IEEE Spotlights AI and Automation in Agriculture Through New Arkansas-Japan SmartAg Summit

IEEE-USA and the IEEE Japan Office unite leaders around shared agricultural strengths to advance smart farming, research partnerships, and global food security.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new summit is coming to Little Rock to accelerate agricultural collaboration between Arkansas and Japan. The Innovation, Workforce, and Research Conference (IWRC) Smart Agriculture Technology Summit will take place on 13 October 2026, hosted by IEEE-USA and the IEEE Japan Office, in partnership with Japan's National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and the IEEE Smart Ag Initiative.

Why Arkansas, and Why Japan?
Arkansas and Japan are separated by 6,500 miles, six time zones, and vast cultural differences. Yet both share a common goal: improving the efficiency and productivity of the world's agricultural regions. Arkansas produces more rice than any other U.S. state, with world-class research and large-scale farming operations. Japan, despite limited arable land, has built a diverse and thriving agricultural sector through innovation.

Their mutual interest in rice and other crops has led to innovations in agricultural technology that open up new business opportunitis locally and globally from growing, to production, to distribution. Japan is already the world's largest investor in Arkansas, with more than 30 companies operating more than 65 offices, research facilities, and manufacturing plants across the state.

"As Japan continues to lead in agricultural robotics, precision irrigation, autonomous equipment, and AI-powered farming systems," shared Dr. Kazuo Kyuma, Senior Executive Advisor at NARO, "Arkansas offers something equally valuable: extensive food production expertise and a large-scale environment in which new technologies can be tested and deployed. The IWRC Smart Agriculture Technology Summit is the impetus for this global collaboration in smart farming, sustainability, food security, and rural economic development."

Why Attend?
The IWRC SmartAg Summit brings together a rare mix of leaders from across the agricultural technology sphere. Attendees will hear directly from NARO leadership, American and Japanese companies, entrepreneurs, researchers, and government officials. Key topics include open-field agriculture, controlled-environment agriculture, and food technology, plus breakout sessions on advanced farming technology, international research collaboration, and fertilizers and pesticides. The event also offers a unique chance to build relationships with potential collaborators and explore emerging advances in automation, AI, sensing technologies, and sustainable food production.

"IEEE members are helping shape the future of agriculture through innovations in automation, signal processing, and semiconductor technology," said Matt Francis, past IEEE Region 5 Director and CEO of Ozark IC. "By working with NARO and other global partners, we can advance standards, share expertise, and accelerate the adoption of smart agricultural solutions worldwide."

Featured Speakers Include:

• Dr. Deacue Fields (VP for Agriculture, University of Arkansas System)
• Mr. Naohiro Idegami (CEO, NARO-Nature Ponics Co., Ltd.)
• Neal Jansen (Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Asia Office)
• Dr. Kazuo Kyuma (Senior Executive Advisor (Former President), NARO)
• Dr. Noboru Noguchi (Executive Vice-President, Hokkaido University)
• Mr. Taiga Sakai (President and CEO, NTT AgriTechnology Corporation)
• Dr. Junichi Nakagawa (Director-General, Research Center for Agricultural Robotics, NARO)
• Dr. Yoshikiyo Sakakibara (Executive Director, NARO and Director-General, Institute of Food Research, NARO)
• Dr. Shinjiro Yamada (Chairman of the Board, PLANTX Corporation)
• Mr. Daisuke Yamamoto (Director, Office of the President, OPTiM Corporation)

The Summit will also include invitation-only visits to leading agricultural institutions across Arkansas, giving participants firsthand insight into next-generation food production, processing, and storage technologies.

Strengthening this international collaboration is essential to supporting the global agricultural innovator community. Through events like the IWRC SmartAg Summit, IEEE-USA connects its members with global agriculture leaders, fosters knowledge exchange, and creates opportunities to tackle emerging challenges in food production and sustainability.

Registration is now open. View the agenda and secure your seat at iwrc.ieeeusa.org/smartag.

About IEEE-USA:
IEEE-USA serves the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of nearly 160,000 engineering, computing, and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.

Contact:

Leah Laird
Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist, IEEE-USA
202-530-8328 | [email protected]

John Yaglenski
Director of Communications, IEEE-USA
202-530-8359  | [email protected]

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SOURCE IEEE-USA

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