THE Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has signed a partnership agreement with the Laboratory of International Agro-Informatics of the University of Tokyo-Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences (UTokyo-GSALS) for academic exchanges.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed on Monday by MMSU vice president for research and extension and UTokyo professor of international agro-informatics Dr. Masaru Mizoguchi.

Through the five-year collaboration, the agro-informatics lab of UTokyo-GSALS and MMSU will conduct sustained joint academic and research programs in agro-informatics, smart (information and communication technology) agriculture, and soil science.

“They also agreed to exchange faculty and scholars, academic information and periodical academic publications; organize joint conferences or academic meetings; host faculty for graduate studies; and conduct other related exchange activities,” MMSU said.

During the event, Dr. Mizoguchi gave a lecture on field monitoring systems for data science-based smart agriculture, highlighting the use of technology and strategies for collecting agri-data science and the various sensors being used in the agriculture industry.

He urged participants to become more engaged in agro-informatics and smart agriculture technologies to address agricultural issues more efficiently.