Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Re: Contribute to shaping the design of the Agrifood System Technologies & Innovations Outlook (ATIO) Knowledge Base

Dr. Miyuki Iiyama

Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS)
Japan

JIRCAS Comments for ATIO KB e-consultation

We extend our sincere appreciation to the FAO team for their outstanding initiative and eagerly support the launch of ATIO KB to enable policymakers, investors, innovation users, and scientists with more appropriate solutions to identify and promote scalable technologies in light of comprehensive contextual information. 

We strongly believe that sharing the experience of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) in the Green Asia project can be beneficial when designing ATIO KB.   

This project aims to accelerate the application of scalable agricultural technologies with special attention to the context specificity of the Asia-Monsoon region characterized by key features, esp. a hot and humid climate, rice paddy farming, and small-scale farmers, that form an environment conducive to highly intensive food production systems (https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/publication/gars-e/1). These distinguishing features should be considered when identifying and devising effective science, technology and innovation interventions to contribute to environmental sustainability without sacrificing productivity during climate emergencies and environmental crises. As a mechanism to achieve the aim of the project, the project conducts the collection, analysis, management, and dissemination of research results and outputs useful and applicable to the region, including those from Japan. The results of this project could serve as a reference for various stakeholders, including government officials, researchers, extension officers, producers, and the private sector. Given the collective significance of the Asia-Monsoon region, the success of the regional food systems transformation should have enormous global impacts to demonstrate the potential of synergies for climate change mitigation and sustainable agricultural production.

More specifically, the following experience of Green Asia project should contribute to designing ATIO KB:

  • We have worked with research/academic partners to compile the technology catalogue (https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/greenasia/techcatalog) which has been introduced in the following websites.

  • The UN Food Systems Coordination hub website at:

    https://www.unfoodsystemshub.org/latest-updates/news/en

  • The ASEAN Secretariat website at:

    https://asean.org/asean-deliberates-regional-initiatives-on-sustainable-agriculture/

  • Digital Villages Initiative in Asia and the Pacific at:

    https://www.fao.org/digital-villages-initiative/asia-pacific/resources/publications/en 

  • In developing the catalogue, we have come up with classification of technologies, which help search and identify technologies of interest, by contribution areas (biomass utilization, chemical fertilizer reduction, pesticide reduction, disaster mitigation, GHG reduction, etc.), industries (agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishery and processing), commodity (agricultural machinery, agricultural residues, rice, oil palm, sugarcane, timber, etc.), institutions, and countries.
  • In the last 3 years, we have chosen three technologies for pilot studies (AWD/BNI/Rice Blast Disease). Aside from compiling the reports elaborating the technologies, in conducting experiments with counterparts, we have been compiling data on contextual information to identify enabling vs. constraining factors to determine the feasibility of technologies in specific locations which can be used to fine-scale tailoring to guide scaling and dissemination. For some technologies, we have been collecting information on socio-economic constraints (costs and benefits of adoption by smallholders) while we have learned that understanding institutional conditions for scaling up (ex. national variety registration systems) is critical to guide dissemination strategies.  
  • For other technologies in the technical catalog, we have been collaborating with regional partners to evaluate their feasibility and exchange information on their needs and adaptability through expert interviews and workshops.
  • We receive advice and comments on the operation of the Green Asia project from the Scientific Advisory Board comprising globally distinguished scientists and leaders of regional agricultural institutions. 

JIRCAS also has compiled a kind of technology catalogue useful for those engaged in sustainable agricultural technologies in African smallholder contexts, with a dedicated HP (https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/africa-research)

We believe we can make some practical contributions to help design ATIO KB with our own experience. We are available for the expert consultation that is scheduled in February.

Information links

 

Warn regards, Miyuki Iiyama, on behalf of JIRCAS team