On February 26, 2025 (Wednesday), JIRCAS signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM), located in Kuala Lumpur, to collaborate on agricultural research.

This agreement focuses on utilizing technologies developed under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) project for the effective use of old oil palm trunks (OPT). The collaboration aims to strengthen efforts toward the societal implementation of these technologies. Specifically, both institutions will jointly research and develop the potential of using the starch-rich OPT as animal feed, addressing food security concerns.

The effective utilization of OPT is expected to contribute not only to promoting sustainable agriculture and advanced use of biomass resources but also to reducing environmental impact. Moving forward, both organizations plan to deepen their research and accelerate technology development and dissemination for practical applications.