On September 1, 2026, a release ceremony for the new rice variety Besalohy was held in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar. The variety was jointly developed by the National Center for Applied Research on Rural Development (FOFIFA) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).

Besalohy was developed through DNA marker-assisted selection by introducing the MP3 gene, which increases panicle number and is found in the Japanese rice variety Koshihikari, into X265, Madagascar’s leading rice variety.

The ceremony was attended by the Malagasy Prime Minister, the Minister of Agricultural and Food Sovereignty, and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, as well as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Madagascar, among other distinguished guests.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister highly praised the progress of research activities in Madagascar, particularly achievements related to rice, which is both the country's staple food and a major source of income for farmers. He also expressed his appreciation for the research collaboration between FOFIFA and JIRCAS. Furthermore, he stated that the Government of Madagascar would continue to work closely with FOFIFA and relevant ministries to promote further scientific and technological cooperation between Japan and Madagascar and to support the dissemination of Besalohy throughout the country.

In the closing remarks, it was announced that Besalohy will be exhibited at the Madagascar Pavilion during Green Expo 2027 to be held in Yokohama, Japan.

The ceremony received extensive media coverage, and the research achievements of JIRCAS were widely publicized throughout Madagascar.
 

※Photos 2 and 4 provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of Madagascar