In an increasingly globalized world, rare metals and agricultural products essential to the transition to a green economy are concentrated in a small number of producing and exporting countries with resource endowments and comparative advantages, exposing them to the risk of trade disruptions due to geopolitical crises. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) blog warned that geo-economic fragmentation could threaten the transition to food security and clean energy.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released its World Food Price Index on October 6. The index averaged 121.5 points in September 2023, unchanged from the previous month and 21.6 points (14.6%) lower than the previous year, as higher sugar and grain price indicators were offset by lower vegetable oil and meat price indicators. The index was 38.3 points (24.0%) lower than its peak value in March 2022.

On July 20, the Indian government announced a ban on exports of non-basmati rice in an effort to contain domestic prices, raising concerns that this will lead to a spike in world prices. In addition, the impact of unfavorable weather conditions caused by the El Niño phenomenon on rice production has also become a source of uncertainty regarding rice price trends. The following is a discussion paper by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

The JIRCAS International Symposium 2023, to be held on November 17, 2023, will bring together researchers, companies, and policy makers working in the field of global and Asian tropical forests to discuss opportunities and challenges that can combine tropical forest resilience and industrial sustainability.

September 29, 2023 marks the 4th year of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste designated by the United Nations. Reducing food loss is necessary for the people and the planet.

The oceans play a dual role in climate change, absorbing a significant portion of the excess heat generated by increased greenhouse gas concentrations and serving as a sink for carbon dioxide emitted by humans. However, this absorption has triggered a worrying phenomenon known as ocean acidification, which poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems. In an effort to underscore the seriousness of this issue, researchers have developed a visualization tool called "ocean acidification stripes".

According to the World Bank's September 2023 update, food price increases outpaced increases in the consumer price index in 81 percent of the 162 countries for which data are available. While grain price indexes are declining overall due to falling maize and wheat prices, India's export restrictions are causing disruptions and price spikes in the rice market. Also of concern is the upward trend in prices of chemical fertilizers and other agricultural inputs in response to rising fuel prices.

One week from now, on September 26, a hybrid seminar entitled "Millets - How to unlock their potentials to address nutrition, agriculture and climate challenges” will be held on the occasion of the International Year of Millets 2023. During this event, distinguished researchers from national and international arenas will come together to talk about the latest advances in millet research and explore their vast potential applications. The main objective is to raise awareness about the role of millets in mitigating the effects of climate change and addressing nutritional concerns. We invite you to join us for this enlightening seminar.