Mr. Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment of the Republic of Palau, visited JIRCAS on January 16, 2024, and held discussions with JIRCAS President KOYAMA Osamu and other senior staff.

After a brief introduction to JIRCAS, Dr. OMAE Hide, Director of the Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF), presented the results of Palau's technology development under the Development of Sustainable Resources Management System in the Water-Vulnerable Areas of Asia and Pacific Islands project, part of the Fourth Medium-Term Plan (FY2016-2020). These results, jointly authored by Palauan experts and JIRCAS researchers, are compiled into a publication titled Agriculture in Palau and an e-Database to serve as educational materials and for practical implementation in Palau.

Minister Victor highlighted the tangible impacts of collaborative research with JIRCAS, citing the implementation of agricultural land use maps, conservation agriculture, and sea grape seedling production in Palauan society. Acknowledging that Palau currently relies on imports for 80% of its food, he emphasized the need for appropriate policy support, given the unique land, labor and resource constraints of island nations, to promote agricultural commercialization and enhance food security. Minister Victor expressed optimism about the role of international collaborative research with JIRCAS and partners in leveraging Palau's experience to contribute to food security in Pacific Island countries and globally.