The JIRCAS International Symposium 2021 on “The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in Achieving Sustainable Food Systems in the Asia Monsoon Region―A Platform for International Collaboration” was successfully held online on November 17, 2021.

The Asia monsoon region covers the economies of East, Southeast and Southern Asia, and is estimated to account for more than 50% of the world's population. Given the importance of the Asian monsoon region to the global economy, it is important for Japan and the international community to build on the successes of sustainable food system transformation in this region. At the JIRCAS International Symposium to be held online tomorrow, November 17 (Wednesday), we will exchange views on cooperative mechanisms and platforms to achieve sustainable development through science, technology and innovation (STI), that takes into account the diversity of the Asian monsoon region and leaves no one behind. Please watch and join us!

On November 4, 2021, the report "10 New Insights in Climate Science 2021", which provides the key in determining the path to international cooperation on the climate crisis, was published. Among the new insights, the "rapid growth in methane and nitrous oxide emissions" is attributed to the agriculture and food sectors, and it is important to apply innovations in these sectors to reduce these greenhouse gases. At the JIRCAS International Symposium on November 17, international cooperation to achieve both food security and greenhouse gas reduction through innovation in the Asian monsoon region will be discussed.

Since 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and JIRCAS have been presenting the Japan Award to young agricultural researchers from overseas who have made outstanding achievements or research results that will lead to future technological innovations, with the aim of further motivating young researchers to contribute to research and development on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related industries in developing regions. The recipients of the Japan Award for this year were announced on October 29, 2021. Considering the current situation under the COVID-19, this year’s awarding ceremony will be filmed in advance and broadcasted on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

As we have already reported several times in this Pick Up, the JIRCAS International Symposium 2021 will be held online on November 17 (Wed), with the theme “The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in Achieving Sustainable Food Systems in the Asia Monsoon Region: A Platform for International Collaboration”. Please register for the symposium and join us.

On October 26, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) released a report on the status and trends of climate change adaptation in Africa. One in five people in Africa faced hunger in 2020, twice as many as in other regions. Climate change is expected to cause major changes in areas suitable for agriculture, and agricultural systems, food production and import dependency could change beyond imagination. The report states that the benefits of adaptation measures over the next 20 years will greatly outweigh their investment costs by a factor of five or more.

The JIRCAS Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) will hold the 15th Open House from November 8 (Mon) to 14 (Sun), 2021, as part of its public relations activities for this fiscal year and to introduce its research activities to the general public. For the first time, we will be holding this event online, and we have organized various exhibitions and interactive activities that everyone from children to adults and from anywhere in the world can enjoy.

The term "net zero" has become a hot topic in the international debate on climate change. Just at the end of October last year, the Japanese government announced its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Net-zero is understood to mean that for every ton of carbon emitted from the use of fossil fuels, one ton of carbon from the atmosphere will be absorbed and fixed through afforestation. However, it is impossible to keep converting rocks into trees forever, and we need to reduce the use of fossil fuels while preserving nature, including the biosphere.

Food sovereignty is often contrasted with food security. As the definitions of the two have changed, they have become non-conflicting concepts, but the difference is that food security is an explanatory concept and tool for understanding hunger and malnutrition, while food sovereignty involves political strategies.