Fukuoka City Accelerates Smart Agriculture Implementation: Call for Applicants to Join 'Challenge Farm Program'

Fukuoka City has launched a call for applications to its 'Fukuoka City Smart Agriculture Challenge Farm Program,' aimed at promoting smart agriculture to enhance productivity and reduce labor in the agricultural sector.

This program supports startups and other companies striving to implement smart agriculture technologies to address the challenges and needs of local producers. A portion of the Imazu Refresh Farm in Nishi Ward, Fukuoka City, will be provided as a demonstration experiment field.

Application Page [Fukuoka City Official Website]

　https://www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/nosui/inoshishi/business/sumanoboshu.html

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■ Program Background and Objectives

Agricultural sites face numerous challenges, including labor shortages, an aging workforce, heat damage due to climate change, and increasing workloads. To promote smart agriculture that improves farming efficiency, reduces labor, and increases productivity, Fukuoka City aims to accelerate the social implementation of innovative technologies through this program.

The program targets companies and organizations that aim to implement smart agriculture solutions to address issues faced by local producers and wish to conduct demonstration experiments at Imazu Refresh Farm.

Examples of expected solutions include:

　・Weak vegetables: Addressing poor summer growth, heat countermeasures, and pest outbreaks

　・Strawberries: Improving efficiency in harvesting, sorting, and packaging; automating fertilization and pest control

　・Tomatoes: Heat and strong sunlight protection, and harvest monitoring

These are real-world challenges faced by producers that the program aims to solve.

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■ Demonstration Field and Support Offered

A key feature of this program is its practical support combining field access with financial assistance.

Fukuoka City will provide the following support to participating companies:

　・Access to a demonstration experiment field at Imazu Refresh Farm (up to 2 years)

　　　- 2 greenhouses (40㎡ each)

　　　- 1 open-field plot (65㎡)

　　　※ One of the above fields will be provided

　・A prize of 1 million JPY (to cover necessary experiment expenses)

　・Introduction on the city’s official website

In return, participating companies will be responsible for planning and operating the demonstration experiments, crop cultivation, cost management, data verification, and reporting results—taking full ownership of the experiment operations.

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■ Selection Process and Schedule

Applicants will be selected through document screening and presentations, with up to three companies to be accepted.

Key schedule:

　・Application opens: June 5, Reiwa 8 (2026)

　・Application deadline: June 25, Reiwa 8, 17:00

　・Presentation materials submission deadline: July 3, Reiwa 8, 17:00

　・Selection results: Late July, Reiwa 8 (tentative)

　・Experiment start: September 2026 or later (tentative)

Evaluation will be conducted from multiple perspectives, including practicality and feasibility of implementation, market potential, novelty and originality, environmental considerations, and business viability.

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■ Application Method

Applications must be submitted via email using the designated entry sheet. For details, please refer to the official recruitment guidelines posted on the Fukuoka City website.