On September 1, 2026, a release ceremony for the new rice variety Besalohy was held in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar. The variety was jointly developed by the National Center for Applied Research on Rural Development (FOFIFA) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).
On August 27, 2026, at the 32nd International Horticultural Congress (IHC2026) held at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan, Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), delivered a plenary lecture entitled “Climate Change: Risks and Adaptation Strategies in the Agricultural Sector.”