Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) unveiled a comprehensive strategy to mitigate global warming on June 21, 2007, which includes a recommendation to promote adaptive measures in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries against global warming. Based on the latest results of research and development, the ministry released a report recommending measures to take now and in the future involving 13 agricultural products.

To prevent the degradation of rice grain quality, for example, the report suggested planting later in the normal-season crops and planting earlier in the early crops to avoid high temperatures during the ripening. The report also recommended direct seeding of rice into paddy fields as a short-term measure to postpone sprouting period.

High temperatures and low rainfall hinder the growth of soybeans, causing green-stem syndrome (plant stems remain green even when mature). To tackle this, MAFF recommended furrow watering during the flowering and pod formation stages when water is most needed. In addition, as a measure against frost damage of tea plants caused by early germination due to warmer winters, MAFF plans to promote the use of energy-efficient anti-frost fans.

MAFF's report comes with a table of technological challenges and administrative measures scheduled for the short term (within the next three years), medium term (by 2030), and long term (after 2030). The ministry's comprehensive strategy to mitigate global warming focuses on global warming prevention measures and international cooperation utilizing Japanese anti-global warming technologies, together with the global warming countermeasures mentioned above. See the related websites listed below for more information on global warming prevention measures.

http://www.maff.go.jp/eindex.html
- MAFF Releases Global Warming Strategy with New CO2 Reduction Targets (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1887-e

Posted: 2007/12/14 06:59:40 AM
Japanese version

TAG Food/Water , Global warming , Government