On 25-26 September 2016, the 2nd CGIAR* System Council Meeting was held in Mexico City, with JIRCAS President Dr. Masa Iwanaga attending as a representative of the Japanese government, together with officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry of Japan.

Following an extensive discussion and detailed review of the activities by donor countries, the 2nd phase of the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) was approved for implementation from 2017 for 5 years, and the basic fund allocation policy was defined.

During the meeting, Dr. Iwanaga reported about the TICAD VI meeting held last month in Nairobi and the planned side event for the COP22 meeting this November in Morocco. Dr. Juergen Voegele, chair of the CGIAR System Council, expressed his appreciation and acknowledged Japan’s contribution to addressing various global issues.

* The CGIAR is a global research for development partnership, aiming for a food-secure future through a network of 15 research centers (http://www.cgiar.org/)