New Tool Supports Future of Organic Farming 23 July 2019

New tool supports future of organic farming 23 July 2019

develop a new product that provides quality and a holistic user experience for organic fruit and vegetable farmers. This approach aligns with the SUGAR Network's focus on human-centered design.

Students visited local organic farms and researched organic farming experiences and processes to identify opportunities that improve the daily lives of farmers, workers and farm productivity.

Nu-tan soil supplement spreader in action. Credit: Design Factory Melbourne

A collaboration with Japanese manufacturer Yanmar, the Kyoto Institute of Technology, the SUGAR Network, and Design Factory Melbourne (DFM) has created a time-saving product for organic farmers.

Students Melanie Calleja, Melanie Phillips and Ethan Lankshear, with colleagues from New Exploded view drawing of Nu-tan. Credit: Design Factory Zealand and Japan, designed a product for organic Melbourne farmers to transport, spread and dispense compost in a single action.

A soil supplement spreader, Nu-tan reduces the "The challenge was to create a solution for small time and physical labor required for soil bed scale organic farmers of ground grown product that preparation on organic farms. keeps them connected to their crops. We wanted to reduce physical labor and maximize output for "The organic farming industry faces many organic farmers by making soil preparation efficient challenges in upscaling production, including and enjoyable," explains Ms Phillips. access to land, soil quality, infrastructure and labor. This creates enormous opportunity for new Nu-tan is designed to evenly distribute and spread products and services in the organic sector," says a variety of soil supplements during bed Ms Calleja. preparation, combining dispensing and spreading of supplements which saves farmers time and For the 2018-19 academic year, Yanmar proposed physical effort. a design focus on supporting organic farming for fruit and vegetables. The challenge to students "It gives organic farmers time to do the crop was to research user needs and desires, to

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handling activities they enjoy," Ms Phillips says. developed by Yanmar in support of the organic farming industry. "There is a lack of agricultural machinery suited to small scale organic farming. It's very labor intensive In 2016-17 DFM students collaborated on a product and time consuming. Nu-tan addresses this gap in idea called, Wheebo, developed in collaboration the market. No two organic farms are the same. Nu- with Yanmar and Kyoto Institute of Technology. tan adjusts to farmers' needs and specific farm Recently launched as a Yanmar start-up, Wheebo configurations, so farmers don't have to change is a jet-powered watercraft that allows users to their farm to suit the tool. It also allows farmers to move on the water with agility allowing 360 degrees move and spread heavy loads easily," Ms Calleja of movement. says.

Nu-tan being filled with organic supplement. Credit: Final Nu-tan working prototype. Credit: Design Factory Design Factory Melbourne Melbourne

The Nu-Tan team tested and validated their ideas Provided by Swinburne University of Technology at organic farms. They found organic farm bed preparation is labor intensive, and time consuming; and achieving and maintaining soil quality free of pesticides and composting is very important.

Composting and bed preparation is often outsourced due to time and labor considerations and farms are unlikely to use heavy machinery due to the impact on the land and increased carbon emissions.

The team traveled to China to launch the project and traveled to Japan to work together. The final proof of concept prototype was presented at a SUGAR Network EXPO in San Francisco.

Yanmar selected Nu-Tan as its favored product idea and DFM is confident that Nu-Tan will be

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APA citation: New tool supports future of organic farming (2019, July 23) retrieved 28 September 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2019-07-tool-future-farming.html

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