To achieve carbon cycling through carbon cultivation, it is necessary to increase CO₂ fixation by agriculture, forestry and fisheries. However, many conventional next-generation biomass production technologies impose new burdens on agricultural, forestry and fisheries workers. Therefore, it is necessary to establish new biological productivity-enhancing technologies for carbon-based cultivation from the producer’s perspective (SDG 2.4) as an extension of the original agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, which produce food and timber.
Targeting rice, which has the largest cultivated area in Japan, East Asia and Southeast Asia, creates next-generation varieties with a high CO₂ fixation capacity suitable for carbon arable farming. In addition, forests have extremely large and stable CO₂ sequestration capacity (SDG 15). We will develop fast-growing tree varieties, and have high biomass production as well as high conversion efficiency through lignin modification. Microalgae exhibit high biomass productivity compared to terrestrial multicellular organisms. We will develop microalgae that produce active ingredients such as oils and pharmaceuticals (SDG 14). Taking into consideration for the potential uses of conventional production technologies and equipment in production sites, we will promote the development of sustainable carbon cultivation technologies that incorporate new water management systems, automated work robots, and other DX-based smart agriculture, forestry and fisheries tools (SDGs 2.3, 8.3, 8.9), and target social implementation through field demonstrations.
Land-based green carbon from grasses
Rice is the most widely cultivated crop in Asian countries, where it is the staple food and produces the largest amounts of biomass. It is also the crop with the most advanced identification and functional elucidation of genes involved in important agricultural traits. Varieties with high yield and biomass production have been bred under chemical-fertilizer-intensive conditions. Carbon cultivation requires the development of next-generation rice varieties that can be used for multiple purposes, such as hydrogen and other energy and biomaterials. The Green Food System Strategy formulated in 2021 will be further enhanced to develop rice varieties that also target energy and material production. Another requirement is DX and smart cultivation management for labor reduction.
Land-based green carbon from woods
Forests have an extremely large and stable CO₂ storage capacity. However, while the area of planted forests is on the rise, natural forests continue to decline. To curb illegal logging and promote stable wood use, it is important to promote proper management of planted forests through mechanization and DX and efficient biomass production and utilization of wood. There is a need to develop recycling-oriented smart agroforestry technology for sustainable production of crops and trees by circulating resources such as nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural lands using abandoned fields.
Ocean-based blue carbon
As a maritime nation, Japan can consider utilizing its extensive outer exclusive economic zones and developing them as marine plots alongside nearby environments like arable land, and such plots can be used to cultivate fishery resources. In particular, seaweeds, seagrasses, and microalgae living in the aquatic environment have higher CO₂ fixation capacity and biomass production capacity than terrestrial plants. The objective of this research project is to develop sustainable carbon cultivation technologies that maximize the CO₂ utilization characteristics of terrestrial and marine organisms. We will develop carbon cultivation systems by understanding biomass production, cascade utilization of biomass, and integrated terrestrial/oceanic material cycles, and by constructing a scheme for their utilization.
