JIRCAS and the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) of Cambodia held an MOU and Work Plan signing ceremony for the integrated climate change project on September 28, 2022 in the capital city of Phnom Penh. This project is an international joint research project that aims to reduce methane emissions from rice paddies through appropriate water management technology, and is scheduled to be implemented until the end of March 2026.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from JIRCAS, RUA, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Embassy of Japan in Cambodia, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and representatives from the project site, Pursat Provincial Department of Agriculture, Pursat Provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology, Bac Kan District Agriculture and Forestry Office, as well as representatives from the irrigation community of Damnak Ampil.  About 40 people participated, including representatives of farmers' water use communities, agricultural extension workers, and farmers in the Damnak Ampil Irrigation District.

In his opening remarks, RUA Pres. NGO Bunthan congratulated the participants and expressed his expectations for the project. JIRCAS Pres. Koyama gave a presentation on the history of joint research with the RUA, the background of the decision to conduct joint research in the field of climate change, and the importance of reducing methane emissions from rice paddies.

After a brief overview of the project by the representatives of JIRCAS and RUA, the MOU and Work Plan were signed and exchanged, and the meeting was closed with a group photo taken with all the participants.

The ceremony was reported in the electronic edition of a local newspaper.