[Okayama University] Community Co-creation Initiative "Okayama Synecoculture Project": Students Visit and Exchange Opinions at Oiso Farm

March 29, 2026 Okayama University

◆ Overview On February 20, 2026, Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) visited the "Oiso Farm" in Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, operated by the Synecoculture Association, aiming for further development of the "Okayama Synecoculture Project," which is promoted as part of the Cabinet Office's "Project for Strengthening the Environment for Innovation Creation at Regional Core Universities."

The tour included students from the Faculty of Economics and Agriculture, Assistant Professor Jun Yamashita from the Advanced Research Domain (Institute of Plant Science and Resources), an industry-academia collaboration coordinator, and members of the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad. In addition, employees from an AI agent startup, a beekeeper, and students from Tokyo University of Agriculture also participated, allowing a cross-sectoral and cross-generational group to deepen their knowledge.

On the day, participants toured the field of Oiso Farm, an advanced example of Synecoculture, and received a lecture on the key points of environmental management where a wide variety of plants coexist. Participants eagerly observed the farm, where different flowers bloom each season and the ecosystem circulates. Afterward, they moved to the office of the Synecoculture Association and actively exchanged opinions in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying homemade cola and herbal tea made from herbs harvested at the farm.

During the opinion exchange, discussions were held from the multifaceted perspectives unique to the interdisciplinary members, covering technical possibilities and expectations for social implementation. On the technical side, interest was gathered in the efficient use of space by creating a digital twin using AI, and in the method of circulating mown grass as green manure. Deep insights were also shown regarding the social and emotional significance of this project. Various application possibilities were suggested, such as improving landscapes by introducing it to home gardens and contributing to the well-being of extremely busy entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the design of the rounded "Syneco Portal" also became a topic, and a shared understanding was reached that the "process of active human involvement" itself—where people from diverse backgrounds, from students to researchers, gather and pick up herbs together—leads to true regional co-creation.

Our university will continue to promote the construction of a sustainable social implementation model based on the philosophy of Synecoculture through close collaboration between industry, academia, government, and the private sector. Utilizing the knowledge gained this time, we will further accelerate the creation of an "environmentally friendly next-generation agricultural model" by integrating it with generative AI, image recognition, and robotics technology. Please look forward to the continued efforts of Okayama University, an open regional core and distinctive research university.

This information was released by Okayama University on March 3, 2026.