A group of 21 first-year high school students and two teachers from Uto High School in Kumamoto Prefecture visited JIRCAS on December 7, 2023 as part of their Super Science High School (SSH) Future Experiential Learning program. This was the fifth visit by students from Uto High School.

The visit began with an overview of JIRCAS' research programs and their significant contributions to the SDGs. The students engaged in a collaborative discussion with JIRCAS staff, delving into the complexities of food-related issues in developing regions. Then, Researcher OTAKA Junnosuke from the Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, captivated the students with his presentation titled "BNI technology to eliminate wastage of fertilizer”. In this presentation, Dr. Otaka explained the intricacies of nitrogen fertilizer nitrification in the soil and the environmental challenges posed by excessive nitrogen fertilizer application. He also introduced the innovative BNI technology used by JIRCAS to control nitrification. A video of Dr. Otaka's mini-lecture titled Let's remove excessive fertilizer to build a healthy planet! is also available on the JIRCAS YouTube channel.

Senior Researcher FUJITA Kaori also from the Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, gave an eye-opening presentation entitled "Let's take a peek! Food in rural Laos." Delving into the global food landscape, Dr. Fujita highlighted sustainable nutrition improvements through a case study of rural Laos. The students were particularly intrigued by the significant discrepancies between the ASEAN database and the reality on the ground, especially with regard to fish fat. Following the presentation, the students actively participated in a question and answer session, demonstrating their keen interest in the topic. 

This immersive experience at JIRCAS aimed to foster a deep understanding of food and environmental challenges in developing regions, and to encourage the students to consider possible future career paths in agricultural research and sustainable development.