ASEAN Member States and Japan Reaffirm Commitment to Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Tokyo, Japan (March 17-19, 2025) – As greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions drive climate change, which in turn threatens agricultural productivity, the need for timely intervention has become more urgent—especially in regions where rice is a primary source of nutrition.. Key actors came together at the ASEAN-Japan Workshop on Carbon Neutrality, Food Security, and Agricultural Innovation aimed to share strategies for carbon neutrality in agriculture, promote collaboration between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Japanese companies to co-develop climate-smart solutions and enhance agricultural competitiveness in the ASEAN region through low-carbon practices and technologies. 

Scaling readiness of improved nutrient management in rice through farmer clusters

“Start with the end in mind.” This idea guided the Workshop on Innovation Package and Scaling Readiness (IPSR) for the cluster-based recommendations of Rice Crop Manager Advisory Service (RCMAS). The workshop was held on March 11, 2025, in Cagayan de Oro. As part of the session, participants agreed on an end goal: “By 2028, DA Region 10, along with ATI-RTC 10, local government units (LGUs), NIA, and other partners, aims to reach 80% of rice clusters and get 40% of rice farmers to adopt the cluster-based RCMAS recommendations. This initiative will improve farming practices, boost productivity, and support the sustainability of the rice industry.”

ORYZA in action: A comprehensive training on rice growth and climate impact modeling

The Advanced Modeling for Environment, Emission, Exchange, and Extension (AM4E) – ORYZA modeling team successfully conducted a comprehensive training on the Practical Applications of ORYZA in Rice Research from March 24 to 28 at the IRRI Network Commons, Philippines.