The winners of the 7th Niigata International Food Award, which is given to individuals who have devoted themselves to solving problems in the fields of food and agriculture, were announced on July 28, 2022. Among the five awardees this year, Dr. SAITO Kazuki, an affiliated researcher at JIRCAS, received the 21st Century Hope Prize.

As stated in the award citation, Dr. Saito has contributed greatly to rice breeding projects in Africa by discovering new breeding stock, developing selection methods, and conducting other research to improve food self-sufficiency in Africa. He has also achieved significant success in developing and consolidating rice farming systems for small farmers, and improving their livelihoods and nutrition.

Dr. Saito is an affiliated researcher at JIRCAS since 2017. He is currently a principal scientist at the Africa Rice Center. His current main research interests include the assessment of yield gap and sustainability, and the development of  fertilizer management technologies and rice cultivation decision support tools.

Congratulations, Dr. Saito!

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Director, Information Program)