899. Report on the Millets Seminar

In commemoration of the International Year of Minor Millets 2023, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) organized a seminar titled "Millets: Unlocking Potentials for Addressing Nutritional, Agricultural, and Climate Challenges" on September 26, 2023. The event provided a platform for domestic and international researchers to discuss the latest advances in millet research and their potential applications.

Seminar "Millets - How to unlock their potentials to address nutritional, agricultural, and climate challenges”
Website https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/event/2023/e20230926　

The opening remarks were delivered by Ms. YAMAMOTO Yukiyo, Vice President of JIRCAS, followed by Mr. UCHIDA Yukio, Deputy Director-General of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Research Council at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), and Ms. HIBI Eriko, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Japan. Dr. NAKASHIMA Kazuo, JIRCAS Program Director (Food), provided insights into the seminar's context, aligning with the International Year of Millet 2023.

Dr. C Tara Satyavathi, Director of the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), delivered a keynote address on "IMR as a Global Center of Excellence on Millets - Achievements and Focus Areas of Research”. In addition, Dr. Jacqueline d’Arros Hughes, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), presented a keynote address on "Millets - Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition in a Changing World."

Prof. KAWASE Makoto from Tokyo University of Agriculture then shared insights in his presentation titled "Reappraisal of Millets with a Long History of Cultivation: Inspiring Sustainable Survival of Mankind". Then, Dr. YOSHIHASHI Tadashi and Dr. Guntur Venkata Subbarao of JIRCAS presented on "JIRCAS’s Efforts on BNI-Enabled Sorghum and Millets to Enhance Both Productivity and Sustainability of Food Systems".

The Q&A session witnessed active participation, with numerous questions raised and answered by the speakers. At the end of the seminar, Mr. KOYAMA Osamu, President of JIRCAS, thanked the participants and expressed the hope that the event would serve as a catalyst for international research by raising awareness of the role and benefits of minor grains.

For those who missed the seminar, the recording is now available on the JIRCAS website, along with the speakers' responses to questions raised during the Q&A session.

● Opening Remarks    

Ms. YAMAMOTO Yukiyo (Vice-President, JIRCAS)
Mr. UCHIDA Yukio (Deputy Director-General, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council, MAFF)
Ms. HIBI Eriko (Director, FAO Liaison Office in Japan)

● The aim of the seminar: To connect Japanese millet research with the world, and the climate-resilient and nutritious grains for the future.    

Dr. NAKASHIMA Kazuo（Food Program Director, JIRCAS）

● Keynote 1: IIMR as Global Center of Excellence on Millets - Achievements and Focus Areas of Research (MAHARISHI initiative)    

Dr. C Tara Satyavathi (Director, Indian Institute of Millets Research -Indian Council of Agricultural Research)

● Keynote 2: Millets - agriculture, food and nutrition in a changing world

Dr. Jacqueline d’Arros Hughes (Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) 

● Reappraisal of millets with a long history of cultivation may inspire sustainable survival of mankind    

Prof. KAWASE Makoto（Tokyo University of Agriculture）

● JIRCAS’s effort on BNI-enabled sorghum and millets to enhance both productivity and sustainability of food systems

Dr. YOSHIHASHI Tadashi （Project Leader, JIRCAS）
Dr. Guntur Venkata Subbarao（Senior Researcher, JIRCAS）

● Q&A  

● Closing Remarks   

Mr. KOYAMA Osamu（President, JIRCAS）

Contributor: Millet Seminar Organizing Committee