Agriculture Co-creation Hub in JICA Tsukuba

Agriculture Co-creation Hub

New agricultural cooperation based on partnerships and innovations from Tsukuba

Agriculture Co-creation Hub was established in JICA Tsukuba in 2020 to explore innovative solutions to agricultural issues in developing countries with various actors by providing new agricultural technologies and overseas cooperation as well as connecting enterprises in Japan and various entities in developing countries.

What is the Agriculture Co-creation Hub?

JICA started the Co-creation Hub for Agricultural Technology and Human Resources (Agriculture Co-creation Hub) activity at JICA Tsukuba in Japanese Fiscal Year 2020. The initiative aims to introduce smart agriculture and other new agricultural technologies into international cooperation, co-create technologies suitable for developing countries, and strengthen human resource capable of using these agricultural technologies.

Equipped with paddy and upland fields, greenhouses, laboratories, and other facilities, JICA Tsukuba has been accepting a number of agricultural officers and extension workers as training participants.

In addition to the many research institutes such as National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) located around the Tsukuba Science City, there are many private enterprises in the agricultural sector in Ibaraki Prefecture where agriculture is the dominant industry.

JICA Tsukuba uses these geographical benefits and advantages to implement programs on the following three pillars.

[Three Pillars of the Agriculture Co-creation Hub]

*See "Content of the Three Pillars of the Agriculture Co-creation Hub" for more information.

• Private enterprises × Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Training):
  Agricultural technology-related business matching
• Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Training) × New agricultural technology:
  Introducing new agricultural technologies to Knowledge Co-Creation Program, and co-creation of new agricultural technologies
• Human resources for development cooperation × New agricultural technology:
  Development of human resources for agricultural innovation

JICA Tsukuba is going to contribute to agricultural development in developing countries and Japan through promoting the co-creation of new projects and technologies by strengthening the partnerships among diverse partners, such as private enterprises, universities, and research institutes in Japan, training participants from developing countries, and human resources for overseas cooperation.

Contents of the Three Pillars of the Agriculture Co-creation Hub

Private enterprises × Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Training): Agricultural technology-related business matching

Training participants showing great interest in a product and exchanging opinions

• Opinion exchange between training participants and agricultural enterprises
• Product and technology exhibition
• Opinion exchange among agriculture-related enterprises
• Introduction of activities by project operators of grassroot technical cooperation, SMEs/SDGs business support programs, etc.

Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Training) × New agricultural technology: Introducing new agricultural technologies to Knowledge Co-Creation Program, and co-creation of new agricultural technologies

• Implement thematic Knowledge Co-Creation Program (training) to introduce smart agricultural technologies
• Application of new agricultural technologies in fields in JICA Tsukuba
• Development and demonstration of new agricultural technologies and products by research institutes and private enterprises in fields in JICA Tsukuba

Color visualization of height differences in the fields produced by analyzing the image taken using a drone

Human resources for development cooperation × New agriculture technology: Developing human resources for agricultural innovation

Training on plant disease damage diagnosis using a smartphone app in a greenhouse in JICA Tsukuba

• Brush-Up training for experts / Refresh training for JOCV
• Lending the facilities of JICA Tsukuba to the consultants
• Human resource development by piloting new technologies

Be a Partner of the Agriculture Co-creation Hub!

JICA Tsukuba welcome private enterprises, universities, and research institutes that have interest to join the Agriculture Co-creation Hub.

Please send an e-mail to the contact address below if you are interested in matching with training participants, conducting demonstrations in JICA Tsukuba's fields, or joining other activities.

For detailed information, please see this brochure.

• Brochure of Agri Co-Creation Hub (PDF/3.26MB)

Links

JICA's Public-Private Partnerships

Overviews of projects that JICA has been implementing in partnership with private enterprises

JICA's Thematic Issues: Agricultural and Rural Development

Overviews of agricultural and rural development projects that JICA has been implementing in developing countries

Contact

Training Program Division, JICA Tsukuba
E-mail: tbicttp@jica.go.jp