JIRCAS, in collaboration with the FAO Liaison Office in Japan, organized the Symposium “Fruits and Vegetables - Research and Opportunities for Human and Planetary Health” online on December 6, 2021. This symposium was an official side event of the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4G), which took place on December 7 and 8, 2021.

This year is the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables as designated by the United Nations. JIRCAS is also an official supporter of the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. Vegetables and fruits are an important food group to be focused on in the recent food system transformation due to their nutritional and health benefits and relatively low environmental impact. This symposium introduced the research potential and advanced technologies for fruits and vegetables to contribute to health, development, and the environment, and also looked at the gaps that are emerging in the world, particularly in developing regions, and discussed the challenges and areas that require research and policy intervention.

The symposium video will be available on the JIRCAS YouTube channel later. The content of the discussion will also be reported on the website on a later date.