The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences(JIRCAS) was established in October 1993, through the reorganization of its predecessor, the Tropical Agriculture Research Center (TARC), in order to include overseas forestry and fisheries research in its mandate. It was again restructured in April, 2001 as an Incorporated Administrative Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
Main Objective
JIRCAS is the sole national institute that undertakes comprehensive research on agriculture, forestry and fisheries technology in developing areas of tropical and subtropical regions, as well as domestic research on agriculture, forestry and fisheries, aimed at providing solutions to international food supply and environmental problems through technology development; and collects, analyzes and publishes information to grasp trends relevant to international agriculture, forestry and fisheries as well as farming systems, through international collaboration and cooperation.
Schemes of Main Activities
1. International Collaborative Research2. Dispatch and Invitation of Researchers
3. Research Planning and Evaluation
4. Cooperation with Developing Regions
History
- 1970 Establishment of the Tropical Agriculture Research Center by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
- 1977 Transfer of TARC Main Office from Kita-ku of Tokyo to Tsukuba City
- 1993 Reorganized as the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences under the umbrella of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
- 2001 Restructured as an Incorporated Administrative Agency (IAA)