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NIAES Annual Report 2008 （農環研 英文年報）が刊行された

NIAES Annual Report 2008 が２００９年３月に刊行されました。この報告は、２００７年４月から２００８年３月までの農業環境技術研究所の運営と研究活動を英文で紹介するものです。冊子版と同内容のＰＤＦファイル を公開していますので、ご利用ください。

以下に、理事長からのメッセージと目次を紹介します。

（メッセージ）

Ceaseless endeavor and innovation

Global prices of corn, wheat and other grain crops as well as soybeans have risen steeply over the past few years. In addition to crop failures caused by abnormal weather, rising demand for these crops in emerging nations, and increased use for bioethanol production, speculative investment is also thought to be driving up prices in the grain market. This is one example of the globalization that has picked up pace since around the end of the 20th century, and this economic globalization is in turn globalizing environmental problems. For example, tropical rainforest in Brazil’s Amazon basin is being cleared to make way for more farmland to expand corn and soybean production, and biodiversity is suffering as a result. Another example is the damage caused by introduced species that have reached foreign shores through international trade.

The globalization of the grain trade is underpinned by innovations in transportation technology that have enabled the transport of damageable goods in a natural condition over long distances. The globalization of such technology over the 20th century has also caused global environmental problems such as ozone depletion and global warming. Addressing such global environmental issues requires the globalization of thinking, and the need for commonly held ideas is rising on various fronts. The agricultural sector is no exception. Assuming that global warming is indeed progressing, we need to consider its impacts on crops and agricultural ecosystems, and assuming the cause of global warming is the emission of greenhouse gases generated by human activities, we also need to investigate and address emissions generated by agricultural production.

As you know, NIAES’s mission is to conduct basic research on the preservation and enhancement of the environment used to grow agricultural produce. Agriculture is essentially a matter of ecosystem control exercised through the biological control of a great many flora and fauna through mechanisms such as seed selection, pest control, and weed control, and the control of the physical elements of ecosystems through mechanisms such as tilling and irrigation. Ecosystem control under the modern model of intensive agriculture aimed at maximizing food production puts considerable burdens on the ecosystem. One example of such burdens is the contamination of rivers, streams, and groundwater due to the extensive use of fertilizer and agro-chemicals to boost plant growth and crop yields.

As you know, NIAES’s mission is to conduct basic research on the preservation and enhancement of the environment used to grow agricultural produce. Agriculture is essentially a matter of ecosystem control exercised through the biological control of a great many flora and fauna through mechanisms such as seed selection, pest control, and weed control, and the control of the physical elements of ecosystems through mechanisms such as tilling and irrigation. Ecosystem control under the modern model of intensive agriculture aimed at maximizing food production puts considerable burdens on the ecosystem. One example of such burdens is the contamination of rivers, streams, and groundwater due to the extensive use of fertilizer and agro-chemicals to boost plant growth and crop yields.

However, prompted by the globalization of environmental issues mentioned above, the scope of present-day agro-environmental research has expanded beyond just environmental issues related to ecosystem control to encompass global environmental issues too.

Under our 2nd Medium Term Plan, we are working to achieve the following three objectives that focus on elucidating and assessing agro-environmental risks and developing techniques for controlling and managing those risks:

(1) Assessment of agro-environmental risks and development of risk management techniques

(2) Elucidation of the structure and functions of agricultural ecosystems and development of techniques for maintaining and enhancing natural cycles

(3) Basic research to help elucidate agricultural ecosystem functions

This endeavor is aimed at developing solutions to agro-environmental risks related to ecosystem control to ensure that agriculture plays no part in the indiscriminate exploitation of nature or irresponsible production, and also at developing the knowledge required to ensure that agriculture does not threaten the sustainability of global systems.

This annual report presents the work carried out at NIAES over AY 2007, reporting not just research achievements but all aspects of our institute’s affairs, including evaluation and inspection both external and internal, public relations, research cooperation, and research support.

We are delighted to report here that in relation to the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), three former and current members of NIAES received certificates of appreciation from IPCC chair Rajendra K. Pachauri in recognition of their contribution to the work that won the Nobel Prize.

Our institution's basic philosophy is to help solve the world’s food and environmental problems through highlevel research that aims to harmonize nature, society, and people. I hope that you find this report a useful aid in understanding our institute's activities. We look forward to receiving your candid comments and suggestions regarding this report and our activities.

Yohei Sato, Dr. Agr.
President

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