Dr. Tetsuro Kikuchi, Senior Researcher at JIRCAS and a member of SATREPS VaryAla Project (Output 4), traveled to Madagascar to June,  for filed surveys and meetings with partner institutions.

During this visit, water quality surveys were conducted in and around Ankarafantsika National Park (AKF), the study site, to assess the characteristics of river and spring water used for paddy irrigation and to identify factors influencing water quality. Support was also provided for the installation of canopy interception plots used for forest hydrological observations conducted by collaborating researchers. In addition, methods for water quality analysis were explained to collaborators at the Institute of Radioisotopes (LRI), University of Antananarivo, and discussions were held on the advancement of future research activities.