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Food

Technology development towards building a new food system with improved productivity, sustainability and resilience

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Related JIRCAS Report

Project Leader Nakamura and Senior Researcher Sarr Pay Courtesy Visit to the Embassy of Senegal in Japan to Introduce New Research Collaboration

On Friday, June 12, 2026, Project Leader NAKAMURA Satoshi and Senior Researcher Papa Saliou Sarr (both from the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division) paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Jean Antoine Diouf, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Senegal to Japan, at the Embassy of Senegal in Tokyo. During the visit, they introduced a new research collaboration between JIRCAS and the Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA: Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles), and exchanged views on the outline of joint research activities and future prospects.

Adapting to Climate Change through a “Soil-Centered Integrated Approach”
— A Review of Food Security in the Sudan Savanna of West Africa —

A review article led by Project Leader ISEKI Kohtaro of JIRCAS (Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division) on food security in the semi-arid regions of West Africa (the Sudan Savanna) has been published in the international journal Plant Production Science of the Crop Science Society of Japan (https://doi.org/10.1080/1343943X.2026.2682196).
This study summarizes the results of over a decade of field experiments and international collaborative research conducted by JIRCAS in partnership with the National Institute for Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA) in Burkina Faso.

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Press Release

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Events

Symposium
Date
(JST)
JIRCAS International Symposium 2024 : Resilient Genetic Resources for Food Security in the Era of Global Boiling – Opportunities and Challenges for Conservation and Utilization
Registration period:
- (JST)
Place
U Thant International Conference Hall + Online 
(United Nations University 3F, 5-53-70 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925)
Event
Date
(JST)
The Bolivia Symposium—The Charms of Salar de Uyuni, Quinoa, and Llamas
Registration period:
- (JST)
Place
JST Tokyo Headquarters Annex (K's Gobancho) + Online
(7, Gobancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0076)
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Field

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    1571. IRRI: Supporting Rice Research Worldwide—Working with Japan to Address Rice Production under Climate Change

    Rice, an essential part of the Japanese diet, is not immune to the effects of climate change. Rice production worldwide must simultaneously address multiple challenges, including high temperatures, water scarcity, pests and diseases, and the need to reduce environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. One institution that has long tackled these issues internationally is the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), headquartered in the Philippines. Japan and IRRI have worked together for more than 60 years through rice research and exchanges among researchers.

    In October 2026, IRRI, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) will jointly hold the International Strategy Forum and Technical Workshop on Heat-Resilient Rice Production Systems in Tokyo. This article introduces IRRI’s role and the history of its cooperation with Japan, while considering the research partnerships that will be important for rice production under a changing climate.
     

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    1570. Protecting Rice from Heat: Understanding Heat-Induced Sterility and Building Heat-Resilient Rice Production Systems

    Japan’s annual mean temperature has risen over the long term, and the Japan Meteorological Agency reports that unusually warm years have occurred frequently since the 1990s. How do rising temperatures and heat waves associated with climate change affect rice yield and quality? This article explains how heat-induced sterility occurs and why it is important to combine heat-tolerant varieties, crop management, climate-impact assessment, and future projections. On October 13 and 14, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), JIRCAS, and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) will jointly hold an international forum and technical workshop to discuss research priorities and directions for international collaboration toward heat-resilient rice production systems.
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    1473. Meeting with IRRI to Strengthen Research Collaboration

    On April 3, 2026, we welcomed Dr. Virender Kumar (Research Director), Dr. SAITO Kazuki (Senior Scientist), and Dr. IWANAGA Masa (Board Member) from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for a courtesy visit and technical exchange. During the visit, we introduced our institutional framework and research projects, followed by broad discussions on strengthening future collaboration with IRRI.
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    1392. To Develop Rice Plants That Can Withstand Excess Iron in Africa

    Iron is an essential element for plants, but in many parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, there is an excess supply of iron, which has a negative impact on the growth of plants, especially rice. This article introduces research aimed at elucidating the mechanism behind this "iron toxicity" and discovering rice genes that are important for healthy rice growth even under such conditions.

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    1385. Trying to Make a Case in Africa: “Let the Fields Rest and Enrich the Farmers!”

    While Africa is considered one of the world's most promising growth markets, it is also the region with the largest number of people suffering from hunger. One of the causes of hunger is soil degradation. This article introduces research aimed at effectively disseminating the "Fallow Band System" to farmers, which helps protect African soil, stabilize food production, increase farmers' incomes, and reduce hunger and poverty.
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Article and Publication

2026