World Soil Day is held annually on December 5 to promote a better understanding of soil resources, recognize the importance of soil health, and advocate for its sustainable management. This year's theme is "Soils: Where food begins". JIRCAS is engaged in technology development, information dissemination, and awareness-raising activities targeting soil fertility management and productivity improvement in oligotrophic soils in Africa.

The impact of climate change is often felt through water-related phenomena such as increased frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, changes in rainfall patterns, and glacier melting. The World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) State of Global Water Resources, which attempted to assess the impact of climate, environmental, and social changes on the Earth's water resources, reported that in 2021, many regions of the world were affected by climate change and La Niña-induced rainfall patterns, with dry conditions were observed in many regions of the world.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is casting a dark shadow over the global economy post-pandemic by disrupting supply chains and creating inflationary pressures on energy, agricultural, and fertilizer prices. Not only are Russia and Ukraine major grain exporters, but Russia in particular is the world's largest fertilizer exporter, and the geopolitical crisis will have a major impact on agricultural production in countries dependent on imported fertilizer. Today, we present a summary of a report on global fertilizer market and policy trends compiled by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Foods from local landscapes provide an important source of nutrition and livelihoods for local communities in Africa and Asia. This seminar will invite experts to share their insights and experiences in the application of science and traditional knowledge to foster the utilization of foods obtained from local landscapes for improved nutrition and livelihoods.

The 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to last until November 18, has extended its session and reached an agreement to establish an assistance fund for developing countries regarding "loss and damage”. In order to transform agriculture and food systems into sustainable ones, we need to coordinate our efforts at the global and regional levels. In this issue, we will introduce the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation Initiative (FAST) launched during the session.

The JIRCAS International Symposium 2022 “Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Sustainable Food Systems” will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 22, in a hybrid meeting format. The sustainable development of artisanal and small-scale fisheries and aquaculture is essential to achieving the SDGs. Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, recipient of the 2021 World Food Prize for her significant contribution to improving the nutrition and livelihoods of the population through the development of technologies with a nutrition-sensitive approach to aquaculture and food systems, will also be a keynote speaker.

The World Wildlife Fund released the "Living Planet Report 2022" in October 2022. Biodiversity loss has become an important global issue comparable to global warming. However, unlike climate change, net-zero thinking alone is not enough to address biodiversity loss and it is necessary to pursue net-positive goals to restore what has been lost.

Tomorrow, November 15, 2022, is the day that the world's population is estimated to reach 8 billion. Knowing global population trends is essential to planning for sustainable development internationally, including efforts to build food systems that are resilient to climate change, preserve the environment and biodiversity that support current and future generations, and ensure that no one is left behind with a nutrient-rich food supply. Today's Pick Up summarizes previous articles on world population.

Fall armyworm is a transboundary pest that is capable of self-migrating over long distances. Therefore, if a strain develops resistance to insecticides in one region, it may quickly spread to neighboring countries. In order to suppress the development of insecticide resistance in fall armyworm, it is necessary to establish a network that enables monitoring of changes in susceptibility to insecticides in each country and prompt international countermeasures based on the results of such monitoring.