The "Organic SHIBATA Project" was featured in "Egata."
The initiatives of the "Organic Shibata Project," led by Shibata City in collaboration with local farmers, companies, and educational institutions, were featured on the web media "Egata" (イーガタ), including an interview with Assistant Professor Yuya Takimoto of our university. This feature highlights diverse, on-the-ground efforts such as educational activities to connect the region's primary industries to the future and the introduction of smart agriculture.
The featured articles on the Niigata Prefecture Educational Travel Portal Site "Egata" areHere
The "Organic Shibata Project" is creating the future of agriculture with the community as the driving force.
The Organic Shibata Project aims to foster agriculture as a sustainable and attractive industry in Shibata City, with "organic farming" at its core. Farmers, businesses, and universities within the city are collaborating.
・ Building an organic rice production area
・Creation of specialty products and processed goods using organic rice
Expanding overseas sales channels to promote exports
We are proceeding with initiatives based on these three pillars.
These are collaborations aimed at realizing "community development through the food cycle," with the objective of enhancing regional value by integrating agriculture, commerce, and tourism.
These initiatives are highly compatible with the research and educational activities promoted by the COI-NEXT Nagaoka University of Technology hub, and they offer important insights into how the region and the university can jointly envision the future of primary industries.
Associate Professor Takimoto Discusses the Significance of Connecting Community Practice and Research“
Assistant Professor Takimoto of Nagaoka University of Technology, who is also involved in the educational and technical support for the Organic SHIBATA Project, states the value of learning gained through community practice as follows:
"There is wisdom and there are challenges in local communities that cannot be gained through research alone. When universities learn from these, and give back as technology, a relationship is created where communities and research nurture each other. We believe that such a cycle will create a sustainable future for agriculture."
Assistant Professor Takimoto is responsible for both practical activities in the Organic SHIBATA Project and research and educational activities at the COI-NEXT Center, bridging the gap between regional achievements and research, and research outcomes and the community.
The accomplishments of the Organic Shibata Project pave the way for the future of COI-NEXT.
The initiatives introduced in this special feature are what the COI-NEXT Hub aims for.
Realizing a circular economy that utilizes regional resources
Improving the value of primary industries
Educational activities for nurturing the next generation
aligns with such directions.
As a COI-NEXT base, insights gained from such community-led initiatives provide valuable hints for future research advancement and social implementation. Furthermore, the collaborative efforts between Shibata City and Nagaoka University of Technology serve as an excellent example of how to move beyond merely "signing" a comprehensive partnership agreement to actively engaging and producing results.
For local governments, companies, and organizations that want to strengthen the primary industry in their region, connect education with industry, and solve regional issues using technology, this special feature also provides a sense of the possibilities that can arise from collaborating with COI-NEXT centers.
COI-NEXT Headquarters will continue to expand the circle of co-creation, where the region, companies, and universities unite as one to envision the future together.
※Published on Niigata Prefecture Educational Travel Portal Site "Egata"Special feature articles areHere