Information Analysis
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449. Looking Back at 2021
In 2021, the international consensus and paradigm on climate change has shifted dramatically, and the transformation of the food system has become an important part of the international agenda. The UN Food System Summit was held in September and the Tokyo Nutrition Summit was held in December, recognizing the need for the entire food system to work together to achieve global food and nutrition security, decarbonization, and environmental conservation. The importance of up-to-date information on international agriculture, forestry, and fisheries research as well as essential and comprehensive analysis of trends is now greater than ever.
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448. French Fries and the Global Food System
As reported in Japan recently, a major hamburger chain has decided to temporarily suspend the sale of some of its French fries products starting on the 24th of this month. Although Canada's potato production was bumper compared to the previous year, record rains that hit western Canada in November disrupted the transport infrastructure to the ports and slowed down exports. This is a symbolic event that shows that the global food system is extremely interconnected.
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447. JIRCAS-CCFS Society Workshop Report
On December 17, 2021, the Workshop on the "Effects of Climate Change and the Spread of COVID-19 on Food Supply and Demand - Food Security under Uncertainty" was held online under the auspices of JIRCAS and the CCFS Society, and co-sponsored by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). The workshop focused on the impact of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition supply, and presented the results obtained through the projects previously undertaken by JIRCAS and the Grants-in Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
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446. Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture－Key Facts
A few days ago, we introduced the key messages of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's report entitled “The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture - Systems at breaking point (SOLAW 2021)”. Here are some of the key facts about land and water from the report.
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445. OECD Consensus Document on Cultivated Plants: Publication of a Revised Version for Rice
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) publishes a series of consensus documents on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (HROB), for the assessment of environmental risks and safety of genetically modified plants. For the first time in about 20 years, the OECD has now published a revised version of the 1999 consensus document on the biology of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Japan served as the lead in the preparation of this document, and JIRCAS researchers have contributed to the revised version as a member of the external expert group.
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444. State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture－Key Messages
In December 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released the Synthesis Report of the State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW 2021), warning that human activities are pushing land, soil and water systems to the limits of their productive capacity and that we are on the verge of a "systems at breaking point" situation. Climate change is putting additional pressure on rainfed and irrigated production systems that are already facing environmental constraints due to decades of unsustainable practices.
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443. Field Crops Research Special Issue on Sustainable Productivity Enhancement of Rice-based Farming Systems in Africa
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Africa Rice Center, one of the international agricultural research centers of CGIAR, the Field Crops Research, an internationally renowned research journal, publishes a special issue on "Sustainable productivity enhancement of rice-based farming systems in Africa”. The papers in this special issue were written by researchers who are conducting cutting-edge research on rice agronomy in Africa, and 10 papers have been published as of December 15. JIRCAS researchers contributed to two of the papers in this special issue.
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442. Workshop on “Effects of Climate Change and the Spread of COVID-19 on Food Supply and Demand - Food Security under Uncertainty” Goes Online Today
The JIRCAS-CCFS Society Workshop “Effects of Climate Change and the Spread of COVID-19 on Food Supply and Demand - Food Security under Uncertainty” goes online today (December 17) at 11:30 AM JST. We hope you will join us.
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441. Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture
Climate change is expected to have a major impact on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released a study showing that maize yields will begin to decline around 2030 due to climate change. In order to maintain global food security, we need to develop varieties and cultivation techniques that can maintain or improve yield levels even as temperatures rise. The JIRCAS-CCFS Society Workshop to be held online tomorrow (December 17) will focus on the cost of adaptation to climate change and the impact of climate change on the supply of food and nutrients. We will also report on the impact of the spread of COVID-19 on the future food supply. We hope you will join us.
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440. Trends in World Population and Agriculture・Food Systems
Understanding the possible patterns of future population levels is crucial in considering international development issues and measures to combat climate change. The rapid population growth since the 20th century has been driven by the agricultural revolution, but as the world's population approaches 8 billion, the food system has reached its planetary boundaries. Please watch the JIRCAS-CCFS Society Workshop to be held online on December 17.
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439. Video of Symposium “Fruits and Vegetables – Research and Action Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health” Now Available
On December 6, 2021, JIRCAS, in collaboration with the FAO Liaison Office in Japan, held a successful online symposium on "Fruits and Vegetables – Research and Action Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health”. The symposium introduced the research potential and advanced technologies for fruits and vegetables to contribute to health, development, and the environment. It also highlighted the gaps that exist in the world, particularly in developing regions, and discussed the challenges and areas where research and policy interventions are needed. An archive of the symposium is available on the JIRCAS YouTube channel.
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438. Intensification for Sustainable Rice Cultivation
Rice is the staple food of half the world's population, accounting for 21% of caloric intake. Its consumption is expected to continue to increase in the future. The research paper reported in Nature Communications assesses yield gap and the resource-use efficiency in 32 rice cropping systems covering half of the world's rice area to ensure adequate rice supplies worldwide in the coming decades, while minimizing negative environmental impacts.
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437. Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G): Tokyo Nutrition Declaration and Action Plan
The Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2021 was held under the auspices of the Japanese Government on December 7 and 8, 2021, and the “Tokyo Compact on Global Nutrition for Growth” was issued as the outcome document. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has also issued the “Specific Action Plans for Implementing N4G Compact by Japan's Food Stakeholders”.
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436. Uncertainty and Food Security
The timing of the report on the Omicron mutant strain, which comes two years after the new coronavirus infection was first reported in November 2019, has the world focused on the impact of its infectious and virulent nature on economic recovery. The IMF blog points out that this uncertainty, along with the recent spike in fuel and food prices, has left some countries with the difficult task of navigating economic recovery and controlling inflationary pressures. In a workshop to be held online on December 17, up-and-coming researchers will discuss food security under uncertainty. Please register and join us.
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435. JIRCAS-CCFS Society Workshop “Effects of Climate Change and the Spread of COVID-19 on Food Supply and Demand: Food Security under Uncertainty”
Increasing temperatures due to climate change will lead to an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, which may have a tremendous impact on food and nutrition security. On December 17, a workshop on “Effects of Climate Change and the Spread of COVID-19 on Food Supply and Demand: Food Security under Uncertainty” will be held online under the auspices of JIRCAS and the CCFS Society. The workshop will share knowledge on the analysis of agricultural production and markets under climate change and the spread of COVID-19, and discuss food security and climate change preparedness.
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434. Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G) Starts Today
The Symposium “Fruits and Vegetables - Research and Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health” was successfully held online yesterday, December 6th. In the next two days starting today, the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G) 2021 will be held under the auspices of the Japanese Government. JIRCAS researchers will give presentations at 2 sessions of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) side event, Thematic Session 2: Toward Sustainable Solutions to Nutrition Issues through Food – Food is Local, Wisdom is Global, and the Presentation Session of Stakeholders.
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433. Symposium “Fruits and Vegetables – Research and Action Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health” is Held Online Today
In 2021, with the United Nations Food Systems Summit in September and the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit hosted by the Japanese Government on December 7th and 8th, the transformation to build a food system that contributes to human and planetary health is on the global agenda. The key to this transformation is an earth-friendly diet centered on fruits and vegetables. The Symposium “Fruits and Vegetables – Research and Action Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health” is held online today, December 6th, at 4:00 PM JST, to discuss the research potential of vegetables and fruits to contribute to health, development and the environment.
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432. Fruits and Vegetables - Contributions to a Healthy Diet
The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has identified fruits and vegetables as a healthy source of nutrition that should be consumed. On the occasion of the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2021, a symposium will be held online on Monday, December 6, co-hosted by JIRCAS and the FAO Liaison Office in Japan, and supported by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). This symposium will focus on fruits and vegetables and will discuss the role of science and technology innovation in realizing a diet that can contribute to human and planetary health, and leaves no one behind. We hope you’ll join us!
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431. MAFF Side Event at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021
As the host country of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Government of Japan will host the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit on December 7-8, 2021 to promote international efforts to solve malnutrition. In conjunction with this summit, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) will hold a side event to introduce and disseminate Japan's efforts to the world. JIRCAS will participate in 2 sessions of the MAFF side event, Thematic Session 2 “Towards Sustainable Solutions for Nutrition Issues through Food - Food is Local, Wisdom is Global” and the Presentation Session by Stakeholders.
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430. World Soil Day "Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity"
This Sunday, December 5, is World Soil Day (WDS), which this year will be held under the theme of "Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity”. In the "Sustainable Land Management in Drylands" Project, which started in April 2021, we are focusing on Indo Gangetic basin in India where irrigation-induced salinization is sever. And we are trying to develop countermeasures against salinization by low-cost irrigation and drainage technology which farmers can work on as part of farming activities.