JIRCAS President Dr. Iwanaga was appointed as member of the Advisory Group for the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and participated in the first meeting held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy on February 25-26, 2020.
Pres. Iwanaga provided advice and recommendations to FAO based on JIRCAS research activities in developing regions, and the technologies and experience of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry in Japan.

The FAO Advisory Group was formed to provide advice and guidance to the Director-General of the FAO, Dr. Qu Dong-yu, who was appointed in August 2019, on the direction of the operation and strategy of the FAO in the global agriculture, forestry and fisheries industry.
The advisors consist of experts selected from various sectors in governments, universities, research institutions and NGOs from around the world. In addition to Pres. Iwanaga, the members included the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of the Republic of Rwanda, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, President of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and former Chairman of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Over the next four years, the FAO Advisory Group will hold joint meetings at least once a year and bilateral meetings between the Director-General and members.