FFTC-Food and Fertilizer Technology Center

Call Directions Website Contact the business

FFTC-Food and Fertilizer Technology Center FFTC is an international organization with a mission to help empower small-scale farmers through sc

FFTC acts as an intermediary between international and national agricultural organizations withi the region, serving as a resource hub on Asian agriculture to deliver the much needed information to extension workers, researchers and scientists within the Asian-Pacific Region

🌱 Making Low-Carbon Farming Work for FarmersIn the roundtable discussion at the recently concluded workshop on “Smart Lo...
16/09/2026

🌱 Making Low-Carbon Farming Work for Farmers

In the roundtable discussion at the recently concluded workshop on “Smart Low-Carbon Agrifood Systems: Digital Innovation in Crops, Livestock and Pathways to Net-Zero,” speakers reviewed the key barriers and enabling factors affecting farmer adoption of low-carbon practices across participating countries.

👩‍🌾 They all agreed that technologies must be simple, affordable, practical, and compatible with farmers’ livelihood needs, particularly given the aging farmer population and their generally cautious attitude toward new investments.

💧🚜 Speakers also identified water availability, farm infrastructure, limited technical support, and fragmented project implementation as important constraints.

🔮 Looking ahead, they called for more demonstration sites, shared technology models, stronger extension capacity, targeted green finance, and trusted digital platforms.

🌾 Launch the New Net-Zero Era in Agriculture! 2026 International Workshop: Smart Low-Carbon Agrifood Systems – Digital I...
11/08/2026

🌾 Launch the New Net-Zero Era in Agriculture! 2026 International Workshop: Smart Low-Carbon Agrifood Systems – Digital Innovation in Crops, Livestock, and Pathways to Net-Zero

Agriculture accounts for nearly one-quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with methane from rice cultivation, enteric fermentation, and manure management from ruminant livestock representing the primary sources. On our journey toward net-zero emissions, the key lies in how we harness technology to deliver tangible, measurable low-carbon outcomes!

Over the past decade, smart agriculture has advanced rapidly by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and big data to drive innovations in crop disease detection, precision irrigation, and fertilization. To address challenges such as smallholder affordability, data limitations, and the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of carbon sinks, the Center (FFTC), in collaboration with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI), and the Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station (TCDARES) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), will co-organize the 2026 International Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan. Serving as a regional demonstration platform in the Asia-Pacific, this workshop will showcase low-carbon practices in precision rice, smart livestock, digital cold chains, and emerging agrifood systems, forging a new pathway for the green transition of smallholders in the region!

【Program Highlights】🔹Four Thematic Sessions:
• Session I: Sustainable Soil Management and Integrated Systems
• Session II: Precision Livestock Technologies and Smart Low-Carbon Management
• Session III: Smart Electrification of Agricultural Machinery and Facilities for Low-Carbon Farming
• Session IV: Bridging to SNZ 2027–2030: From Methodologies to Policy Adaptation

【Event Information】
• Date: September 9–10, 2026 (1.5-day hybrid workshop)
• Venue: Room 1003, Chang Yung-fa Foundation International Convention Center, Taipei, Taiwan (Onsite) & Global Live Streaming
• Organizers: FFTC, TLRI, TARI, TCDARES
• Language: The workshop will be conducted primarily in English.

【Registration】
We welcome you to register today! Spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

🔗Learn more about the event and program details: https://km.fftc.org.tw/workshop/41
🔗Register online now: https://forms.gle/1wSJ5JA3Da5hdXUu8

🌱🌏 Safeguarding our “Silent Infrastructure”! The 2026 Soil Health and Multifunctionality Transnational Workshop & Train...
10/08/2026

🌱🌏 Safeguarding our “Silent Infrastructure”!

The 2026 Soil Health and Multifunctionality Transnational Workshop & Training Course Concludes with Great Success

Held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, this international event successfully bridged regional practical experiences in the Asia-Pacific with cutting-edge global research, technology, policy, and extension knowledge.

📅 From July 13 to 15, 2026, leading experts and scholars gathered in Tsukuba, Japan, for the International Workshop and Training Course on “Soil Health and Multifunctionality: Integrating Science and Practice for a Sustainable Future.”

🤝 This prestigious event was jointly organized by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), and the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) for the Asian and Pacific Region, with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA-BSWM) as key cooperating partners. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, extension officers, and academic representatives to tackle a core challenge in the Asia-Pacific: how to enhance soil health, promote circular agriculture, and transition toward a greener future through sustainable soil management and utilization strategies.

💻 Utilizing a hybrid physical-online format, the event drew enthusiastic participation from public and academic institutions, bringing together 111 online registrants (with 83 joining via Webex) and 28 onsite distinguished guests. Among the participants, 85% were affiliated with the public or government sector, and 55% were female. The top participating countries included Japan (50%), the Philippines (29%), and Taiwan (11%). This vibrant regional exchange enabled high-level technical and policy dialogues to directly address the practical farming and environmental management needs across the Asia-Pacific.

📚 The workshop featured expert presentations and panel discussions structured around four thematic areas:
• 🔄 Nutrient Cycling and Soil Functionality
• 💧 Water Retention and Climate Resilience
• 🐛 Biodiversity and Soil Ecosystem Services
• 🌍 Toward Integrated Soil Health Management

Participants delved deep into pioneering regional initiatives, including:
• 🇵🇭 The implementation of the National Soil Health Program (NSHP) in the Philippines;
• 🇹🇭 Thailand's innovative smartphone-based digital colorimetric soil test kit;
• 🇯🇵 The critical role of biochar application depth in optimizing soil water balance and mitigating nitrate leaching in Japan;
• 🇹🇼 Taiwan's low-cost, eco-friendly agronomic strategies achieving a 98% success rate in reducing heavy metal (cadmium and arsenic) accumulation in crops on high-risk farmlands;
• 🔬 The powerful role of microscopic predatory protists as natural engineers in soil microbiome engineering.

🧠 During the panel discussion, experts reached a clear consensus: soil is not merely a collection of physical and chemical properties, but a multifunctional system that supports agricultural production, ecosystems, and human society. Future soil health assessments must combine multiple continuous monitoring methods and progressively integrate decision-support tools, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted soil diagnostics, to deliver tangible, sustainable benefits to both farmers and the environment.

🌍 Looking ahead, participants emphasized that sustainable soil health development must be closely integrated with soil governance, land use, food safety, and international cooperation. Countries should adopt measurement methods tailored to their specific evaluation goals, while promoting standardization, data harmonization, and policy implementation. This ensures that scientific research is translated into practical, cost-effective, and user-friendly tools for local farmers.

🌿 On July 14, the event seamlessly connected scientific discussion with ecology and practice. Participants visited the Tsukuba Botanical Garden to observe over 3,000 plant species, including endangered species in greenhouses and the giant Titan Arum (the world's largest flower), to learn about biodiversity conservation. They also toured the Natural Resources Inventory Museum to study over 300 types of domestic and international soil monoliths and understand the application of national digital soil mapping. Additionally, speakers visited NARO's newly renovated Museum of Agricultural Technology Progress (renovated in March 2026). In parallel, a day-and-a-half intensive training course on "The Simple Analysis of Inorganic Arsenic in Rice" was conducted. Led by Dr. Koji Baba, Senior Researcher at NARO's Research Center for Advanced Analysis, 8 trainees from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam gained hands-on experience in sample extraction, dilution, centrifugation, and software calibration. This empowers them with cost-effective and convenient testing technologies to safeguard food safety across the Asia-Pacific region.

✅ This successful event aligns perfectly with Theme 4 of FFTC’s Strategic Action Plan for 2025–2028: “Fostering Circular Agriculture for Sustainable Production and a Greener Future.” It has established a robust regional platform for multinational knowledge sharing and practical learning, paving the way for closer agricultural research collaborations and sustainable soil management practices.

🖥️ The workshop presentations and papers are now available on the official website: 👉 https://km.fftc.org.tw/workshop/46

#農業永續 #土壤健康 #循環農業 #智慧農業

🍵🌿 Brewing Knowledge, Preserving Tradition: FFTC Staff Experience the Art of Taiwan's Finest Teas✨ The rich heritage and...
07/08/2026

🍵🌿 Brewing Knowledge, Preserving Tradition: FFTC Staff Experience the Art of Taiwan's Finest Teas

✨ The rich heritage and artistry of Taiwan's world-renowned teas came alive at the FFTC office during a special tea appreciation lecture and tasting session conducted by experts from the Tea and Beverage Research Station (TBRS) of Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture. The event was attended by FFTC Director Mr. Vincent Lin, Deputy Director Dr. Fumio Ihara and the Center's staff.

🌱 TBRS Director General Dr. Tsung-Chen Su opened the program with an overview of the Station's mission, organization, and key achievements, highlighting its pivotal role in advancing Taiwan's tea and beverage industries through research, innovation, and international collaboration.

🍃 Participants then embarked on a sensory journey led by Chief Lo Shih Kai, who introduced the distinctive flavors and characteristics of Taiwan's specialty teas, sharing expert insights into the art of tea appreciation.

🍂 Adding to the experience, Ms. Chin-Chun Kuo, a TBRS researcher, presented the fundamentals behind Taiwan's exceptional teas—from plucking standards and manufacturing processes to proper brewing techniques that bring out the unique aroma, flavor, and character of every cup.

🍵 The hands-on tea tasting gave participants the opportunity to experience firsthand the remarkable diversity and craftsmanship that have earned Taiwan's teas worldwide recognition.

🌏 More than a cultural exchange, the activity underscored the importance of preserving agricultural heritage while promoting innovation and quality in one of Taiwan's most iconic agricultural products. FFTC sincerely thanks TBRS for sharing its expertise and inspiring a deeper appreciation of the science, tradition, and artistry behind every cup of Taiwan tea.

#臺灣茶 #茶文化 #茶藝 #農業傳統 #永續農業

🌏🌾 Sustainable Rice Farming in Asia: Climate-Smart Varieties and Low-Carbon Rice Workshop🤝 RDA- AFACI and FFTC have impl...
31/07/2026

🌏🌾 Sustainable Rice Farming in Asia: Climate-Smart Varieties and Low-Carbon Rice Workshop

🤝 RDA- AFACI and FFTC have implemented a dual approach to adapt to and mitigate environmental shifts across 10 Asian countries

📅 The 2026 RDA-AFACI and FFTC workshop, titled RSR (Registration of Stress-Tolerant Rice Varieties), Climate-Smart Rice Varieties and their Resilience to Environmental Risks in Asia, was held from July 21 to 24, 2026, with 60 participants at the Charmant Suites Boutique Hotel, Can Tho City, Vietnam.

👥 This event was jointly organized by the Rural Development Administration (RDA), Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI), Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), and FFTC. 🌱 This workshop is the phase three initiative of the AFACI project to enhance adaptation and resilience to climate-related stresses in rice cultivation, following the prior project, Stress-tolerant, high-yielding rice varieties (SHR), which was conducted and supported by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for the past four years, 2022-2025.

🌟 Workshop Highlight

Key Programs
• 📌 Country-specific registration of stress-tolerant rice varieties workshops
• 📖 Post-Project Review and Learning (PPRL) program
• 🔬 Intensive integrated workshop with rice breeding and low-carbon rice production experts in Asia
• 🚜 Field visits to joint project sites: A field demonstration of climate-smart rice varieties and low-carbon rice farming site

Three Core Takeaways
• 🌍 Simultaneously mitigate and adapt to climate change. The initiative aims to break the vicious cycle of environmental degradation by empowering farmers to adapt through country-specific rice varieties tailored to inevitable climate shifts. About 28 elite climate-resilient breeding lines have been successfully identified.

• 🌱 Improve seed support systems and enhance the dissemination, scaling-up, and cultivation of newly released varieties in target environments. Through a partnership between AFACI and IRRI, the project focuses on breeding and registering high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties (RSR) across 10 Asian countries to boost regional resilience.

• 🔗 Establish a comprehensive low-carbon rice value chain. By integrating various low-carbon farming practices, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), and MRV approaches, one of the project's long-term objectives is to integrate climate-smart seed distribution into eco-friendly rice production systems.

👥 In the Post-Project Review and Learning (PPRL) workshop, participants from 10 Asian countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) shared their achievements and lessons learned over the past year. 🌾 They also participated in the Low-Carbon Rice Workshop, a combined FFTC-AFACI Rice workshop series program focused on scaling up the integration of low-carbon rice solutions and farming practices in Asia.

📚 Workshop materials and final outcomes will be updated on FFTC’s Knowledge Management System soon.

🔗 For more information, please visit the workshop website: https://km.fftc.org.tw/workshop/44

🔖 Hashtags

🌏🌾 Asian partners advance farmer-centered pathways for low-carbon rice in Vietnam📍 Regional workshop in Can Tho connects...
31/07/2026

🌏🌾 Asian partners advance farmer-centered pathways for low-carbon rice in Vietnam

📍 Regional workshop in Can Tho connects Mekong Delta implementation experience with international research, policy, finance, and market expertise.

👥 More than 100 participants from at least 17 countries gathered in Can Tho City, Vietnam, on 22–24 July 2026 for the workshop “Low-Carbon Rice Solutions in Asia: Regional Innovations and Pathways to Adoption.” Jointly organized by VAAS (Vietnam), CLRRI (Vietnam), RDA-AFACI (Korea), and FFTC, in collaboration with partner institutions IRRI, NARO (Japan), JIRCAS (Japan), and TARI, MOA (Taiwan), the event brought together policymakers, researchers, development partners, businesses, and farming communities to address a central challenge for the region: how to move proven low-carbon rice solutions beyond individual projects and enable wider, lasting adoption.

🌱 Strong participation from local authorities, research institutions, farming communities, and other stakeholders across Vietnam connected the regional dialogue directly with implementation needs in the Mekong Delta. 🌐 International organizations and development initiatives—including FAO, UNDP, CIP (International Potato Center), SRP (Sustainable Rice Platform), SNV, and Rikolto—contributed wider perspectives on research, policy, finance, markets, and regional cooperation. 🎥 The event was also covered by Can Tho Radio and Television Station (Can Tho TV), helping its key messages reach a broader local audience.

🧩 Through sessions spanning 17 technical and policy topics, panel discussions, and a cross-session dialogue, participants explored how alternate wetting and drying (AWD), mechanized direct seeding, improved nutrient and straw management, climate-resilient varieties, remote sensing, and digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) could be combined into locally adapted solutions. 💡 A consistent message emerged: technical performance alone will not lead to adoption at scale. Low-carbon practices must also offer clear value to farmers through higher productivity, lower input and labor costs, reduced risk, additional income, or improved market access.

🚜 A field visit on 24 July brought these discussions into a practical setting. At Tiến Thuận Cooperative, a demonstration site for Vietnam’s One Million Hectares of High-Quality and Low-Carbon Rice Program, participants observed low-seeding-rate cultivation, mechanized row seeding, AWD, pilot MRV activities, rice harvesting, straw baling, mushroom production 🍄, and organic fertilizer production 🌿. The visit demonstrated how integrated low-carbon farming and improved straw management can reduce open-field burning 🔥 while creating additional value for farming communities. At CLRRI, one of the workshop’s co-organizers, participants explored climate-resilient rice varieties 🌾, field trials, and ongoing low-carbon rice research linking breeding and agronomy with real-world production needs.

🔮 Looking ahead, participants highlighted the need for credible and practical MRV systems, stronger service providers and value-chain partnerships, and expanded cross-country demonstrations and capacity building. They also called for more open exchange on implementation challenges, lessons learned, and necessary course corrections—corrections, not only successful cases.

📚 Building on the SNZ 2025 Workshop on Sustainable Low-Carbon Rice, the event marked the first installment of the 2026–2029 FFTCAFACI Rice Workshop Series on Climate-Smart Varieties and Low-Carbon Farming. The series will provide an ongoing regional platform for knowledge exchange, practical learning, and collaboration to advance climate-smart and low-carbon rice systems across Asia.

🖥️ Workshop presentations and papers are available on the workshop website: https://km.fftc.org.tw/workshop/45

🤖🌾 FFTC’s 28th TAC Meeting highlights AI’s role in shaping the future of agriculture📍The Food and Fertilizer Technology ...
29/06/2026

🤖🌾 FFTC’s 28th TAC Meeting highlights AI’s role in shaping the future of agriculture

📍The Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) for the Asian and Pacific Region successfully concluded its 28th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting, held on June 16–19, 2026, at the Mellow Fields Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, under the theme “Shaping the Future of Agriculture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” 🌏

🤝 The biennial meeting brought together leading agricultural scientists, experts, and policymakers from eight Asia-Pacific countries—Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam—to review FFTC’s accomplishments, discuss emerging regional priorities, and provide strategic guidance for the Center’s proposed 2027–2028 Rolling Strategic Action Plan.

💻 Of the 11 TAC members, three participated online, while four absent members were represented by designated delegates. Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), was elected Chairperson of the meeting.

🎤 In his opening remarks, FFTC Director Mr. Vincent Lin welcomed the TAC members and presented his vision for “Charting New Directions for FFTC.” He emphasized the growing importance of artificial intelligence and digital innovation in addressing regional agricultural challenges and highlighted initiatives to expand regional engagement and strengthen future TAC consultations. 🤖💡

📑 During closed-door deliberations, TAC members formulated ten key recommendations for FFTC, all aligned with the advancement of AI-enabled and resilient agricultural systems. 🌱

💬 The meeting was followed by a roundtable discussion on AI and agriculture, which was chaired by Dr. Chang-gil Kim, Invited Professor, Department of Economics and Rural Development at Seoul National University, Korea, where members presented country-level experiences and explored opportunities to integrate AI, IoT, and people-centered approaches such as “healing agriculture.” 🌿 Participants concluded that technological innovation, ethical governance, and regional collaboration will be essential to ensuring inclusive and responsible AI adoption across the Asia-Pacific region. 🤝

🚜 The following day, the TAC members had educational visits to the Agricultural Technology Research Institute (ATRI) in Miaoli County and Vanilla Ueno Park in Taoyuan City. The visits showcased Taiwan’s agricultural innovation ecosystem, highlighting how institutional support, smart agriculture technologies, ecological farming practices, and local entrepreneurship can work together to promote sustainable and resilient agricultural development. 🌾♻️

✨ The outcomes of the 28th TAC Meeting will guide FFTC in strengthening its role as a regional platform for agricultural innovation, knowledge exchange, and AI-enabled transformation in the years ahead. 🌏📚🤖

Address

FFTC, 5F, 14 Wenchow Street
Taipei
106018

Opening Hours

Monday 08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday 08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday 08:30 - 17:30
Thursday 08:30 - 17:30
Friday 08:30 - 17:30

Telephone

+886223626239

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when FFTC-Food and Fertilizer Technology Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to FFTC-Food and Fertilizer Technology Center:

Shortcuts

Share