A group of 27 second-year students and 1 teacher from the Science and Mathematics Department of Toyama Prefectural Senior High School visited JIRCAS on August 2, 2023 through the "Tsukuba Science Tour."

Toyama Prefectural Senior High School is committed to promoting educational activities aimed at fostering students' scientific thinking and investigative skills. As part of these activities, they conduct an annual "Tokyo Area Field Training" to enhance students' exploration in research projects and provide them with opportunities to imagine their future selves.

First, the students were introduced to the challenges of food and environmental issues in developing regions. The JIRCAS research programs and contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were explained. The students were given quizzes to make them feel more connected to global food issues. Next, Dr. TSUTSUI Isao (Senior researcher, Fisheries Division) gave a presentation entitled "Beyond the shrimp we eat," which covered the current status and problems of shrimp farming (intensive methods) in Southeast Asia. He also introduced a low-cost, simple and sustainable technology using a type of seaweed called "juzumo" and clams for economically disadvantaged small and medium-scale shrimp farming. He also explained the importance of overcoming various obstacles in research and collaborating with researchers from different fields.

At the end of the visit, the students had a discussion with the researchers. They asked various questions about what motivated the researchers to pursue their careers, how to avoid problems while working abroad, how to interact with people in developing regions, and what high school students should keep in mind. It is hoped that when these students become professionals in the future, they will look back on this day and reflect on the valuable experience they gained during the visit.