Dr. RAZAFINDRAKOTO Malalatiana, a collaborative researcher from the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar, visited Japan for approximately one month from July to August for a short-term training program.

As part of Output 2: Development of technology to promote growth of vegetable and legume crops by soil microorganisms under the SATREPS VaryAla Project, Dr. Malalatiana received training in molecular approaches for soil microbial analysis and soil chemical analysis. She also exchanged scientific knowledge and research experiences with researchers from JIRCAS and related institutions. In addition, she reviewed the progress of Output 2 activities and discussed future research directions, including potential collaborative studies on the roles of earthworms and their associated microorganisms in improving soil fertility and crop production.