Hyogo Prefecture Introduces Climate-Resilient Rice Variety
Hyogo, Tuesday, 4 February 2025.
‘Ko-No-Ho-Shi’, developed over a decade, is a new rice breed in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, designed to withstand global warming, supporting food security and sustainable agriculture.
The Genesis of Ko-No-Ho-Shi
The development of Ko-No-Ho-Shi began in 2016 as a collaborative effort between Hyogo Prefecture and the JA Group Hyogo, with research conducted at the Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries [1]. This initiative came at a crucial time, as Japan has experienced a temperature rise of 1.35°C over the past century, significantly impacting traditional rice cultivation [2]. The new variety emerged from an extensive selection process, being chosen from approximately 10,000 different varieties through careful breeding, stabilization, and selection processes [1].
Climate Adaptation Features
Ko-No-Ho-Shi represents a significant breakthrough in climate-resilient agriculture, specifically designed to thrive in warming conditions while maintaining high quality and taste [1]. The development comes at a critical juncture, following the ‘Reiwa Rice Crisis’ of 2024, when many supermarkets across Japan experienced rice shortages [1]. The new variety is specifically engineered to withstand summer heat while maintaining its flavor profile, addressing one of the key challenges faced by modern rice farmers [1][2].
Implementation and Distribution Plans
The rollout of Ko-No-Ho-Shi is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with initial cultivation planned across the Harima, Kobe-Hanshin, and Awaji regions of Hyogo Prefecture [1]. The prefecture has established the ‘Hyogo Soushi-Soumai Project’ (meaning mutual understanding and cooperation in rice cultivation) to coordinate between developers, producers, sellers, and consumers [1]. Distribution will commence through local retail stores across the prefecture, making this climate-adapted rice accessible to Hyogo residents [1].