Secondary
G8-Designing the Future of Agriculture— Technology × People × Sustainability
In Grade 8, students are exploring the theme of sustainable agriculture, learning how environmental, social, and economic factors are interconnected and contribute to the sustainability of agriculture.
To deepen this learning through first-hand experience, we visited agricultural production sites in Showa Village, Gunma Prefecture, on Thursday, September 3, 2026. With the generous cooperation of Pal System, Vegetable Club Co., Ltd., and Mos Farm SungRace Gunma Farm, participating students and their parents had the opportunity to experience aspects of agriculture that cannot be fully understood through classroom learning alone.
Agriculture Powered by ICT
At Mos Farm SungRace Gunma Farm, students learned about a system that uses data to monitor greenhouse conditions and enables necessary work instructions to be managed through smartphones.
For example, farmers can analyze data from inside the greenhouse and make decisions such as bringing in outside air to increase CO₂ levels or closing the curtains when there is too much sunlight.
Through this experience, students learned that modern agriculture is not based solely on experience and intuition. Instead, data and ICT can be used to create optimal growing conditions for crops while achieving efficient and sustainable production.
Understanding Agriculture from the Perspective of People
The team at Vegetable Club Co., Ltd. also introduced students to the important role of people in supporting agriculture.
Students learned about various approaches to addressing labor shortages in agriculture, including systems that allow people to work in farming during their spare time, as well as initiatives that support coexistence and collaboration between foreign workers, local communities, and farmers.
Through conversations with farmers and agricultural workers, students also had the opportunity to see agriculture not as a “distant” or unfamiliar industry, but as an important part of everyday life that is closely connected to their own lives and communities.
Experiencing Farming and Harvesting First-hand
In addition to visiting the production sites, participants had the opportunity to take part in farming activities and harvest vegetables themselves.
By directly touching the soil and crops and harvesting vegetables with their own hands, students were able to experience where the food they eat every day comes from and understand the environments and people involved in producing it.
Rather than simply learning about the concept of “sustainable agriculture” in the classroom, students were able to experience it as a real-world system in which people, technology, the environment, communities, and food are all interconnected.
The insights and questions gained through this field trip will be carried forward into the Grade 8 Design unit, where students will identify challenges related to sustainable agriculture and develop their own design proposals.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Pal System, Vegetable Club Co., Ltd., and Mos Farm SungRace Gunma Farm, as well as all the parents who participated, for their generous support and cooperation in making this valuable learning experience possible.
