The 47th TARF Public Lecture with the theme “Organic Agriculture for Reduction of Global Warming and Maintenance of Crop Productivity” was held at Ishigaki City, Okinawa Pref. on February 28, 2019. This public lecture has been organized since 2007 with the aim of introducing the research activities of TARF in a way that the general public could easily understand, and at the same time, in order to get feedback on the needs and expectations of the local residents that would be useful in daily life.

The public lecture this time focused on how the research activities on organic materials towards reduction of global warming and maintenance of crop productivity. The significance of long-term continuous use of organic matter (OM) in tropical agricultural land, the continuous use of OM to mitigate climate change (global warming) and maintain soil fertility. As examples, the effects of applying rice straw compost in rice fields in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, and the effects of applying OM in upland fields in Thailand were introduced. In addition, the relationship between climate change mitigation measures, carbon sequestration in soil, and OM application were discussed in relation to sustainable crop production. The possibility of OM application in Ishigakijima island and Okinawa areas to facilitate a better understanding of farming techniques that can be useful for solving global problems. In the Q&A session and exchange of opinions with 32 people including Ishigaki citizens who participated, the actual storage amount and rate of soil, the cultivation costs of applying OM, the importance of agricultural and livestock industry technologies to mitigate global warming, forestry and forestry were discussed. The audience asked questions and opinions on the importance and response technology, the taste of local cuisine in Vietnam, the changes in the amount of OM and the impact of mechanization in sugarcane stock cultivation in Okinawa. In addition, some participants asked for technical advice at the consultation session after the lecture. The event provided a good opportunity on disseminating information on crop production by applying organic matter.

TARF: Tropical Agriculture Research Front, JIRCAS