Standardized and structured terminology
specific for agricultural practice
on rice cultivation in Japan
NARO National Agricultural Research
Center（NARO/NARC)　Japan
Akane　Takezaki・Daisuke Horyu
Tomokazu　Yoshida
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Supporting　Systems for Planning and Management
Systems for Planning and
of Farm,
Crop production　of Management
Farm, Crop
production　Visualization of
work activity
production cost
Accumulation　of
expert knowledge
Terms for element
Work name
Worker name
Working time
・・・・・・・・・・・ etc
Various kinds of terms　for elements
「PMS」（Tomokazu Y.　2009）
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Semantic Heterogeneity
Coarse
puddling
Ground
preparation for
planting
Puddling
Land
leveling
http://www.toukei.maff.go.jp/dijest/kome/kome05/kome05.html
・Various kinds of terms are used to describe work activities
because users have different profiles and context. ・ Each software package uses their own terminology
＝＞Lack of “semantic level” interoperability　N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
SIP;Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program
We aim to construct a system that enables exchange of agricultural data.
ｘCLOPコンソーシアム
農研機構（中央農研）
総括・進行管理
Narc
NII
iAgLIB：農業用語
iCLOP：API仕様・データ収集
農研機構（中央農研）
農研機構
国立情報学研究所
Terminology
for work富士通
activities
京都大学
中部大学
情報通信研究機構
イーラボエクスペリエンス（イーラボ）
富士通
iAgLIB：肥料銘柄情報
iNN1000：現場データ
実証・評価
農業ナビゲーション研究所
九州大学
農研機構（中央農研）
富士通
iCLOP：既存アプリ対応
農研機構中部大学
農研機構（中央農研）
富士通
富士通
農業IT普及
N a t i o n a l
イーラボ
農業ナビゲーション研究所
協力生産組織
（コンソ外）
ALFAE（アルファ）
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
O r g a n i z a t i o n
外部ICT関連企業（サービス提供会社等）・団体・機関等
N a t i o n a l A g r i c u l t u r a l R e s e a r c h 協力農家を起点とした拡充・普及
Center, JAPAN
4
Our purpose(NARC and NII)
Standardized and structured terminology
specific for work activities on rice production
International interoperability
in agriculture
Cross-sectioral Interoperability　IMI(IPA Japan)
Infrastructure for Multilayer
Interoperability
AGROVOC
（FAO)
Tool Development
For data conversion
For data Input support agroXML(EC)
Enhancement of “semantic level” interoperability
by creating a reference terminology
Infrastructure to facilitate cooperation between systems, among people
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Standardized and structured terminology 1.Use of existing standards
Agriculture;
AGROVOC by FAO
agroXML by EC etc.
General;
IMI by IPA in Japan etc.
2.Components
Classes;
Concept describing about work activities on rice cultivation
Properties;
Concept describing various features and attributes of the concept Classes
Hierarchy structures;
Superclass
Subclass ;concepts that are more specific than the superclass.
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Existing standards_AGROVOC
AGROVOC
•  Controlled vocabulary
•  Published by over 32,000 concepts
•  Available in 21 languages
as SKOS-XL concept schema
•  Subject fields; agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
food security and related domains
•  Published as Linked Open Data (RDF)
aligned with 13 datasets related to agriculture.
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Existing standards_AGROVOC
Limited set of relationships between concepts
Relationship
Hierarchical relationships
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Existing standards_agroXML
agroXML
<standardized language for data exchange in agriculture >
•  agroXML schema
Based on a model of the real world process in agricultural
production
•  Content list
Terms for elements, which demands a standardized
vocabulary
<Available>
Pesticide fertilizer, type of machine , plant name etc.
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Existing standards_IMI
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Existing standards_IMI
Geographical Space/
Facilities
□□
Transportation
IMI Core
vocabulary
○○
△△
Work
activities
Agriculture
Disaster
preventation
□□ Agriculture Crops
vocabulary
Core vocabulary
<Class; event>
Fertilizers
○○
△△
Pesticides
<Sub-domain>
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Plan
Step 1; Enumerate important terms
Decide important terms depending on term frequency
•  Collect　terms used in supporting　systems for planning and
management of farm, crop production, such as PMS.
• 　Collect terms in relevant literature.
Step 2; Define classes and arrange them
in a taxonomic hierarchy
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Enumerate important terms
MAFF standardized terms <Terms used in PMS >
Not
important
terms?
These terms were not used in PMS
Important
terms?
Many terms with relative concept
were used in PMS
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
MAFF standardized terms Superclass
Subclass
Raising of seedling
Define classes and arrange the classes
in a taxonomic hierarchy
according to work process.
Plowing and tillage
Basal dressings
Transport
Problems
Subclass concepts are not specific
than the superclass.
Ex ;“Transport （運搬）”　is not a subclass
of “basal dressing　(基肥)”
Seeding and planting
Topdressing
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Try to define classes and arrange them
in a taxonomic hierarchy
Four superclasses
Work activities for 1.Crop production, 2.Growth environmental manipulation
3.Commodity production, and 4.Indirect labor
Crop production
Regulation of
seed germination
Regulation of
vegetative growth
Regulation of
reproductive growth
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN
Conclusions
•  NARC and NII started to develop
the standardized and structured terminology
specific for work activities on rice production
This year
• 
Select important terms
•  Try to define classes and arrange them
in a taxonomic hierarchy
In the future
• 
Revise and refine initial ontology
N a t i o n a l
National
A g r i c u l t u r e
a n d
Agricultural
F o o d
R e s e a r c h
Research
O r g a n i z a t i o n
Center,
JAPAN