To commemorate its 80th anniversary, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched an initiative to recognize “Impactful Solutions”—outstanding technologies and practices proposed by FAO member countries that contribute to agriculture, farmers, and food security.

Four research achievements proposed by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) were selected for this honor and officially recognized by FAO.

This initiative highlights solutions developed and implemented by FAO members, including Japan, that have demonstrated significant results in the sustainable use of land, soil, and water resources, as well as in strengthening food security. Awards were presented across four categories: 1) Land, 2) Soil, 3) Water, and 4) Integrated Land–Soil–Water Management. 

The following four technologies, developed and socially implemented with the involvement of JIRCAS, were selected in their respective categories and honored as “Impactful Solutions”:

• Land: “Phosphorus Dipping (P-dipping)” fertilization technique for rice cultivation
• Soil: Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI)-enhanced wheat
• Water: Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation method
• Integrated: Reduced environmental impact and improved productivity in sugarcane through “partial deep plowing and deep planting cultivation”

The award ceremony took place on October 15, 2025, at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.