Launching Ceremony of International Joint Research Project Held in Indonesia
―Towards improving the resilience of tropical forests and developing a sustainable industry―

The launching ceremony for the "Project for Strengthening Tropical Forest Resilience based on Management and Utilization of Genetic Resources Capable of Climate Change Adaptation (Tropical Forest Resilience Project)” under the framework of SATREPS was held at University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta in Java, Indonesia on October 3, 2022.

This project is an international joint research project targeting forests in Indonesia, aiming to enhance the resilience of the existing forestry industry, which is vulnerable to climate change, and to make it a sustainable industry. Specifically, the project will develop climate change-adaptive forest tree varieties (falcata, dipterocarps etc.) through genome selection, and establish seedling production technology through tissue culture and other methods. Also, based on timber production and ecosystem functions (greenhouse gas absorption, non-timber resources etc.), the project will also evaluate the effects of introducing climate change-adaptive varieties into existing tropical forestry from the perspective of local communities and local economies.

This project was officially adopted in April 2022, with JIRCAS and the University of Gadjah Mada in Indonesia serving as principal research institutions. The project will be implemented over a five-year period, from FY2022 to FY2026, by six Japanese institutions (JIRCAS, Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute, University of Tsukuba, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Nagasaki University) and two Indonesian institutions (University of Gadjah Mada, National Research and Innovation Agency).

The first part of the ceremony was attended by the President of JIRCAS, the President of Gadjah Mada University, the Director of the Forest Utilization Business Control of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia, the Deputy Director of JICA Indonesia Office, and the Director of JST Singapore Office. In addition to congratulatory remarks and expectations for the project, it was confirmed that the parties concerned from both countries would cooperate and work together to achieve the manifestation and social implementation of the research results. In the second part, researchers from Japan and Indonesia explained the challenges of forests and forestry industry in Indonesia and the project implementation plan. Furthermore, they visited the Wanagama Experimental Forest of Gadjah Mada University, one of the project sites, and confirmed the accumulation of teak and other tropical forest genetic resources.

Forests in tropical regions are expected to be more affected by climate change than those in other regions, and there is an urgent need to improve their resilience through the planting of climate resilient seedlings. JIRCAS, in collaboration with other participating institutions, will continue to contribute to the SDGs by improving forestry technology in Indonesia, the partner country, to solve global-scale issues.

JIRCAS President 

KOYAMA Osamu

Program Director

HAYASHI Keiichi

Principal Investigator

TANI Naoki (Project Leader, Forestry Division)

Press Coordinator

OMORI Keisuke (Head, Information and Public Relations Office)
Press E-mail：koho-jircas@ml.affrc.go.jp