Strengthening function as an international hub for providing strategic information on agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and mobilizing new research partnerships
From March 3 to 4, 2026, the 3rd International Workshop on Sustainable Management of Sugarcane White Leaf Disease was held at Khon Kaen University in Khon Kaen, Thailand.
This workshop was organized based on the contents of the “Healthy Seedcane Propagation and Distribution Manual Against Sugarcane White Leaf Disease,” which was jointly developed by JIRCAS, Khon Kaen University, and the Department of Agriculture of Thailand, and published in 2021 by the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board under Thailand’s Ministry of Industry.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published a policy brief titled “Developing and promoting sustainable agricultural production and natural resources management technologies: Lessons from the FAO–JIRCAS collaboration” regarding its collaboration with the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). This policy brief introduces recent research achievements by JIRCAS across its programs in environment, food, and information, and systematically summarizes the partnership with FAO.
The timing and duration of summer weather conditions in the midlatitudes are highly significant because they are closely linked to extreme weather events, the phenology of plants and animals, economic activity, ecosystem and human health, droughts and wildfires, as well as energy demand. A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters shows that, relative to the 1961–1990 baseline, summers in the midlatitudes are becoming longer and hotter, and seasonal transitions are occurring more abruptly.
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.
The realization of sustainable food systems is influenced not only by technology and policy but also by socio-economic conditions that vary across regions. A study published in Nature Food systematically reviewed over 1,700 related articles and selected 349 for detailed analysis, examining the role of socio-economic factors in shaping food systems transformations across different regional contexts. The study highlights that income, education, and institutional frameworks significantly influence the behaviors of both producers and consumers, and that distinct regional patterns exist.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 128.5 points in March 2026, a 2.4% increase from the revised February level, marking the second consecutive month of increases. Price indices rose across all commodity groups, including grains, meat, dairy products, vegetable oils, and sugar, reflecting not only market fundamentals but also a reaction to rising energy prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Compared to historical levels, the food price index is 1.0% higher than a year ago, but remains 19.8% lower than the peak recorded in March 2022.
In recent years, as global warming leads to glacial retreat and reduced snow cover, the importance of precipitation has increased significantly. However, the origins of the "water towers" in the high-altitude regions that support our water resources have not been fully understood. A study published in Geophysical Research Letters revealed that water resources in high-altitude areas are closely related not only to topography and precipitation, but also to atmospheric water cycles and land cover. It suggests that integratively considering these factors is essential for assessing the sustainability of water resources.