Nyiko Phago <phagonyiko9@gmail.

com>

CASE STUDY
Oratilwe Khiba <khibaoratilwe42@gmail.com> Wed, 12 Jun at 02:14
To: phagonyiko9@gmail.com <phagonyiko9@gmail.com>

### Information Value Chain for Smarter Farming in Japan

#### **Input Concept: Information Needs and Assessment**

1. **Needs Identification**:
- **Stakeholders**: Farm managers, workers, Fujitsu engineers.
- **Goals**: Increase efficiency, capture knowledge, enhance productivity.
- **Resources**: Temperature, soil, moisture levels, video footage, GPS data, worker performance metrics.

2. **Assessment**:
- **Data Sources**: Sensors, video cameras, mobile phones, GPS trackers.
- **Metrics**: Crop health, environmental conditions, worker efficiency, profitability of crops.
- **Gaps**: Current technology use in farming, aging workforce knowledge retention.

#### **Process Concept: Capture & Store Information**

1. **Data Collection**:
- **Sensors**: Temperature, soil moisture, environmental conditions from 300 farm plots.
- **Cameras**: Video monitoring of plots.
- **Mobile Devices**: Pictures, GPS location, communication data from workers.

2. **Data Storage**:
- **Technologies**: Cloud storage, local databases.
- **Management**: Organizing and indexing data for easy retrieval.
- **Security**: Ensuring data integrity and privacy.

3. **Data Processing**:
- **Cleaning**: Filtering out noise, correcting errors.
- **Integration**: Combining data from different sources for comprehensive datasets.
- **Transformation**: Structuring data into usable formats for analysis.

#### **Institutional Processes**

1. **Automation**:
- **Lean Manufacturing Techniques**: Implementing efficient processes.
- **Statistical Process Control**: Continuous monitoring and adjustments.
- **Continual Improvement**: Iterative refinement of farming practices.

2. **Management**:
- **Worker Coordination**: Daily schedules, performance reviews.
- **Resource Allocation**: Optimal use of labor, equipment, and materials.

3. **Knowledge Management**:
- **Capture**: Recording expert farmer insights and worker observations.
- **Reuse**: Leveraging captured knowledge for training and future decision-making.

#### **Share Concept: Distribute & Analyze Information**

1. **Distribution**:
- **Reports**: Daily summaries, performance reviews.
- **Dashboards**: Real-time data visualization for managers and workers.
- **Mobile Access**: Workers use mobile devices to receive instructions and report issues.

2. **Analysis**:
- **Agricultural Recommendations**: Optimal crop selection, planting schedules.
- **Business Recommendations**: Profitability analysis, cost management.
 - **Feedback Loop**: Using insights to adjust practices and improve outcomes.

#### **Output Concept: Final Outcome**

1. **Efficiency Gains**:
- **Productivity**: Higher yield per hectare, reduced waste.
- **Resource Utilization**: Optimized use of water, soil, labor.

2. **Knowledge Preservation**:
- **Expert Insights**: Capturing the expertise of aging farmers.
- **Training**: Enhancing skills of less experienced workers.

3. **Scalability**:
- **Economies of Scale**: Aggregating data across multiple farms for better insights.
- **Expansion**: Adapting the system for other agricultural domains (vineyards, forests, fish farms).

4. **Sustainability**:
- **Environmental Impact**: Improved resource management, reduced environmental footprint.
- **Economic Viability**: Increased profitability and sustainability of farming operations.

### **Summary of the Information Value Chain**

The information value chain for smarter farming in Japan, driven by Fujitsu's initiative, involves a systematic process
of identifying information needs, capturing and storing relevant data, and processing it to derive valuable insights.
Institutional processes ensure the efficient management and continuous improvement of farming practices. Sharing
and analyzing information enable informed decision-making and operational optimization. The final outcomes are
enhanced productivity, preserved knowledge, scalability, and sustainability in farming operations. This
comprehensive approach transforms traditional farming into a data-driven, efficient, and sustainable enterprise.