Prof.

Mikio Umeda’s Biodata

Born on November 27, 1945 (62 years old)
1968: Bs, Kyoto University; Agricultural Engineering
1970: Ms, Kyoto University: Agricultural Engineering
1970: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries LTD.
Designed farm tractor and co-generation system
1987: Lecturer, Kyoto University
1992: Associate Professor, Kyoto University (Dr. Agri.)
1993: Academic Awards of JSAM
1994: University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
1997-: Professor, Kyoto University
2004: Honorary foreign scientist of RDA of Korea
2005: 3rd Paper Award of Crop Science Society of Japan
2005-2006 President of JSAM
2006-: Member of the Scientific Council of Japan
Field Robotics 58th PSAE Annual National Convention
Kyoto University 6th Inter. Agri. Eng. Conf. and Exhib.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
ON RENEWABLE ENERGY

April 22, 2008

At University of the Philippines Los Baños

Prof. Dr. Mikio UMEDA
 Field Robotics
Kyoto University

What is agriculture to humankind?

History of humankind and agriculture

(1) How many people per cultivated area can

live ?

(2) How many people can a farmer support?

 What is agriculture to humankind?
Q1 How many people per cultivated area can live?

Hunting 　 0.0005 people/ha 　 (20km ２ per capita)

Slash-and-burn 　 0.1 people/ha
　 (Agriculture can support 200 times people.)

Wheat 2-3 people/ha

Rice 10 people/ha
Rice can support 100 times people compared with slash-and -burn
Rice calorie has 1.7 times of wheat and 2.7 times of soy bean

Rice can support more people per the area than

wheat. Rice production region has high temperature
and rain. Weeding becomes heavy labor, so that rice
production is supported by family run management.
 World Population
E. Africa,
Developed Europe, Asia L. America
3 Russia
W. Europe
Heat X Africa
Heat O
(billion)

Water O
USA, Water X
2 Heat O
Water X Heat X Heat O
Japan Water O Water O
Unit

Heat O
Water O
1

Year Effect of rice

 What is agriculture to humankind?
(2) How many people can a farmer support?
Civilization based on surplus food
Input 　　　　　　　　　 Output
Man power ： Food [Man power]
Food
civilization
Animal power ： Food Man power
Food
civilization 　 Feed 　 Animal power

Fossil fuel ： Food 　 Man power

civilization ： Coal 　　 Steam engine Food
　　　　　 Petroleum Int. combustion
engine
出典，槌田敦：資源物理学入門， NHK ブックス 1982
Man power civilization

Indonesia in 1999

China in 2006
 Animal power civilization

Courtesy by N. D. Tillet at UPLB

Indonesia in 1999 China in 2006

Steam engine

Internal combustion engine

Puddling with Turtle Tiller in Banga / Mindanao in April, 1999
Threshing in Central Luzon in 2000
 Progress 　 of
agricultural
mechanization in Asian
monsoon region

Thailand in 2000

China in 2006
Population (x100 million) Trend of world population and technologies

Agricultural rev.
Medical rev.
Transport rev.
Industrial revolution.
The plague
 Conclusion (1)
An increase in the population and improving upon a
living way require food and energy more and more.

FOOD
Energy
Environment
Problem in 21st century;
Can humankind preserve environment without
famine and energy crisis?
Japanese Government intends to utilize biomass energy.
In order to prevent energy crisis and earth
warming, Japanese government intends to
utilize renewable energy.
Japan’s cabinet decided to promote the project of

Comprehensive Initiative Biomass Nippon.

It was established in 2002 and revised in 2006.

The objectives of the initiative are;

1) To prevent the earth warming
2) To realize materials circulating society
3) To develop strategic industries
4) To stimulate agriculture, forest and fishery
Target of comprehensive project BIOMASS NIPPON

Scenario of biomass utilization Energy crop

Nonuse
Nonuse biomass

Waste Waste Waste

biomass biomass biomass

Present 2010 2020

From viewpoint of total Japan

Target in 2010 ・ To utilize more than 80% of waste biomass
・ To utilize more than 25% of nonuse biomass
・ To produce energy crops

Technological viewpoint Regional viewpoint

To improve energy To establish More than
transformation efficiency 300 biomass towns
 Necessity of BIOMASS TOWN
　 Biomass is produced by photosynthesis using solar energy.
Thus it distributes over large area on the earth and its energy
density is low. It must be used within the local area in order to
reduce cost for transport and gathering.
To promote the initiative, BIOMASS TOWN must be made.

What is BIOMASS TOWN?

It is the area has comprehensive system from producing to
utilization or the area is expected so. In the area biomass
is steady and properly utilized in coordination with all kinds
of people.

Biomass town initiative is planned by officials at municipal

office following procedure.
 Introduction to
Natan City BIOMASS TOWN INITIATIVE

The castle is
International
Communication
Center of Natan
City

written by T. Terada at Dept. of Agriculture, Industries and

Commerce at Nantan Municipal Office
Chapter 1; Location
Introduction to location of the candidate place

Nantan City

Kyoto Prefecture
Chapter 2; Outline of the city and its resources
Population and industrial ratio
Population: 35,320 (Households:13,411)
Area ： 616km2 (3.4% of Kyoto Pref. ）
　 Forest ： 543km2 (87.6%), Arable land ： 29km2
( 4.7%)
　 Residential area: 7.5km2 (1.2%)
Specialty and regional resources
Good landscape
Convenient access to big cities
ex. Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe
High value-added agricultural products
Full medical care system
High level college and academy
Tourist attractive place, ex famous spa
Chapter 3; Biomass resources and amount
Biomass resources in Nantan City, Yagi district
Amount Amount Utilizing
Items Usage
in 2004 in 2010 in 2010
Livestock waste 25,171t 27,300t 　 Electricity, Manure
27,300t
Garbage 770t 1,000t 　 Electricity, Manure
300t
Food factory residue 4,827t 5,000t 4,900t Electricity, Manure
Papers 　 2,700t 2,200t Recycling
2,588t
Sewage 556t 1,100t 　 Concrete
300t
Wood chip 693t 650t 250t Fuel
Rice husk 3,058t 2,800t 　 Gasification,
800t Soil conditioner
Energy crop 　　　　 0t 　　 300t 　　　 300t E3 gasoline, Feed
Chapter 4-1; Current facilities (1)
Yagi Bio-Ecology Center （ YBEC ）
Methane fermentation plant Compost facility

Disposal amount
Beef cattle waste 　 5,476
Cow waste 　 18,125 t/y
t/y
Swine waste 　 1,190 t/y
Methane Fermented
Food factory residue 　 2,053 t/y 　
dehydrate cake
Chapter 4-2; Current facilities (2)

Private sector; Farmer’s Cooperative Kyoto;

Dry methane fermentation plant Compost center

Food factory residue, Wood chip, Livestock waste 1,500t/y

Organic waste 11,951t/y Food factory residue （ Potato ski
(including 809 t/y from Nantan City) 　 n） 400 t/y
Chapter 5; Policy to establish BIOMASS TOWN

Basic Plan (1) to realize Biomass Town

Policy 1; Current biomass utilization

These utilization are continued;
1) Livestock waste is composted.
2) Livestock waste and food factory residue
are fermented by methane at YBEC.
3) Rice straw and husk are utilized for bedding
and feed. 　
Chapter 5; Policy to establish BIOMASS TOWN

Basic Plan (2) to realize Biomass Town

Policy 2; Biomass utilization in near future

1) Methane fermented digest sludge at YBEC is
widely used as fertilizer for rice production at
Yagi District in Nantan City.
2) Food waste, garbage, and sewage will be
fermented by methane at YBEC.
3) Lumber and wood chip at sawmill will be
gasified and pelletized.
Chapter 5; Policy to establish BIOMASS TOWN

Basic Plan (3) to realoze Biomass Town

Policy 3; Biomass utilization in future
1) Lumber and wood at forest will be gasified
and pelletized.
2) Rice straw will be changed to bio-ethanol
using new technology.
3) Feed rice and rape will be produced.

For these purposes new technologies must be

developed.
Chapter 6; Effect

Effect of BIOMASS TOWN

1. To reduce carbon dioxide discharged
2. To reduce garbage and waste burning disposal
3. To reduce disposal expenditure
4. To realize materials circulating society
5. To promote organic faming
6. To enlarge crops production fields
7. To increase feed self-sufficiency rate
8. To increase energy self-sufficiency rate
9. To increase business chance and employment
10.To educate about environmental preservation
Chapter 7; Target

Targets of Biomass Town

To utilize 92% of waste biomass
To continue current methane fermentation and composting
To apply methane digested sludge as fertilizer for paddy
To dispose food factory residue, garbage, sewage by
methane fermentation
To gasify and pelletize lumber and wood at sawmill

To utilize 40% of nonuse biomass

To gasify and pelletize nonuse lumber and wood at forest
To make bio-ethanol from rice straw 　　
To produce rice for feed
To produce rape
To make from old edible oil to bio-diesel fuel (BDF)
Chapter 7; Organization to develop

Committee for promoting biomass utilization

Members: Professors, Sanitation cooperative,
Forest cooperative, Municipal officials

Nantan City Municipal Office

To realize
Officers and Literates like
BIOMASS TOWN
University Professor

Committee for utilizing methane digested

sludge as liquid fertilizer
Members: Professors, Municipal officials,
Agricultural cooperative, JARUS
 Conclusion (2)
The target of the biomass town initiative must have high
possibility of realization.
Resource and technology are limited as follows.

Biomass resources Available technology

1. Livestock waste (cow,
beef cattle and pig)
2. Home and factory
garbage
3. Food and marine
products factory redsidue
4. Urban and rural sewage
5. Wood and lumber
6. Husk and rice straw
1. Compositing
2. Methane fermentation
3. Bio-Diesel fuel (BDF) from
eating oil waste
4. Carbonization and burning
of wood and lumber
Developing technology
To make ethanol from rice
straw
 Problem on methane fermentation in Japan
In Europe mixed farming with dairy and crop rotation is
popular. Livestock waste has been utilized as fertilizer for
several hundred years. Methane fermentation is within reason
and may be most suitable for treating livestock waste.
However ・・・・・
Japan imports 89% of concentrate feed and 22% of roughage.
Most Japanese dairy farmers do not have enough fields for
applying livestock waste. Thus methane fermented digested
sludge is treated in order to discharge into a river. The
treatment requires high expenditure. There are few methane
fermentation plants in Japan except Hokkaido, now.
In order to realize BIOMASS TOWN, utilization of the
methane fermentation is essential technology. If the plant is
widely spread, the digested sludge must be applied to paddy
as liquid fertilizer.
 Balance of account of Yagi Bio-ecology Center

Income Expenditure
燃料費
5% 車両費 その他
10% 17%

その他 Livestock
ふん尿処理料 Polymer
Others
24%
waste
24%
労務費 薬品費(凝集剤等)
treatment 38%
Labor
52%

雑収入 施設管理費
Compost
堆肥施設
　37％
2%
3%
メタン施設
Food 保守修繕費 Methane
　63％
堆肥販売金
Compost
13% Waste
おから処理料
14%
散布配達料
2% treatment
22% 電気料金
9%
電気料金
保守修繕費 2%

売電料
印刷消耗品費
5% 労務費
Maintenance
20%

8% その他 11% 施設管理費

1% 11%
濃厚廃液 車両・燃料費
(廃牛乳) 2%
4%

Utilizing methane digested sludge as fertilizer. Others of

income can be eliminated. Balance of account may be
changed into surplus. Courtesy of Nantan City
 Introduction to our research in Nantan City

Rice production requires

precisely fertilizer application
compared with grass
production, i.e. application
timing and amount. Nantan
City, private company and
Kyoto university staffs have
studied to apply methane
fermentation digested sludge
for rice production since 2003.
Precision agriculture Picture of Nantan City is
technology is useful to the taken by artificial satellite
study. SPOT5
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 4 4 2 2 2
2 2 2 4 4 2 2 2
2 2 4 4 4 4 2 2
2 2 4 4 4 4 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Fertilizer Variable rate Yield Yield map

application map application measurement
2nd Topdressing Harvesting

Soil
chemical
56031.
54638.
53245.
51852.

analysis
50458.
49065.

1st top-dressing
2nd Plant Uniformly Non
14.5
13.0
Soil map
growth map application
11.5

basal
10.0

Prof. Yonebayashi
8.5
7.0

dressing Kyoto Pref. Univ.

1st Plant growth map

Precision Agriculture for rice production

 Project team member
In order to study the project, many scientists and engineers

Soil Scientist
Crop scientist
Plant nutrient scientist
Agricultural engineer
(Irrigation and drainage), (Farm machinery)
Municipal Office (Nantan City) officials
Private company engineers (Obayashigumi)
 Methane fermentation digested sludge
application for paddy in YAGI in 2003
T field K field

Harvest using
head-feeding
combine
Plate equipped with
developed
yield monitor
 Spatial variability of nutrient and yield
Just after 24 hours later
Inlet Inlet Inlet

N
100 100

4
Inlet
80

N
80

60
(t/ha)

mg/L
mg/L

60

T-N

4
40
40

20
20

0
0

80
80
70
70
60
60
50

NH4-N
50
mg/L

40
mg/L

40
30

Outlet
30
20
20

10
10
0
0

100 100
Yield
80 80

K 60

Grain rice yield : 6.23 t/ha

mg/L

60
mg/L

40
40

20

0
20
Brown rice yield : 3.75t/ha
0

Nutritious elements in 2003, in Nantan City

 Yield of Methane vs. Chemicals plot

Methane Chemicals
Mass of brown rice (g/m2)

600

400

玄米重　 g/ ㎡
200

0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
year
Plot size (5m x 5m) at Kyoto University Takatsuki Farm
Growth Spatial Variability between methane and chemicals
field by aircraft remote sensing (camera ADS40)

　 Methane 　　　　　　　 　　 Chemicals

At panicle formation stage in 2007 in Natan City
Growth Spatial Variability between methane and chemicals
field by aircraft remote sensing (camera ADS40)

　 Methane 　　　　　　　 　　 Chemicals

At heading stage in 2007 in Natan City
 Conclusion
In order to prevent the earth warming and energy crisis,
Japanese Government decided the project of Comprehensive
Initiative Biomass Nippon and Biomass Town Initiative. In this
report they were introduced. Methane fermentation is important
technology, but Japanese diary farmer do not have fields to
apply livestock waste. If methane fermentation plant will be
widely spread, the digested sludge must be applied for paddy.
Rice production requires precisely fertilizer application. Public-
private sector have partnership using renewable energy. We
have studied the sludge application for paddy using precision
agriculture technology.
A guideline to apply methane fermented digest sludge for
paddy can be made from our research results.
This guideline may be useful to Asian monsoon countries when
they intend to utilize methane fermentation.
 Field Robotics
Kyoto University

Thank you for your kind attention

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
ON RENEWABLE ENERGY
April 22, 2008
Mikio Umeda