Japan uses robots instead of old farmers to secure food

The new invention, the Mecha Farmhands, is considered to be the solution to Japan's challenge to the aging population.

Facing growing aging farmers threatening the country's food security, Japan has come up with a high-tech solution to solve the problem.

Status of farmers in developed countries to retirement age without successors while global food demand continues to rise.

This has become one of the main discussions at the G7 agriculture ministers meeting in Niigata Prefecture in Japan this weekend.

"The older farmer division is threatening the sustainability of Japanese agricultural communities, especially as the growing global population calls for increased production to meet food demand." - Bloomberg quoted Japanese Agriculture Minister Hiroshi Moriyama.

Japanese farmers. Photo: AFP.

While other countries are considering this, Japan seems to have found a viable solution to its agricultural crisis - robots!

"Farmers, especially older farmers, have no choice but to rely on advanced technology to improve productivity, and the government should help them adopt new technologies. " Said Makiko Tsugata, a senior analyst at Mizuho Securities Company in Tokyo.

The Japanese authorities are expected to introduce a range of technology solutions to assist farmers, from automatic tractors equipped with GPS systems to labor equipment combined with mechanized mining equipment. Help farmers harvest and transport fruits and vegetables.

Authorities also hope that the adoption of new technologies could also make agriculture more attractive to young people in Japan, according to Bloomberg.

The area of agricultural land not used in Japan in 2015 is 420,000 hectares, almost doubling in the last two decades.

65% of farmers are 65 years or older. The scarcity of young labor force in agriculture has raised concerns that Japan will increasingly depend on imported food. At present, 60% of Japanese food must be imported from abroad.