In response to the agriculture and flood-related issues in the country, researchers from Tohoku and Kyoto Universities, Japan, hosted a meeting at Luxent Hotel, Quezon City on March 12, 2018 to benchmark the past and current researches of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM), Tohoku and Kyoto Universities in the fields of agriculture, economics and flood risk assessment.

During the meeting, Director Toshio Koike of ICHARM discussed the previous initiatives of their organization in collaborating with the Philippine national government agencies on hydro-agricultural model for evaluating flood impact. This conceren was further elaborated by Prof. Honma of Tohoku University. The presentation of current researches from UPLB was spearheaded by Dr. Patricia Ann J. Sanchez, Professor, School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM), who is the chair of the newly formed UPLB Interdisciplinary Studies Center for Water. She discussed the profile of the center and its future endeavor in attaining water security.

This was followed by the presentation of Dr. Felino P. Lansigan, chair of the UPLB Climate Risk Studies Center where he presented the current studies on flood risk assessment and management in selected locations in the Philippines. Furthermore, Ms. Heidi D. Mendoza, a University Researcher at SESAM, discussed the current initiatives of the program “Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines” (SARAI). Accordingly, Dr. Virgilio T. Villancio of the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), presented the flood impacts in agriculture particularly on his past involvement the rehabilitation of disaster affected agricultural communities in Barangay Boboin, Infanta, Quezon.

For his part, Dr. Yokomatsu of Kyoto University, discussed his several experiences in transdisciplinary collaborative works and presented his research interest which is the hydro-agricultural-economic model for evaluating flood impacts in the Philippines. Lastly, Director Koike commended the UPLB on having interdisciplinary researches and he also looks forward on having a possible collaboration with UPLB, National Government Agencies and Local Government Units in the field of agriculture, hydrology and economics in evaluating flood impacts. (Jessa O. Aquino)