On December 2, 2024 (Monday), 33 first-year students from the Food Science Department at Fukushima Prefectural Soma Agricultural High School visited JIRCAS as part of their "Science Training" program.

Following an introduction to the research activities of JIRCAS, Dr. OKAMOTO Takanori (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Fellow, Crop, Livestock and Environment Division) gave a presentation titled "Rice Around the World and Overseas Travel Programs," focusing on rice cultivation in the world, especially in tropical regions. He discussed the role of microorganisms in enhancing nitrogen fixation in rice paddies and introduced the “P-dipping” rice fertilization technique that is being widely adopted in Madagascar. During the quiz "Which country eats the most rice in the world?" the students were surprised to learn that the top country was Bangladesh, and they engaged in a discussion on how to solve global food issues.

Dr. Okamoto also shared his personal experiences, including the reasons he went abroad during his university days, and introduced overseas travel programs that high school students can participate in, such as the "Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative". Students remarked that overseas training was not as difficult as expected, and that it piqued their interest.

Through this lecture, it is hoped that the students gained a deeper understanding of food and environmental issues in developing regions, particularly in tropical agriculture, and that it will serve as an opportunity for them to think about their future career paths.