The original National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences(NIAES)
of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF) was founded in 1983
to develop basic and advanced technology for the control, maintenance, and utilization
of the agro-environment, including the biological environment.
With the aim of developing an independent administrative institution(a semi-autonomous
agency), various discussions were held by the Future Directions Committee(January
to March, 1999), the NIAES Research Consolidation Committee(March to November, 1999), and
the Preparatory Committee for the new NIAES(November 1999 to March 2001).
Although the plan for the new NIAES was outlined in these discussions, the
original plan was not realized in its entirety. Significant changes were made, including
the transfer of the research on the multifunctionality of agriculture to the National Institute for Rural Engineering and the transfer of environmental conservation research to the
National Agricultural Research Organization.
NIAES had promoted advances in these two research fields, but it was
required to pass on any research results to the appropriate organization mentioned
above for regional use.
NIAES became an independent administrative institution(semi-autonomous agency)
on 1 April 2001. The new NIAES concentrates on the following
basic research targets to fulfill its research mandate on a global scale:1)
developing strategies to ensure stable food supplies under global environmental change, 2)
assuring the safety of food and the environment by utilizing the natural cycle of agricultural materials, 3)
ensuring that agro-environmental resources are sustained and passed on to future generations.
We have founded 3 research departments and 2 research centers to
achieve the research targets mentioned above:
- Department of Global Resources
- Department of Biological Safety
- Department of Environmental Chemistry
- Natural Resources Inventory Center
- Chemical Analysis Research Center
In the Department of Global Resources, the impacts of global environmental change on agricultural production are being clarified,
and measures that can be used to adapt to environmental change are being examined.
Moreover, to help prevent global warming in accordance with initiatives such as those recommended by the 6th
Conference of the Parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emission from agricultural land
are being developed.
In the Department of Biological Safety, methods for the environmental impact assessment
of genetically modified organisms(GMOs)are being developed, and the effects of newly introduced and invasive organisms on the environment are
being clarified. Moreover, the relationship between biodiversity and agriculture, which has become a worldwide problem, is being clarified.
In the Department of Environmental Chemistry, the dynamics of dioxin, cadmium, and
nitrate nitrogen in relation to agro-environment are being investigated, and
technology that will prevent or remove chemical contamination of farmland and
crops is being developed.
In the Natural Resources Inventory Center, data and samples from various
agricultural environments are stored in the database, and a system that can display
the past, present, and future states of the agricultural environment is being
constructed. This center aims to ensure that agro-environmental resources are
sustained and passed on to future generations.
In the Chemical Analysis Research Center, methods of analyzing ultra-microchemistry
materials such as dioxin, are being developed, supporting the research being conducted
in the Department of Environmental Chemistry. Moreover, fundamental data on radioisotopes
in crops and soils needed for responses to emergencies, such as the accident
at the nuclear fuel processing company JCO in 1999, are being accumulated.
The new NIAES aims to ensure continuing environmental amenity and safety by promoting the development
of eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.
