Field management and operation method and information processing system

Abstract

This program will enable people with little agricultural knowledge or experience to acquire basic agricultural knowledge and skills that can be applied to a variety of farming styles in a practical and short period of time. It will also foster small-scale, self-sufficient farmers who can diversify their income sources and be highly profitable. [Solution] Multiple cultivation plots are set up in one management unit field, which is considered a single management unit. A cultivation plan is created and agricultural work is carried out for the multiple cultivation plots so that all agricultural work, broadly categorized as "ridge making," "planting," "growth management," and "harvesting," can be carried out on a learning agricultural work day, which occurs about once a week.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for managing and operating a farm field where agricultural products are cultivated, and an information processing system. [Background technology]

[0002] The number of people working in agriculture is declining worldwide, including in Japan. One reason for this decline is that global climate change and soil degradation are making it more difficult and expensive to cultivate crops under natural conditions, while industrial structure and other factors make it difficult to set the selling price of agricultural products above production costs. Small-scale agriculture in particular is difficult to mechanize, requires a lot of labor, and has low productivity, making it difficult for small, family-run farms, which have traditionally been the core players in agriculture, to secure sufficient profits.

[0003] In recent years, in order to improve the efficiency of agricultural production, mechanization, large-scale farming, use of IT, etc. have been promoted. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an information processing device that designs agricultural crop cultivation plans and farm work using crop cultivation information and weather data.

[0004] Meanwhile, agricultural crop cultivation is not only practiced as a food production industry, but also as a hobby. A 2017 survey by Takii Seed Co., Ltd. showed that approximately half of Japanese people have experience with home gardening, and 40% of those who do not have a home garden are interested in starting one. However, cultivating agricultural crops requires management and knowledge, such as measures against pests and diseases and watering.

[0005] Therefore, Patent Document 2 proposes a method and information processing device for supporting people with little experience or knowledge in crop cultivation to practice a mixed farming method called "sycoculture." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2024-152639 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6512463 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Incidentally, 90% of the agricultural crops currently grown commercially in Japan are what is known as "conventional agriculture," in which growers use chemical fertilizers and pesticides as needed. On the other hand, for agricultural crops grown as a hobby, "environmentally friendly agriculture," which limits the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, is preferred. In recent years, environmentally friendly agriculture has also been recommended for commercial agriculture from the perspective of environmental conservation.

[0008] There are several types of environmentally friendly agriculture, depending on legal definitions, official guidelines, and standards, and in Japan these include "special cultivation," "organic farming," and "JAS certified organic." In addition to classifications based on official definitions and standards, there are also a variety of independently developed farming methods, such as "sycoculture" and "natural farming," as described in Patent Document 2. These differently named farming methods differ in terms of the crop cultivation methods, centered on the use of materials such as fertilizers and chemicals, depending on differences in ideology and values.

[0009] The reason for the existence of such a wide variety of farming methods is that crop cultivation is a complex system with many influencing factors. Specifically, crop cultivation requires not only the agricultural skills to grow crops, but also an understanding of the many factors that affect crop cultivation, such as the characteristics of the crops and the properties and condition of the soil, as well as knowledge of the microorganisms and insects that live in the farmland.

[0010] As crop cultivation requires knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas, it takes a long time and a lot of experience to be able to cultivate crops professionally. Also, the knowledge and style that one focuses on differs depending on the style of farming, so there are differences in knowledge and skills, for example, between those who cultivate crops professionally (hereinafter referred to as "professional farmers") and those who enjoy cultivating crops as a hobby (hereinafter referred to as "home gardeners"), and between those who practice conventional agriculture and those who practice environmentally friendly agriculture.

[0011] As such, there are many different styles (types) of crop cultivation, but this diversity can also be an obstacle to familiarizing oneself with crop cultivation for inexperienced or beginner crop growers (hereinafter collectively referred to as "beginners") who do not have the opportunity to see or experience farming in their daily lives. For example, they may have problems such as not knowing which of the various crop cultivation methods is best, adopting a particular style but finding it doesn't suit them, or leaning toward a particular style and rejecting others.

[0012] This situation poses a hurdle for new farmers and beginners to cultivate crops. The inventors of the present application recognized the above problem while feeling the need to increase the number of people cultivating crops, especially self-cultivating farmers who cultivate the crops they consume themselves.

[0013] The inventors of the present application believed that in order to solve the above problems, it would be effective to comprehensively understand the overall picture of agricultural crop cultivation, which is influenced by a variety of factors. Therefore, they came up with a method for acquiring, through practice, basic knowledge and skills in agricultural cultivation that are common across different styles of agriculture and applicable to farmland with different conditions, and completed the present invention based on this method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention provides a method for managing and operating a farm field in which crops are cultivated by preparing the field in order to acquire knowledge and skills in crop cultivation, by providing a plurality of cultivation plots in a field (one management unit field) set within a predetermined range as a single management unit, and preparing the field so that on a day when farm work is performed to acquire knowledge and skills in crop cultivation (a learning farm work day), all four types of farm work to be performed from the start to the end of crop cultivation - "preparing the cultivation plots (hereinafter, "ridge making")," "introducing crops to the cultivation site (hereinafter, "planting")," "managing crop growth at the cultivation site (hereinafter, "growth management")," and "harvesting" - can be performed.

[0015] Specifically, in this invention, multiple cultivation sections are set up in one management unit field, and field observation is conducted to determine whether each cultivation section is in a state where one of the four types of agricultural work - ridge formation, planting, growth management, and harvesting - is required, or whether it is in a state between harvest and returning to ridge formation, the stage before starting crop cultivation (hereinafter referred to as "suspended").Based on the determined state, agricultural work is planned so that all four types of agricultural work can be carried out in one management unit field on the most recent learning work day, and the planned agricultural work is carried out, bringing the one management unit field into a state where the four types of agricultural work can be carried out on the learning work day nearest to the day on which the agricultural work was carried out (referred to as "most recent").

[0016] A management unit field should be set within a range that allows a user to travel within 10 minutes, preferably within 5 minutes, from a cultivation area where a first task (e.g., ridge making) is performed to a cultivation area where a second task (e.g., growth management) is performed during a single educational farming day when agricultural learning is possible with beginners and other users of the field. Beginners should generally travel by foot, and a management unit field is preferably a contiguous field of approximately 5 tan (approximately 10,000 square meters). However, it is not excluded from the scope of this invention to define a management unit field as an area that can be traveled within 5 to 10 minutes by car (including bicycle) (multiple fields about 1 to 2 km apart) and to regard dispersed fields as a single cultivation area.

[0017] A single management unit field is an area in which at least three, preferably five, and particularly preferably seven or more types of crops are cultivated at all times during the farming season, and which accommodates cultivation plots for four types of work on training farming days. For example, the field should be large enough to accommodate five or more cultivation plots, each measuring a minimum of 50 cm wide x 2 m, and preferably 15 to 50 cultivation plots, each measuring approximately 80 cm wide + / - 20 cm and 3 to 10 m long. Specifically, the area of ​​a single management unit field is preferably between approximately 150 square meters (approximately 165 m2) and 2,000 square meters (approximately 2 tan).

[0018] In this specification, an educational farming day refers to an opportunity for a farming manager who is responsible for carrying out farming work in a management unit field and a beginner or other person (hereinafter referred to as a "user") who wishes to experience farming work in that field to work together on farming. Educational farming days are scheduled at least twice, and at most every 3 to 5 days, during the period of the year when crop cultivation is possible (the "farming period"). It is preferable to schedule educational farming days about 4 to 20 times during the farming period, preferably every 1 to 4 times a month, and particularly preferably once a week or once every other week.

[0019] Field observations to identify the conditions of multiple cultivation plots within one management unit field may be conducted, for example, from one day before to three days after the most recent learning work day. Alternatively, they may be conducted every day to every three days during periods of vigorous growth within the farming season (busy farming season), or periodically every one to four weeks during off-seasons such as winter.

[0020] For a cultivation section that is identified through field observation as being in a state where crop cultivation is to begin anew (dormant, ridge-making, or planting), a cultivation plan is created that specifies when and what type of crop will be introduced into the cultivation section and in what state, as well as the agricultural work required to introduce the crop into the cultivation section. Furthermore, for a cultivation section that is identified through field observation as being in a state of growth management or harvesting, the necessary agricultural work is planned. In this specification, planning includes overwriting (i.e., changing) a plan, and when it is necessary to distinguish between creating a new plan and changing a plan, the latter is referred to as "changing."

[0021] The planned agricultural work may be carried out on a learning agricultural work day, or may be carried out as agricultural work other than learning agricultural work days (hereinafter referred to as "management agricultural work"). Field observation and agricultural work may be carried out separately or simultaneously. Field observation and cultivation, or agricultural work planning and agricultural work, may be carried out by different people. In particular, it is preferable that one management unit field be developed in cooperation between a cultivation manager, who is recognized as having the knowledge and experience to formulate agricultural crop cultivation plans, and a farm work manager who is designated as the person in charge of management agricultural work. The present invention provides an information system that contributes to such division of labor, and in another aspect provides an information system that allows the cultivation manager, farm work manager, and users to share information about the status of the same management unit field.

[0022] The information system may be equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that plans cultivation or farm work based on the cultivation characteristics of each type of crop, the crop cultivation status in a single management unit field, and weather data for that field. The AI ​​is configured to predict which of four types of farm work will be required on a future learning farm work day for the crops cultivated (or planned for cultivation) in each cultivation plot for multiple types of crops cultivated in a single management unit field, based on their cultivation characteristics, growth status, and weather data. With this configuration, those who cultivate crops or plan farm work can refer to the predictions output by the AI.

[0023] A "cultivation section" is an area where crops are grown, separated from the rest of the field; in the case of farmland, it is called a "ridge." Cultivation section preparation generally involves "plowing," which involves plowing the cultivation area, and "ridge making," which involves establishing the cultivation section. However, in this specification, the two are not distinguished and the preparation of the cultivation section is referred to as "ridge making." While "planting" can also refer to the planting of seedlings or potatoes, in this specification, "planting" refers to the introduction of crops into a cultivation area, and includes "sowing" (sowing seeds), "transplanting" (planting seedlings), and "planting" (burying tubers, etc.). Growth management includes "pruning" (removing excess branches and leaves), "training" (fixing vines and branches to supports), "weeding" (removing weeds), "top dressing" (adding fertilizer), "intertillage" (digging up and aerating the soil), and other "hilling" practices.

[0024] In conventional crop cultivation, it is common to express agricultural tasks as specifically as possible (i.e., in lower-level concepts), such as "sowing" and "planting," and to plan and instruct the execution of the tasks as a single specific task according to the crop species and growth stage. In the present invention, the generally subdivided agricultural tasks are treated as lower-level tasks, and are then categorized into the four types described above, creating a higher-level concept. This is because human cognition has its limits, and in the initial stages of skill learning, it is preferable to organize the learning subjects into approximately three to five types. In the present invention, the state of the cultivation plot is classified into five types, specified as requiring four tasks (ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting), and a resting state, and agricultural tasks are classified into the four types described above. However, it is within the scope of the present invention to modify these five states and four tasks within the scope of the classification design concept.

[0025] In this way, by broadly dividing agricultural work, which was previously subdivided into more than 10 tasks, into four types, an environment is created in which beginners in crop cultivation can understand the overall picture of agricultural work concisely and intuitively.In addition, fields will be prepared in which the above four types of agricultural work can be carried out on educational work days, as fields where beginners can gain knowledge and experience in crop cultivation.This will allow beginners to experience all four types of agricultural work on educational work days set up during the farming period. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] The present invention facilitates the practical and rapid acquisition of knowledge and skills common to various types of agriculture. The present invention provides an opportunity for people unfamiliar with agricultural cultivation to acquire general and universal agricultural knowledge and skills, and expands opportunities for people interested in agricultural cultivation to become familiar with it.

[0027] In particular, the present invention facilitates a comprehensive, intuitive, and experiential understanding of the overall picture of crop cultivation, which is influenced by a variety of factors, in a short period of time. The present invention provides a method and system for practically acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to practice farming on a larger scale and more advanced level than a home gardener, but on a smaller scale and more hobbyist-like basis than a professional farmer. The present invention also aims to foster independent farmers who practice small-scale farming that can be used on farmland with different conditions, and provides a means of providing value from crop cultivation other than selling the produce. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing information held by a field master. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for inputting information into the field master. [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for inputting information into the field master. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram showing an example of an information input screen to be input to the system 1 in accordance with the implementation of the cultivation process. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing information held in a farm work management database. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for inputting information into the farm work management database. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a public screen. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a community screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing information held in a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] A field management method according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of one management unit field prepared and used by the method according to the present invention. One management unit field according to this embodiment is a continuous, roughly rectangular piece of land. In this embodiment, one management unit field has 15 cultivation sections (ridges), each 80 cm wide and 5 to 10 m long, set out in three rows vertically and five rows horizontally in the drawing. The spaces between the ridges (inter-ridge spaces) are wide enough (20 to 30 cm) for agricultural workers to walk and carry out their work, and the area of ​​one management unit field according to this embodiment is approximately 150 to 200 square meters.

[0030] In this management unit field, the farming season is from March to December, and learning farm work days are set up once every two weeks during the farming season. In a method according to one aspect of the present invention, before the farming season begins (for example, the first week of February), multiple cultivation plots (here, 15 rows) are set in the management unit field, and the field is observed to identify the status of each cultivation plot: ridge formation, planting, growth management, harvesting, or rest.

[0031] In the case of one management unit field according to this embodiment, 15 rows of cultivation sections had been set up in the previous farming season, and at the time of field observation in the first week of February, the cultivation of about five types of crops was still in progress. Furthermore, in the field observation before the start of the farming season, it was determined that this one management unit field had one or more cultivation sections in each of the five states: "ridge making," "planting," "growth management," "harvesting," and "suspended."

[0032] These field observations are conducted by the cultivation manager, who then creates a farming work plan and, if necessary, a cultivation plan for each cultivation plot so that all four tasks - ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting - can be completed at least on the nearest future (nearest) learning farming day (for example, the first Saturday in March). For example, for a cultivation plot designated as "ridge making," a farming work plan is created to perform ridge making by the third week of February and plant potatoes on the learning farming day, the first Saturday in March. Furthermore, a farming work plan is created to perform harvesting for a cultivation plot designated as "harvesting" where carrots are grown, growth management (top dressing) for a cultivation plot designated as "growth management" where onions are grown, and "ridge making" for a cultivation plot designated as dormant, on the learning farming day, the first Saturday in March.

[0033] Additionally, the cultivation manager plans the cultivation and farming activities so that there will be at least one cultivation plot for each of the four aforementioned farming activities on the biweekly learning work days starting with the first Saturday in March. For example, on the second learning work day in March, the farming activities will include ridge formation in the cultivation plot after carrot harvest, planting cabbage seedlings in the cultivation plot after ridge formation, growth management (weeding) in the strawberry cultivation plot currently undergoing growth management, and harvesting in the broccoli cultivation plot that is expected to be ready for harvest. Additionally, for summer vegetables that can be introduced to the cultivation plots from early April, a cultivation plan will be created that specifies which types of crops will be introduced to which cultivation plots, in what state (e.g., seedlings or seeds), and in which cultivation plots. Furthermore, as necessary, farming plans will be created to predict the types and timing of farming activities expected after the summer vegetables are introduced.

[0034] After the cultivation manager has made the above-mentioned cultivation and farm work plans, the cultivation manager, farm work manager, user, etc. will carry out the planned farm work. Farm work may be carried out on an educational farm work day, and if prior farm work is necessary to carry out the farm work planned for the most recent educational farm work day, the farm work will be carried out as management farm work. For example, for a cultivation plot where carrots were harvested on the first educational farm work day in March, ridge making will be planned and carried out as management farm work by the second educational farm work day.

[0035] After the farming season begins, the above-mentioned field observations and crop cultivation or farm work plans and implementation are repeated at appropriate times to continue preparing the field so that the four tasks can be performed on the upcoming learning farming day. It is preferable to develop and revise the plan as appropriate based on the results of field observations so that the four farm work tasks can be performed in one management unit field on the learning farming day approximately three months from now. For example, for a cultivation plot that was scheduled for harvest in early May after the first field observation in March, the harvest schedule can be changed to late May during the field observation in late April, and this change can lead to changes in the cultivation plan, such as the type of crop to be grown next in the changed cultivation plot and the method of introduction (for example, changing the plan to sow eggplant seeds to plant eggplant seedlings).

[0036] When planning agricultural work, agricultural work for educational agricultural work days and management agricultural work may be planned separately, or only agricultural work for educational agricultural work days may be planned. When the person in charge of planning crop cultivation and agricultural work is different from the person performing management agricultural work, it is preferable that the person making the plan (cultivation manager) plans agricultural work for educational agricultural work days and management agricultural work separately. In this specification, a rough outline design that specifies when, in which cultivation plots, what state of crops will be cultivated, and from what state in the cultivation plots of an entire management unit field is referred to as a cultivation plan. On the other hand, a detailed design that specifies when each of the four types of agricultural work will be performed for a specific cultivation plot is referred to as an agricultural work plan.

[0037] While planning agricultural crop cultivation and farm work requires knowledge of various crop cultivation methods, farm work can be carried out by people without such knowledge. Furthermore, even people who have difficulty carrying out farm work can plan agricultural crop cultivation and farm work. Therefore, in order to share the work of preparing a single management unit field among multiple people, it is preferable to use an information system, which will be described later.

[0038] In the present invention, one management unit field is observed, the state of the multiple cultivation sections set up in the field is divided into five types, a plan is made to make the cultivation sections in a state where four types of agricultural work can be performed on the learning agricultural work day, and the planned agricultural work is performed. Note that the agricultural work to make the four types of agricultural work in a state where they can be performed on the learning agricultural work day is not limited to the planned agricultural work, and unplanned agricultural work may be performed as management agricultural work as needed. This is because unplanned agricultural work may be suddenly required due to damage by wild animals, wind and flood damage, etc.

[0039] By managing and operating the field in this way, beginners can observe the growth status of multiple types of crops on the educational work day and select the agricultural work they want to perform from among the four types of agricultural work on the educational work day. Therefore, according to the present invention, even beginners can easily, quickly, and practically acquire basic agricultural knowledge and skills that are common to different types of crops and cultivation methods.

[0040] Furthermore, each management unit field is developed, managed, and operated by someone who is capable of planning and carrying out crop cultivation and farm work (either in collaboration with or concurrently with the cultivation manager and farm work manager). This allows users, such as beginners, to observe the growth of various crops on educational farm work days, do their favorite farm work, and focus on acquiring agricultural knowledge and skills, without having to plan or carry out crop cultivation or farm work in the cultivation plot themselves. Furthermore, the crops grown are not limited to vegetables, but also include flowers and grains.

[0041] Next, the information system used in the method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Identical parts will be given the same reference numerals, and explanations may be omitted or simplified. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an information processing system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] The information processing system 1 includes a terminal 10 that inputs, outputs, and displays information, and a host 20 that manages and processes information input from the terminal 10. The terminal 10 and the host 20 are connected via a communication line such as the Internet. The terminal 10 has an input unit for inputting information and a display unit for displaying screens such as a screen for inputting information and a display screen for displaying output information. The terminals 10 may be a portable (typically a smartphone) terminal 10a or a non-portable (typically a desktop PC) 10b.

[0043] The host 20 is provided with a storage unit that stores a field management database including a field master and a user master, a farm work management database, and formats and programs for generating screens and managing information, and a processing unit that processes information input and output between the terminal 10 and the host 20. The field master stores, for each of a plurality of management unit fields, an identification code that uniquely identifies each field, the location and extent of the field, and information on the manager in charge of managing the field and the user who uses the field.

[0044] Figure 2 shows a conceptual example of the information held by the field master in table format. Each management unit field is given a name and an identification code to uniquely identify multiple management unit fields. The field master stores the name, location, area, and related parties (users and managers) for each of the multiple management unit fields, linking them to the identification code.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 2, the location of a field may be represented by coordinates on a map, and the range may be represented by area information. For a field, it is preferable to include information indicating the attributes of the field, in addition to the location and range (area), as well as information indicating the type of soil (soil classification name and soil symbol, hereinafter referred to as "soil information").

[0046] Information about those involved in the field (field-related information) includes information about the manager who is responsible for managing the field and information about users who are authorized to use the field. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, it is also desirable to store information about the authority regarding the field (such as the owner and the right to use the field, whether owned or rented). In this invention, the managers are set as a farm work manager who carries out the farm work, and a cultivation manager who designs one management unit field and makes a cultivation plan so that the four types of farm work can be carried out on each educational learning day. The farm work manager and the cultivation manager may be the same person.

[0047] In this embodiment, the information held in the field master is input from an input screen generated by the host 20 and displayed on the display unit of the terminal 10, and is stored and held in the memory unit of the host 20. Figure 3 shows an example of an input screen (field registration screen) for inputting information to be held in the field master.

[0048] 3A shows a part of the field registration screen, which shows a field attribute information registration section FR1 for inputting the location and extent of the field, the type of soil, and information related to the right to use, such as the owner and the type of right to use, and storing the information in the field master. In this example, the field attribute information registration section FR1 is provided with a designation section M for designating the location and extent of one management unit field on a map drawn on the display screen of the terminal 10, a location information section A for inputting information specifying the location and extent of one management unit field, and an authority information section P for inputting information related to the right to use the field.

[0049] The following describes a method for consolidating a field using the system 1. A user of the information processing system 1 inputs attributes of a field whose consolidation status is to be managed by the system 1, and stores the information in the field master. Specifically, the user first requests the host 20 from the terminal 10 to input data to be stored in the field master. When the host 20 receives a request to input information into the field master, it causes the memory unit and the calculation processing unit to function as a screen generation unit, generates a field registration screen including a field attribute information registration unit FR1, sends it to the terminal 10, and displays it on the display screen of the terminal 10.

[0050] The user specifies the location and range of one management unit field on a map drawn in the designation section M. The host 20 retrieves the location information (coordinate information indicated by latitude and longitude) of the point indicating the location of one management unit field specified on the map drawn in the designation section M, and displays it as location information in the location information section A. In addition, the host 20 calculates the area of ​​the range specified as the range of one management unit field, and displays it as range information in the location information section A.

[0051] In addition, the system 1 uses a map that stores soil information indicating the type of soil in addition to location information as the map displayed on the designation unit M. Therefore, when the location of one management unit field is designated, not only the location information of the designated location but also the soil information is called up and displayed. Note that the location and range of the field may be determined by inputting an address as the location and an area value as the range.

[0052] If necessary, the user inputs information about the ownership and use rights of the field from the authority information section P. The user checks the input values ​​for the field attribute information, which consists of information about the location, area, soil information, and use rights of the above-mentioned one management unit field, in the field attribute information registration section FR1, and if registering, requests the host 20 to register the information from the registration button R. In this system 1, when the host 20 is requested to register the field attribute information via the terminal 10, it generates a field name and an identification code that uniquely identifies the field using a field name and identification code assignment program stored in the memory, and stores this information in the memory, thereby holding the information in the field master shown in Figure 2.

[0053] 3B is a schematic diagram of the user registration section UR, which is an input screen for storing information about persons involved in one management unit field (field related person information) in the field master. A user requests user registration from the terminal 10 to the host 20, and upon receiving the request, the host 20 generates an input screen including the user registration section UR, sends it to the terminal 10, and displays it on the display screen of the terminal 10.

[0054] The user enters information from the user registration UR that indicates the management unit field that the user will be using and information indicating the user's authority regarding that field (here, usage mode). After entering the necessary information, the user presses the registration button R to request the host 20 to register the information. The host 20 stores the information that has been entered and requested to be registered in the user master. Through the above operation, the field management database stores information about the location and extent of the field, as well as the manager and user, for each management unit field.

[0055] In the field consolidation method of the present invention, multiple cultivation sections are set for one management unit field, field observation is performed to determine whether the multiple cultivation sections are in one of the following states: "ridge formation," "planting," "growth management," "harvesting," or "rest," and either or both of crop cultivation and agricultural work are planned so that all four types of agricultural work ("ridge formation," "planting," "growth management," and "harvesting") can be performed on the educational agricultural work day. By performing the planned agricultural work, the one unit management field is brought into a state where all four types of agricultural work can be performed on the educational agricultural work day. System 1 is used to implement or support such a field management method and a field operation method for providing a farm prepared in this way for agricultural learning.

[0056] The system 1 is configured so that for multiple cultivation plots set up in one management unit field, the above-mentioned five states (states requiring four types of agricultural work and a dormant state) for each cultivation plot identified as a result of field observation, as well as cultivation and agricultural work plans and information on agricultural work that has been carried out, are stored in a memory unit (agricultural work management database), and information retrieved from the memory unit is displayed on the terminal 10.

[0057] The memory unit of the system 1 stores information about one management unit field and information about the multiple cultivation sections set up therein. The information about the multiple cultivation sections in one management unit field stored in the memory unit is then called up, and an input screen is generated and displayed on which the results of field observation, the identified conditions, the cultivation or farming plan, and the farming work that has been carried out are recorded. Information about the results of field observation, the identified conditions, the cultivation or farming plan, and the farming work that has been carried out for each cultivation section is entered into the input screen and stored in the farming work database. The system 1 produces the desired display based on this stored information. The following description will be given with reference to the drawings.

[0058] Figure 4 shows the field drawing section FR2, which is an input screen for storing information about multiple cultivation sections to be set in one management unit field in the system 1 and is part of the field registration screen. In this example, the field drawing section FR2 is provided with a section drawing section FM for drawing multiple cultivation sections within one management unit field, and tools for drawing the cultivation sections. In this example, the tools provided are a frame drawing tool T for drawing the multiple cultivation sections, and a numbering tool N for assigning codes to the sections to identify the multiple cultivation sections. The frame drawing tool T is a drawing tool that allows text to be entered within a frame.

[0059] A user of the system 1 requests the host 20 to draw a farm field from the terminal 10. The host 20 generates a screen including a farm field drawing section FR2, sends it to the terminal 10, and causes it to be displayed on the display screen of the terminal 10.

[0060] The user places multiple frames representing multiple cultivation sections in the section drawing section FM of the field drawing section FR2 using a field drawing frame drawing tool T1. A section number is assigned to the frame corresponding to each cultivation section using the numbering tool N. In addition, the type of crop to be cultivated in each cultivation section is input into the frame representing that cultivation section. It is preferable to input the type of crop by crop species (e.g., potato).

[0061] When the user has finished drawing the multiple cultivation sections to be placed in one management unit field, he or she presses the registration button R, which causes information about the crop cultivation in the multiple cultivation sections to be placed in one management unit field, drawn in the section drawing unit FM, to be stored in the field management database. The calculation processing unit, for example, associates the position of the frame drawn in the section drawing unit FM with the section number and stores it in the field master, and associates the crop species entered within the frame with the section number and stores it in the farm work management database as the crop to be cultivated in that cultivation section.

[0062] The farm work management database holds information about the conditions identified through field observations, as well as information about crop cultivation or farm work plans and the farm work that has been carried out, for each of the multiple cultivation plots set up in one management unit field. Figure 5 shows a conceptual example of the information held in the farm work management database in tabular form.

[0063] 6 is a schematic diagram of a cultivation information input screen GF for inputting the state of a cultivation section identified by field observation, and plans and results of crop cultivation or farm work for multiple cultivation sections within one management unit field. When a request for display of the cultivation information input screen GF is made from the terminal 10 to the host 20, the arithmetic processing unit, in cooperation with the memory unit, refers to the field management database to generate the cultivation information input screen GF and causes the terminal 10 to display it.

[0064] The cultivation information input screen GF includes a field map display frame F that displays a floor plan of one management unit field with multiple cultivation plots drawn on it, a plot information input / output frame U, a work schedule input / output frame GM, a work record input / output frame WR, and a work history display frame PR. The cultivation information input screen GF is configured so that the processing unit refers to the user master to display information about the user of the system 1 who called up the cultivation information input screen GF (in this example, the user name and user type), and information identifying the one management unit field related to the input.

[0065] Information specifying the plot name, cultivated crop species name, and cultivation plot status of the cultivation plot (first ridge) specified in the field map display frame F is input into the plot information input / output frame U and stored in the farm work management database, and the information stored in the database is output and displayed. Hereinafter, the term "input / output" will be used to describe the information input into the frame being stored, called up, and displayed. The plot number assigned using the numbering tool N is called up and displayed as the plot name. The name of the cultivated crop species is input and output. One of five types of information indicating the status is input and output: ridge making, planting, growth management, harvest, and dormancy.

[0066] The work schedule input / output frame GM is used to plan or change the cultivation or farm work for the first ridge, and inputs and outputs any of the four types of farm work mentioned above for the farm work that is scheduled to be carried out. In this example, if the four types of farm work are subdivided into more specific tasks, the subdivided tasks (work details) and the scheduled work dates are both input and output to the work schedule input / output frame GM.

[0067] The work record input / output frame WR inputs and outputs one of the four types of farm work previously performed on the first ridge, as well as the work details (if any) and the work content. Image information with photograph date and time information is input and saved as the work content, and images taken before and after the work are uploaded and recorded as the work content. The work record input / output frame WR also has a comment field, allowing comments (text information) from the person who performed the work entered into the work record input / output frame WR to be input and output.

[0068] The farm work management database stores, for each of the multiple cultivation sections in each management unit field, the crops being grown (or planned to be grown), information indicating the condition of the cultivation section in which the crop is being grown, work records of farm work that has been carried out in the past, and work plans for farm work to be carried out in the future, all linked to each cultivation section. In Figure 5, the planned farm work includes five types of conditions expected to be identified by field observation at a certain time (date and time) in the future, and farm work selected from the four aforementioned work types that are assumed to be necessary as a result of the field observation, as well as time (date and time) information. In addition, as information related to the records of farm work carried out in the past, it is preferable to store image information that has been taken before and after the farm work and has date and time information for the image.

[0069] It is preferable that the agricultural work management database be configured so that the information carried out for each cultivation area and input from the work record input / output frame WR is stored together with the photograph date and time information obtained from the input image, while information relating to the cultivation or agricultural work plan input from the work schedule input / output frame GM is overwritten to retain the latest information.

[0070] Once input into each box is complete, the user of the system 1 can press the registration button R to store the input information in the agricultural work management database. When generating the work history display frame PR, the processing unit calls up the information held in the agricultural work management database and displays past work record information carried out on the work history display target (e.g., the first ridge) and input from the work record input / output frame WR in chronological order (e.g., from most recent to oldest). In the present invention, the above-mentioned information is input and output for each of the multiple cultivation sections arranged in one management unit field.

[0071] The main users of this system 1 are a farm work manager who is responsible for carrying out farm work for growing crops in one management unit field, a cultivation manager who plans the crop cultivation, a manager who is responsible for managing the field, and users who have usage rights. Information about users of system 1 is stored in a user master that records an identification code that uniquely identifies the user, the user name, user type information linked to the user's responsibilities or authority, and one management unit field to which the user is related, and forms a field management database.

[0072] Before the start of the farming season or when resetting the cultivation sections, the user of the system 1 logs in to the system 1 from, for example, the terminal 10b and requests a field drawing, draws multiple cultivation sections to be set in one management unit field using the procedure described above, and stores them in the field management database. The system 1 refers to the field management database and creates a field map display frame F for input and output of the multiple cultivation sections drawn and stored by the user, and displays it on the terminal 10.

[0073] The plan for the cultivation of crops and the farm work for each cultivation plot is input by, for example, a user who is a cultivation manager. For example, the user specifies one of the multiple cultivation plots (referred to as the "first ridge") displayed in the field map display frame F, or inputs the plot number specifying the first ridge in the plot information input / output frame U. The user then inputs the name of the cultivated crop species in the plot information input / output frame U and, based on field observations, inputs information identifying whether the current state of the first ridge is one of the five conditions described above. In addition, in the work plan input / output frame GM, the user selects from five types of future expected state or farm work plan for the first ridge, optionally selects work details if any, and inputs the expected time (future time or date) for achieving the selected state. Once the input is complete, the user presses the register button R to store the input information in the farm work management database.

[0074] The user, who is a cultivation manager, plans the multiple cultivation plots within one management unit field to be in a state where one of the following agricultural tasks is required on learning agricultural work days, which are carried out at predetermined intervals during the farming period: ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting, and to be able to carry out all four types of agricultural work across the multiple cultivation plots within one management unit field.

[0075] Through these operations, the farm work management database stores farm work plans for multiple cultivation plots within one management unit field, indicating that there is at least one cultivation plot that requires four types of farm work - ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting - on the nearest future learning farm work day.In addition to the future farm work plans for each cultivation plot, the farm work management database also stores the results of past field observations and records of farm work.

[0076] Records of the agricultural work carried out are entered, for example, by the agricultural work manager. The agricultural work manager uses the work record input / output frame WR to input information about the agricultural work carried out in one management unit field. As a user of the system 1, the agricultural work manager logs in to the system 1, for example, from terminal 10a, and requests the input of work records. The system 1 references the field management database to generate a field map display frame F in which the one management unit field is drawn, using information about the agricultural work manager who is the user of terminal 10a (in this example, user name and user type) and information identifying the one management unit field related to the input. It also references the agricultural work management database to generate a cultivation information input screen GF in order to generate the work record input / output frame WR, etc., and displays it on terminal 10a.

[0077] The farm work manager designates one of the multiple cultivation plots (referred to as "first ridge") displayed in the field map display frame F, or inputs the plot number designating the first ridge in the plot information input / output frame U. Next, in the work record input / output frame WR, the manager designates the work performed on the first ridge as either "ridge making," "planting," "growth management," or "harvesting." In this example, if there are subdivisions (subdivisions of work), the system is configured so that the subdivisions of subdivisions of work can also be designated and recorded.

[0078] The system 1 is configured to input images of the first ridge before and after work, which are taken using a terminal 10a or the like and have date and time information, as work details and store them in the agricultural work management database. The system also has a comment field where users who input information through the work record input / output frame WR can enter text information related to the work details. The agricultural work manager, who is a user of the system 1, inputs images and comments as information indicating the work details into the work record input / output frame WR, and when the input is complete, presses the registration button R to store the input information in the agricultural work management database.

[0079] The farm work information stored in the farm work management database is used to create the work history display frame PR on the cultivation information input screen GF. Specifically, when a specific cultivation section (first ridge) is designated in the field map display frame F, the system 1's processing unit, which functions as a screen generator, retrieves the work records related to the first ridge from the farm work management database in reverse chronological order and arranges them in chronological order to create the work history display frame PR.

[0080] The present system 1 generates a cultivation information input screen GF so that it includes a field map display frame F, a plot information input / output frame U, and a work schedule input / output frame GM in addition to the work record input / output frame WR and the work history display frame PR. For example, the processing unit generates a cultivation information input screen GF including the above-mentioned frames by referencing the field management database and the farm work management database. Information input through the work record input / output frame WR is stored in the farm work management database, while the cultivation plan and work schedule (plan) input through the work schedule input / output frame GM are saved by overwriting the farm work management database. With this configuration, when the processing unit and the memory unit, functioning as the screen generation unit, work in cooperation to generate the cultivation information input screen GF, the latest cultivation or farm work plan is called and displayed in the work schedule input / output frame GM. Then, when a user with authority to plan crop cultivation or farm work inputs changes to the input plan into the work schedule input / output frame GM, the latest plan is stored in the farm work management database.

[0081] A new plan (i.e., a revised plan) is input from the work schedule input / output frame GM so that all four types of farm work described above can be carried out for the entire cultivation plot within one management unit field on at least the nearest future learning farm work day, and the farm work management database is updated. By inputting and updating this information, the farm work database holds a plan to carry out the four types of farm work for the entire cultivation plot within one management unit field on at least the nearest future learning farm work day. This farm work database update is performed at appropriate times, such as after field observation or farm work.

[0082] System 1 also has a screen generation unit that uses the information entered using the above-mentioned procedure to generate a public screen that can be viewed by the general public and a community screen that can be viewed only by those with viewing rights. The public screen PV generated by the screen generation unit is shown in Fig. 7, and the community screen CV is shown in Fig. 8.

[0083] The public screen PV is generated as a web page that can be viewed by an unspecified number of people, and is generated when a request is made to view a specific management unit field (hereinafter, "first field"). On the other hand, the community screen CV can only be viewed by users (logged-in users) who are registered as users of the system 1 and are permitted to input and view information about one of multiple management unit fields.

[0084] The public screen PV has, for example, a field map display frame F that displays a schematic floor plan of the first field. The system 1 is configured so that viewers who are not users who can log in cannot request the display of detailed information about a specific cultivation section from the field map display frame F. This is because the system 1 is configured to treat detailed information about a specific cultivation section as information that is not available for viewing by the general public.

[0085] Specifically, when the terminal 10 requests the display of the public screen PV, the calculation processing unit functioning as the screen generation unit generates the latest information display frame SR, which calls up multiple pieces of farm work information (information input from the work record input / output frame WR) stored in the farm work management database and displays them in chronological order. The latest information display frame SR is configured to display about 2 to 5 pieces of farm work information stored in the farm work management database in chronological order, such as from newest to oldest.

[0086] Meanwhile, the community screen CV is generated in response to a display request using the field map display frame F from a terminal 10 used by a user who can log in to the system 1. The user requests the display of detailed information (e.g., the entire work history) by specifying one of multiple cultivation sections in a specific management unit field (first field) for which the user has viewing authority from the terminal 10. In this example, the community screen CV includes a field map display frame F and latest information display frame SR, which are set to enable a request to display detailed information about one of the multiple cultivation sections, as well as a modified work history display frame PRR.

[0087] The work history display frame PRR is generated by making modifications to the above-mentioned work history display frame PR to clearly indicate the specific cultivation section requested to be displayed. For example, for the cultivation section requested to be displayed, the calculation processing unit functioning as the screen generation unit refers to the field management database to determine whether or not the user has permission to view it, and if it determines that the user has permission to view it, it calls up the information for generating the work history display frame PR using the above-mentioned processing, and generates a screen that displays the section number of the specified cultivation section and assigns a color or pattern to the cultivation section in the field map display frame F to indicate that it is the display target.

[0088] Next, an information system according to a modified example of the present invention (an information system according to a second embodiment) will be described. The information system according to the second embodiment further includes a crop characteristic master in which the cultivation characteristics of each type (crop species and variety) of a plurality of agricultural crops are described, and artificial intelligence (AI). The crop cultivation characteristic master stores characteristics related to temperature, moisture, and sunlight (e.g., optimum temperature for growth, drought tolerance, moisture tolerance, etc.) for at least each crop species of a plurality of crops.

[0089] The information system of the second embodiment is configured to cooperate with weather sensors and the like to acquire daily weather data (temperature, sunshine, and precipitation) for each management unit field, and store the data in, for example, an agricultural work management database. Furthermore, when soil analysis is performed, the information system of the second embodiment is configured to store the results of the soil analysis in the agricultural work management database as agricultural work on the date the analysis sample was obtained.

[0090] 9 is a diagram showing, in tabular form, information stored in the farm work management database created and maintained by the information system of the second embodiment. In the information processing system of the second embodiment, for each management unit field, in addition to information on the farm work in each cultivation section and the original (i.e., basically unchanging) soil type of each field, information on changing soil properties (soil data) and weather data are acquired, managed, and used.

[0091] Soil data includes chemical properties such as pH and EC, and preferably soil analysis data such as physical and biological properties indicated by bulk density, etc. The soil data may be stored as agricultural work information for the day the sample was collected. Weather data may be stored for each day, including the temperature (lowest and lowest temperatures), sunshine, and precipitation for the previous day.

[0092] The AI ​​installed in the information system of the second embodiment refers to the crop cultivation characteristic master and the farm work management database, predicts the farm work required for the learning farm work day to be performed for multiple cultivation plots in one management unit field, and stores the predicted values ​​by the AI ​​in the farm work management database separately from the predicted values ​​by a person (e.g., a cultivation manager). The predictions output by the AI ​​can be displayed in the work schedule input / output frame GM as predicted values ​​by the AI ​​separately from the predicted values ​​by a person (e.g., a cultivation manager).

[0093] The cultivation manager, who is the user of the system, refers to the agricultural work plan forecast output by the AI ​​and displayed in the work schedule input / output frame GM, changes the forecast as necessary, and updates the agricultural work management database. System 2 according to the second embodiment acquires data on the cultivation environment and cultivation status of one management unit field and analyzes it with AI, thereby reducing the burden on the cultivation manager and improving the skills and accuracy of setting cultivation plans.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the present invention, beginners who lack knowledge, experience, and skills in agricultural crop cultivation can experience all four types of agricultural work during educational agricultural days set up one to three times a week. Users, such as beginners, can view the public screen and community screen generated by the information system of the present invention and observe the growth of multiple types of agricultural crops. This makes it easy for even beginners to understand the growth process of multiple types of agricultural crops and the agricultural work involved in a short period of time.

[0095] In this invention, by assigning a farm work manager and a cultivation manager to each management unit field, users are not responsible for the crop cultivation, allowing beginners and others to easily enjoy crop cultivation. Furthermore, each management unit field is operated so that multiple types of crops are in multiple stages, from before the start of cultivation to after harvest, thereby diversifying the cultivated crops and allowing harvests to be obtained throughout the farming period. Therefore, this invention makes it easy to cultivate multiple types of crops for personal consumption, making it suitable for developing independent farmers. In particular, this invention makes it easy to secure revenue other than the sale of cultivated crops by accepting users on educational farm work days and allowing them to view the field. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 System 10 User terminal 20 servers

Claims

1. A predetermined range of agricultural crop cultivation area is defined as one management unit field, and a plurality of cultivation plots for cultivating a plurality of crop species are set in one management unit field; A field observation is performed for the plurality of cultivation plots to identify whether the plots are in a state requiring agricultural work, such as ridge making to prepare the cultivation plots, planting to introduce crops into the cultivation plots, growth management to manage the growth of the crops grown in the cultivation plots, and harvesting of the crops grown in the cultivation plots, or a resting state in which the plots are transitioning from harvesting to ridge making; For the plurality of cultivation sections, agricultural work is planned so that the single management unit field can be in a state where all of the agricultural work, including ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting, can be carried out as agricultural work for the cultivation sections in which different crop species have been cultivated or will be cultivated on learning agricultural work days that are set multiple times during the farming period based on the field observations; A field management method in which the planned agricultural work is carried out and the one management unit field is brought into a state in which all agricultural work, including ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting, can be carried out on the nearest learning agricultural work day, which is the learning agricultural work day in the future that is closest to the planned agricultural work.

2. Regarding one management unit field in which a plurality of cultivation plots are set up with a predetermined range of agricultural crop cultivation area as one management unit and agricultural crops of a plurality of crop species are cultivated, a farming work plan designed to enable all of the farming work, including ridge making to prepare the cultivation plot, planting to introduce the crops into the cultivation plot, growth management to manage the growth of the crops grown in the cultivation plot, and harvesting of the crops grown in the cultivation plot, to be carried out on learning farming days that are set multiple times during the farming period in the one management unit field; A method of managing a field in which agricultural work is carried out by referring to the agricultural work plan, and all agricultural work, including ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting, can be carried out in the one management unit field on the nearest future learning agricultural work day, which is the nearest learning agricultural work day.

3. The information processing system includes a field management database that stores the range of the one management unit field, information on a manager who is responsible for managing the field, and information on users who are authorized to use the field; a screen generator that generates a screen by referring to the farm field management database and the farm work management database, The farm work management database further holds information about farm work carried out for each of the cultivation plots; The agricultural work manager who is responsible for carrying out the agricultural work and the cultivation manager who makes the plan use the information processing system to share information and manage the one management unit field, A field management method as described in claim 2, wherein the screen generation unit refers to the field management database and the agricultural work management database to generate a public screen that is open to the general public and a community screen that can only be viewed by those with viewing rights, including the manager and users, and disseminates information about the one management unit field.

4. An information processing system having a screen generation unit that generates an input screen for inputting information and a display screen for displaying information, and a storage unit that stores information input from the input screen, The storage unit a field management database for processing a plurality of management unit fields, which are agricultural crop cultivation locations that are treated as a single management unit, and in which a plurality of cultivation sections are set and a plurality of crop species are cultivated, and for each of the management unit fields, the database stores the extent of the field, the manager, and the user; and an agricultural work management database that holds, for each of the plurality of single management unit fields, an agricultural work plan to be carried out for each of the plurality of cultivation sections set within the single management unit field, the agricultural work plan being any of ridge making to prepare the cultivation section, planting to introduce crops into the cultivation section, growth management to manage the growth of the crops grown in the cultivation section, and harvesting to harvest the crops grown in the cultivation section, the agricultural work plan being planned so that all of the agricultural work of ridge making, planting, growth management, and harvesting can be carried out in the single management unit field as agricultural work for cultivation sections that have been or will be growing crops of different crop species on learning agricultural work days that are set multiple times within a farming period, and records of the agricultural work that has been carried out; The screen generation unit refers to the field management database and the agricultural work management database to generate a public screen that is open to the general public and a community screen that can only be viewed by those with viewing rights, including the administrator and users.

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