about 100 hectares of land.
Xarvio provides real-time analysis informed by satellite and weather data. Automated maps customize the amount of fertilizer recommended for each section of the farm. The data is fed to GPS-equipped farm equipment.
The AI gives daily suggestions that Yamazaki Rice’s president said helped improve yields by up to 25% in some fields. Xarvio’s machine learning covers more than 10 years of crop data as well as scientific papers worldwide.
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“We can see crop growth in each rice paddy in minute detail on smartphones and other devices,” said Yoshio Yamazaki, who heads the rice grower. “Thanks to the AI advice, we were able to apply the best amount of fertilizer at the best time.”
BASF started offering xarvio in April 2021 through the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, Japan’s leading farm co-op group better known as Zen-Noh.
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