Six years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. COVID-19 is an example of a zoonotic disease that is believed to occur most frequently where agricultural food systems intersect with natural ecosystems. This has led to increased recognition of the importance of a One Health approach in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

The FAO Food Price Index rose to 125.3 points in February 2026, up 0.9% from the revised January value. Increases in the cereal, meat, and vegetable oil price indexes outweighed declines in the dairy and sugar price indexes, resulting in the first increase after five consecutive months of declines. However, it still fell 1.0% year-on-year and is down 21.8% from its peak in March 2022.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that the weak La Niña phenomenon may transition to a neutral state in the coming months and transition into an El Niño phenomenon by the end of 2026. The most recent El Niño event, which occurred from 2023 to 2024, produced many extreme weather events, and scientists have pointed to the influence of human-induced climate change.

A report entitled “Rice Ratooning for Low-Input Rice Cultivation” has been published as part of the Green Asia Report Series, which aims to support the transformation of food systems in the Asia-Monsoon region by presenting foundational agricultural technologies that are scalable and transferable across diverse production environments. It is intended as a reference for a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, extension personnel, producers, and private-sector actors. The fifth issue focuses on the potential of ratoon rice cultivation as an approach to addressing labor shortages and environmental challenges in the Asia-Monsoon region.

Researchers must possess not only the ability to conduct experiments but also the capacity to collect and organize research-related information and identify key issues. Furthermore, in today's information-saturated world where demand for information fluctuates, researchers are required to effectively utilize information-gathering tools such as generative AI, and to develop the ability to discern and select information, as well as to assess its validity. JIRCAS plays a role in collecting and disseminating information concerning food and environmental issues related to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries worldwide, with a focus on developing countries. We believe it is necessary to enhance our information-gathering capabilities while continuing to disseminate information that leads to new discoveries.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has recently released a policy brief on the FAO-JIRCAS collaboration. The brief outlines recent achievements under JIRCAS's Environment, Food, and Information programs, including research activities on BNI, quinoa, and Green Asia, and introduces the collaborative relationship between FAO and JIRCAS.

The Amazon rainforest plays a vital role in the Earth system by storing large amounts of carbon in its biomass. However, disturbances such as droughts can affect the Amazon's carbon sink. A paper published in AGU Advances showed that the Amazon became a weak net carbon source under extreme drought conditions in 2023.

By 2050, the global population is projected to reach approximately 9.8 billion people, with food demand expected to increase by 30-62%. Meanwhile, increasing drought severity casts a significant shadow over global food security. A new study published in Nature Communications quantifies the impact of future droughts on staple crops and global food insecurity in an unprecedented way, emphasizing that the future of food security depends on climate adaptation and international cooperation.

Ocean warming is increasing the frequency, extent, and severity of tropical coral bleaching and mortality. The global coral bleaching event that occurred from 2014 to 2017 was more widespread and devastating than any other bleaching event in recorded history. A paper published in Nature Communications analyzed data from coral reef surveys conducted around the world between 2014 and 2017 and found that more than half of the world's coral reefs experienced severe bleaching, more than 15% of the world's coral reefs were exposed to heat stress, and many coral species experienced rapid and severe mortality.