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In March 2023, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) developed a compilation of 23 applicable agricultural technologies that could contribute to the Strategy “MIDORI”, Japan’s initiative for sustainable food systems transformation. These technologies specifically target essential areas such as greenhouse gas mitigation, and reduction of usage of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides from among the research results of JIRCAS and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) obtained through domestic and international research collaborations over the past 10 years. The catalog entitled “Technology Catalog Contributing to Production Potential and Sustainability in the Asia-Monsoon Region Ver. 1.0” was officially released to the public on March 27, 2023 (Press release). Dissemination of this catalog was further expanded through distribution at the G7 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting and coverage in the news section of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub website.

In addition to the agricultural technologies included in the first version of the catalog, eight new technologies, including forest conservation and fisheries resource management, have been added in the second version, which is also available in English and Japanese. The Technology Catalog Ver. 2.0 now consists of 31 scalable technologies in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, derived from the joint research results of JIRCAS, NARO, the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), and the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA).

The Technology Catalog Ver. 2.0 has also been made available in a web database format accessible on the JIRCAS website. This will allow users to select information related to the area of contribution to sustainable food systems (e.g., greenhouse gas reduction, chemical pesticide reduction) and target crops or products (e.g., paddy rice, livestock) for the implementation of the Strategy “MIDORI”, and browse the technologies of interest.

The Technology Catalog is intended to be used by a wide range of stakeholders in the Asia-Monsoon region, including government officials, researchers, extension personnel, professionals in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries, and the private sector. In addition to the technologies applicable to the agricultural sector, we plan to share the additional forestry and fisheries technologies described here with other countries to encourage their application and implementation, thereby promoting the establishment of a sustainable food system in the Asia-Monsoon region.

This initiative is supported by a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) for the project entitled “Accelerating application of agricultural technologies which enhance production potentials and ensure sustainable food systems in the Asia-Monsoon region” which is being implemented under the name “Green Asia”.

[Contact]

JIRCAS President : KOYAMA Osamu　
Research Program Director:IIYAMA Miyuki (Information Program)
Research Project Leader:FUNAKI Yasuro (Director, Social Sciences Division)
Press Coordinator:OMORI Keisuke (Head, Information and Public Relations Office)

Press e-mail: koho-jircas@ml.affrc.go.jp