NARO

About NARO

NARO, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, is Japan’s core public research and development institution for agriculture and food. It was established in 2001 and later reorganized into its current form in 2006 and 2016 to bring together a broad range of agricultural research capabilities under one organization. (naro.go.jp)

The organization focuses on practical research that supports Japan’s agriculture and food industries, including productivity, food safety, environmental conservation, rural development, and the dissemination of research outputs into real-world use. Its work spans crop science, livestock, food research, machinery, robotics, genetic resources, agro-environmental science, plant protection, and regional agricultural research across Japan. (naro.go.jp)

NARO positions itself as a public innovation platform that helps address structural challenges such as an aging farming population, climate change, and the need for stronger food security and competitiveness. Its current mid-term plan emphasizes food self-sufficiency and security, export competitiveness, and the combination of higher productivity with environmental conservation. (naro.go.jp)

Core Values

• Food security and self-sufficiency: NARO’s research is explicitly aimed at strengthening Japan’s food self-sufficiency and ensuring a stable food supply. (naro.go.jp)
• Sustainability and environmental conservation: The organization emphasizes production systems that improve productivity while also protecting the environment and reducing agricultural impacts. (naro.go.jp)
• Practical impact: NARO repeatedly frames its mission around practical application, dissemination, and real-world adoption of research results rather than research alone. (naro.go.jp)
• Innovation through collaboration: It actively collaborates with universities, public institutes, and private companies to create innovation in agriculture and food. (naro.go.jp)
• Regional relevance: NARO’s structure and research centers are designed to address the specific needs of different Japanese regions and farming systems. (naro.go.jp)

Unique Aspects

• Japan’s national agriculture-and-food research platform: NARO is the country’s central public R&D organization for agriculture and food, combining multiple former institutes into one integrated system. (naro.go.jp)
• Broad institutional network: It operates a large network of centers and institutes across Japan, including regional research centers and specialized units for food, livestock, machinery, robotics, genetic resources, and plant protection. (naro.go.jp)
• Strong emphasis on practical deployment: NARO’s mandate includes not only research but also the practical application and dissemination of outcomes, which makes it unusually close to on-farm and industry use. (naro.go.jp)
• International collaboration: NARO participates in international initiatives and partnerships; for example, its global initiatives page highlights cross-border cooperation, and the KNOWN NEWS notes its role as a founding member in RhizoNET with INRAE and other organizations. (naro.go.jp)
• Tsukuba headquarters and national reach: NARO’s headquarters are in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, while its institutes and centers are distributed nationwide to support region-specific agricultural research and outreach. (naro.go.jp)