Overweight and obesity are global epidemics, and predicting future trends is crucial for policy formulation. A study published in The Lancet found that between 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased at the global, regional, and national levels. Assuming this trend continues, the total number of overweight and obese adults is projected to exceed half of the estimated global adult population by 2050.

JIRCAS is a research institute, but it also strives to foster human resources both in Japan and overseas who are expected to play an active role in international agricultural research in the future, including JIRCAS Fellows, a trainee student system, and visiting lecturers. This time, Dr. Takaragawa of  TARF gave an explanation to third-year students at the Department of Regional Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, focusing on the significance of observing plants and the environment and its methods, and demonstrated how to learn programming languages and electronic construction techniques to create their own inexpensive and highly accurate environmental measurement devices.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized that CDR is essential for meeting the 2015 Paris Agreement targets, as reducing emissions alone is insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. On Thursday, March 6th, experts from the IPCC will introduce and discuss the latest developments in CDR strategies at an online seminar hosted by the Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), of the University of Tokyo.

In the wake of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, there is growing recognition that food systems are a key lever for accelerating and strengthening progress on the SDGs. In the first stocktake of 2023, countries committed to accelerating the pace of efforts towards food system transformation. The UN is calling on all member states to participate in the 2nd stocktaking of the UN Food Systems Summit to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in July this year.

Freshwater, essential for ecosystems and human existence, is becoming increasingly scarce. A study published in Nature Communications quantified and mapped the current "water gap" (the shortage where demand for water exceeds supply) around the world and projected that global water shortages would increase by nearly 6% if temperatures rise below 1.5°C, and by nearly 15% if temperatures rise below 3°C.

Sugarcane is harvested in winter (or dry season), one to one and a half years after it is newly planted, and then the remaining ‘sprout’ from the plant stubble is grown until the next harvest as ratoon cropping. This method requires less tillage and is more efficient in terms of fertilizer use efficiency than new planting, and is therefore attracting attention as a labor-saving and low-carbon cultivation method. On the other hand, it is also known that multiple ratooning results in a gradual yield decline. With the ageing of producers and expectations for production with less environmental impact, the number of ratooning times is increasing, and there is a strong need for novel cultivation methods and improved varieties that do not reduce productivity even if sugarcane is cropped under multiple ratooning. The sugarcane research team at the Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) began evaluating wild genetic resources contributing to the improvement of multiple ratooning in the C4 ‘Tropical Crop Resources’ project in April 2021, and completed a harvest survey of the third ratoon cropping in January 2025.

Innovations in crop breeding by domestic and international agricultural research institutes have not only contributed greatly to increasing the yield of staple crops in developing countries, but also have a significant impact on the environment. A study published in PNAS showed that between 1961 and 2015, crop improvements may have curbed the expansion of cultivated land, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use, and saved thousands of endangered species.

With the current national carbon emission reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement, global temperatures are expected to rise by 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. Man-made climate change is affecting every region around the world, with the Arctic being one of the most affected. A review paper published in Science showed that with a warming of 2.7°C, the Arctic could change beyond recognition in modern times, with far-reaching effects.

February 10th is World Pulses Day. I will introduce the importance of legume crops in sustainable agriculture.