1373. JIRCAS International Symposium 2025 was held

On October 27, 2025, the JIRCAS International Symposium 2025, titled "Accelerating Application of Agricultural Technologies in the Asia-Monsoon Region: Taking Stock and the Way Forward for Enhancing Production Potentials and Sustainable Food Systems," took place at Hitotsubashi Hall in Tokyo.

Since the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the global food system has undergone a major transformation. The Japanese government has promoted the Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems, “MIDORI” (2021), and the Japan-ASEAN MIDORI Cooperation Plan (2023), and in 2025 it announced a new international initiative, "MIDORI∞INFINITY." Based on these policies, JIRCAS is promoting the "Green Asia Project," which aims to accelerate the application of technology through multilateral cooperation, with the aim of improving productivity and sustainability in the Asia-Monsoon region. This symposium was held to widely share the results and lessons learned from this project and explore future directions for international collaboration.

In Session I, keynote speeches were given by Dr. Stefanos Fotiou (Director, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub), Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Head of Food, Agriculture and Forestry Division of the ASEAN Secretariat), and Dr. HAGIWARA Hideki, Counsellor (Deputy Director-General for Environment, Export and International Affairs Bureau) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Afterwards, Dr. FUNAKI Yasuo, Project Leader of the Green Asia Project, took the stage to introduce the background of the project and provide an overview of its activities from the perspective of global, Japanese, and ASEAN collaboration.

Session II, which also served as a coffee break and networking session, featured poster presentations on technologies included in the Technology Catalog. Researchers from JIRCAS, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology(AIST), and universities introduced their findings and engaged in lively discussions with participants.

In Session III, Dr. Mohamad Zabawi bin Abdul Ghani (Director General, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI)), presented sustainable technology development via video, and Dr. Phisamai Srichayet (Researcher (Professor level), Food Development Institute, Kasetsart University) spoke about the role of innovation in the food processing sector and efforts to transform the food system. They spoke as members of the International Scientific Advisory Board of the Strategy MIDORI. 

Session IV was chaired by Program Director (PD) IIYAMA Miyuki, and featured members of the International Scientific Advisory Board, including Prof. Shenggen Fan (Professor, China Agricultural University), Dr. Jacqueline Hughes (Secretary General, World Agriculture Forum: online), Prof. Joachim von Braun (Professor, Bonn University: online), and Dr. Jean Balié (Special Advisor to FAO: video message), as well as keynote speakers (Dr. Fotiou and Dr. Minh), Mr. NOZAWA Satoshi (Director, International Research Collaboration Division, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council Secretariat, MAFF), Dr. SAITO Kazuki (Senior Researcher, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and Dr. HAYASHI Keiichi  (Environment Program Director of JIRCAS).

Panelists praised the Green Asia Project as a "groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming the food system" for systematizing sustainable agricultural technologies developed in Japan, selecting and demonstrating those at the application stage, and widely disseminating the conditions necessary for social implementation. They also proposed that going forward, the project should incorporate the needs of technology beneficiaries (farmers, local communities, etc.) and the perspective of institutional innovation by introducing a coordination mechanism to further strengthen collaboration with international organizations and the private sector.

An archived video of the symposium will be released on the JIRCAS official YouTube channel, "JIRCAS channel," at a later date.