On April 12, 2025 (Saturday), JIRCAS participated in the “TSUKUBA SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PRE EVENT 2025" held at Tsukuba Center Square (hosted by Tsukuba Machinaka Design). The event was blessed with good weather, and the venue was filled with the joyful voices of children as many research institutes set up interactive booths.

At the JIRCAS booth, visitors were able to experience firsthand the rice cultivation technique called “P-dipping," which was developed in Madagascar. Many people, including children with no prior experience in rice planting, actively participated and enjoyed this valuable hands-on activity. Additionally, visitors watched a 360-degree video of yam preparation in Nigeria through VR goggles, providing an immersive experience of African traditional cooking. Touching the exhibited mortar and pestle further deepened their understanding of African culture.

During the “TALK RELAY" session, Project Leader TSUJIMOTO Yasuhiro  explained agricultural issues in Africa and the development of “P-dipping," providing an accessible introduction to the research conducted in Madagascar. This lecture was not only delivered at the event venue but also streamed online, allowing attendees and viewers to engage with global agricultural issues more closely.

On April 19 (Saturday), JIRCAS will hold its first public open house in six years. Various exciting activities are planned for visitors to enjoy, so we encourage everyone to attend.

For more details about the open house, please visit:
https://www.jircas.go.jp/ja/event/2025/e20250419

Note: The content of the mini-lectures has been updated. If visiting in person is difficult, you can watch the live stream on the JIRCAS YouTube channel. Senior Researchers MAENO Kotaro and Sarr Papa Saliou are scheduled to participate.