Environment and Natural Resource Management

Climate change and environmental degradation have been escalating on a global scale. This program copes with these issues by developing and demonstrating technologies jointly with research institutes and extension organizations in Asian and African countries as well as local farmers involved.

Regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural activities, the development of agricultural systems that reduce methane emissions and attain better carbon balance will be promoted through the introduction a water-saving irrigation scheme in paddy fields and through effective linkage of crop and livestock systems.

New technologies will be elaborated to reduce crop damage caused by extreme phenomena such as floods and erratic rainfall. In vulnerable regions where land degradation is accelerated and problem soils have expanded, technologies that sustain stable crop yield, in terms of crop improvement, cropping techniques, and soil and water management at a watershed scale, will be developed. The dissemination models will be proposed and demonstrated to apply these new technologies into target areas.

The development of breeding materials with enhanced biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) ability will be endeavored for more effective utilization of nitrogen fertilizer and to reduce nitrous oxide (N₂O) gas emissions chiefly from cropping uplands and grasslands.