Nippon Express Holdings (NX Group) has entered into an investment and business cooperation agreement with AGRIST Inc., a startup developing AI and robotic smart farming technologies. The collaboration aims to address agricultural challenges related to labor shortages and an aging farmer population in Japan, where the average age of farmers is 68. AGRIST creates robotic harvesting systems and software to improve agricultural efficiency and improve global food security.
The investment in AGRIST will help NX Group realize its long-term goals of developing logistics and solving social problems by supporting agricultural innovation from production to distribution and sales. In particular, NX AgriGrow’s farm in Yamanashi Prefecture is already implementing AGRIST technologies to increase crop yields, and joint projects with local governments are aimed at optimizing logistics using crop yield forecasts.
AGRIST also plans to expand into international markets, including the United States, China, India and Africa, with robotic harvesting systems. In collaboration with the global NX Group network, the companies aim to address global agricultural challenges while promoting sustainable food systems.