[Agriculture x Women's Empowerment] Dramatically Improves the Heavy Labor of Banana Seedlings! The Effects of Introducing Electric Unicycles to Support Female Staff

We conducted a joint demonstration experiment using our unicycle electrification kit, the E-cat kit2 , with Ayane Co., Ltd., a company that grows tropical fruits such as bananas and mangoes in Mashiko City, Tochigi Prefecture.

We will introduce the results of a demonstration that shows how the transportation of heavy objects has become more efficient at a farm where many female and elderly staff members work.

• 35% reduction in transport time : Compared to manual transport, the transport of residues weighing up to 160 kg, including banana seedlings (stems and roots) generated during transplanting, has been significantly faster.
• Work that requires breaks is now smoother : Carrying heavy objects, which previously required hard physical labor and required breaks, can now be completed in one go while conserving energy thanks to the electric assist.
• Smart Agriculture Subsidies Available : This product is listed in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Smart Agriculture Technology Catalog," and can be introduced using subsidy programs offered by local governments.

We received feedback such as, "Since we have a large female workforce, it's really helpful to have the heavy lifting made easier," demonstrating that improvements to the working environment and increased productivity can go hand in hand.

[For more information, click here (official website)]

For details on how this technology solves issues unique to tropical fruit farmers and a detailed evaluation of it as a smart agricultural technology, please see the report on the official website.

Reduces the burden on female staff. Click here for the tropical fruit farm demonstration report.