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In August 2015, I was elected the 14th president of JA-ZENCHU, and then I subsequently assumed the post of IDACA President.

I have come to take on a heavy responsibility amid a host of issues surrounding agriculture, rural areas, and the JAs in Japan. A resolution calling for “increasing the income of farmers,” “expansion of agricultural production,” and “revitalization of local communities” was adopted at the 27th JA National Congress (October 2015). With this reso-lution as the basic goal, we intend to strive toward establishing “cooperatives rooted in the local com-munities with food and agriculture as cornerstones” by implementing self-reforms through all-out efforts by the JA Group.

In addition, while we received a lot of support from officials of overseas cooperatives, we are still only halfway through with regard to reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Until the reconstruction has been completed, we intend to continue providing support in the spirit of mutual assistance, taking into full consideration the situa-tion of the disaster-affected areas and exerting to the fullest extent the strengths of the cooperatives, which are organizations based on ties between peo-ple.

IDACA, which is responsible for the internation-

al cooperation activities of the JA Group, was established in 1963 through the valuable efforts of Mr. Yasushi Hasumi, who served as the first presi-dent of JA-ZENCHU. IDACA was established to serve as a “place to foster solidarity in the interna-tional community by providing learning opportuni-ties within the agricultural movement in Japan for leaders engaged in cooperative movements in developing countries.”

IDACA has so far been providing training opportunities on the businesses and activities of

4771, Aihara-machi, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194-0211 Japan URL : http//www.idaca.or.jpTel: +81-42-782-4331 Fax: +81-42-782-4384 E-mail: idaca-idaca@j.email.ne.jp

No. 105Jan. 20, 2016

Greeting of the new IDACA President

Greeting of the new IDACA President ------------------ 1REPORTS ON TRAINING COURSES(1) FY2014 2nd ICA/Japan Training Course on “Fostering Core Leaders of Agricultural Cooperatives” --------------------------------------------- 2(2) FY2015 JICA Training Course on “Development of Agricultural Cooperatives and Improvement of Management Capacity” ----------- 3(3) FY2015 ICA/Japan Training Course on “Fostering Leaders to Reinforce Business Development of Agricultural Cooperatives” --------- 3

Contents(4) Training Course on “The Roles of Agricultural Cooperatives in Formation of Food Value Chain” for Strengthening Capacity Building in ASEAN FY2015 ------------------------------------------- 4INTERIM REPORT ON THE MYANMAR PROJECTReports from Myanmar------------------------------------ 5OTHER EVENTSImplementation of Fire Drills --------------------------- 7

Choe OkunoPresident, IDACA

President, JA-ZENCHU

Reception of a distinguished service award (for organizations) for cooperation in fire prevention work

emergency exits, and participated in an exercise on how to use fire extinguish-ers. At the end, they were allowed to try on fire protection clothing and took commemorative pictures with the fire department personnel!

Recognized for its daily disaster pre-vention initiatives, IDACA received a letter of appreciation from the chief of the Machida Fire Department during the “Disaster Prevention Festival” held at Wako University Potpourri Hall on November 17, 2015.

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JAs in Japan for officials of cooperatives in the world, centering on the Asian region, for more than half a century. IDACA has now reached a point where it has accepted more than 6,000 participants from about 120 countries. Among the participants of IDACA training courses, there are many people who are actively working as officials in important government positions or serving as leaders of the agricultural cooperative movement. In this way, human resources development training programs at

IDACA have also received high praise from abroad.

Moving forward, IDACA will continue to con-tribute to coexistence with countries centering on Asia as well as the world through training human resources who will lead the cooperative movement, and we intend to exert further efforts so that they will develop into people who understand agricul-ture and JAs in Japan very well.

(1) FY2014 2nd ICA/Japan Training Course on “Fostering Core Leaders of Agricultural Cooperatives”

REPORTS ON TRAINING COURSES

A total of 10 people from 6 countries including Bhutan participated in this training course aimed at fostering core leaders of agricultural cooperatives and farmers’ groups.

The participants arrived in Japan after complet-ing a 3-week program in Thailand. From March 16 to March 20, they studied such matters as the agri-cultural movement, businesses of agricultural cooperatives, and human resources development.

In Hyogo Prefecture, the participants visited the Hyogo Prefectural Union of Agricultural Coopera-tives, JA Awaji Hinode, JA Hyogo Minami, a women entrepreneurs group, a wholesale market, etc. and listened to valuable stories from leaders and people in charge of the places they visited. Additionally, the participants visited the home of the director of the Hyogo Prefectural Flower Cen-

ter where they had the opportunity to experience a Japanese home.

In addition to Hyogo Prefecture, the participants visited Yamanashi Prefecture where they were able to directly talk with JA member farmers. This became an excellent opportunity for them to deep-en their understanding of farm management and the roles of agricultural cooperatives for farmers.

Moreover, at JA Group Kanagawa Education Center, the participants heard about officer and employee education, and they were all impressed with the diversity of the training courses, training methods, and the enthusiasm of the employees.

At the end of the training course, each partici-pant completed his/her action plan and compiled the results of the training course, based on these experiences.

Visit to JA Group Kanagawa Education Center

(2) FY2015 JICA Training Course on “Development of Agricultural Cooperatives and Improvement of Management Capacity”

The study visit for the current fiscal year was arranged in Miyagi Prefecture with cooperation of JA Group Miyagi in the Tohoku region, the same region where last year’s visit in Fukushima took place. In the program the participants were much impressed with the efforts made by the farmers and the presence of JAs, especially following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

In addition to Asia and Africa, there were more participants from Eastern Europe this time, and 17

people from 16 countries participated in the train-ing course from May 10 to July 18.

Opportunities were offered to conduct field study visits in Miyazaki Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture. In a training program in Aya-cho, Miyazaki Prefecture, the participants were able to spend valuable time receiving briefings directly from relevant leaders on local development initia-tives promoted together by the JAs and the local government.

Together with the mayor of Aya-cho and the president of JA Aya-cho

This training course targets the more developed countries in Southeast and South Asia where the organization of agricultural cooperatives has relatively progressed. This fis-cal year marked the second time that this training course was held (period of imple-mentation: July 15 – August 8). With Mongolia joining the group this year, 8 staffs and officials of agricultural coop-eratives from 4 countries par-t ic ipa ted in the t ra in ing course. They comprehensively studied such matters as JA farm guidance, marketing

(3) FY2015 ICA/Japan Training Course on “Fostering Leaders to Reinforce Business Development of Agricultural Cooperatives”

With officials of JA Enshu-Chuo

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A training course titled “The Roles of Agricultur-al Cooperatives in the Formation of Food Value Chain,” a training course in Japan under the ASE-AN-Japan Capacity Building Strengthening Project, was held from August 16 through August 29, 2015. This training course is one of the projects that the ASEAN Secretariat has commissioned to JA ZENCHU. IDACA took charge of the management and implementation of the training course. In view of ASEAN economic integration, how to improve the quality of farm produce as commercial prod-ucts, preserve their freshness, attach added value to them, and thereby link them to increasing the income of farmers is an urgent issue for ASEAN member countries. Since it is difficult for farmers in various ASEAN countries who are primarily engaged in small-scale family farming to build a food value chain by themselves alone, it is neces-sary for producers’ groups and agricultural coopera-

tives to make coherent efforts.In this training course, how to promote the 6th

industrialization of agriculture as Japan’s experi-ence, establishment of the food value chain in the JA group, and rice, livestock, and horticulture were introduced. The role of wholesale markets, JA agri-cultural products direct sales system, and process-ing of agricultural products were introduced through lectures and visits. A total of 24 people from 9 of the 10 ASEAN member countries exclud-ing Singapore participated in the training course.

Field study visits were conducted in Gunma Pre-fecture, and the participants visited such places as the Gunma Prefectural Union of Agricultural Coop-eratives, JA ZEN-NOH Gunma Prefectural Head-quarters, Maebashi Total Wholesale Trade Market, Gunma Prefecture Wholesale Meat Market Inc., JA Maebashi City, JA Sawaisesaki, JA Agatsuma, and JA Kanra-Tomioka.

(4) Training Course on “The Roles of Agricultural Cooperatives in Formation of Food Value Chain” for Strengthening Capacity Building in ASEAN FY2015

Visit to JA ZEN-NOH R & D Center

business, credit business, mutual insurance busi-ness, and better living activity. In Tokyo and its suburbs, the participants visited JA ZEN-NOH Fresh Produce Marketing Corporation (Kanagawa Center), JA ZEN-NOH Research and Development Center, Tokyo Milk Kobo Pure, and Megmilk Snow Brand Ebina Plant. In mid-July, the participants vis-ited Shizuoka Prefecture, and toured such places as the Shizuoka Prefectural Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, Oigawa Fertilizer Plant of the JA Shi-zuoka Keizairen (Prefectural Economic Federation of Agri.Coops.), Shimizu Welfare Hospital of the JA Shizuoka Koseiren (Prefectural Welfare Federa-tion of Agri.Coop.), JA Enshu-Chuo, JA Oigawa, and Hamamatsu City Central Wholesale Market. In addition to learning about such matters as the initia-tives of the JA Shizuoka Group, the actual situation of welfare activities and elderly people’s welfare

activities in the prefecture, overview of JA purchas-ing business (fertilizers), agricultural promotion measures of single-purpose agricultural coopera-tives, and the mechanism of wholesale markets, the participants received various ideas that would lead to revitalizing agricultural cooperatives in their own countries. In particular, the participants were appar-ently impressed with the sincere attitudes and the hospitality shown by officials and lecturers at the sites they visited, and were pleased that they received encouragement to expand the cooperative movement in their country with the aim of reaching higher levels of achievement. Based on the valuable knowledge they acquired through this training course, the participants completed their action plans that would contribute to strengthening the activities of agricultural cooperatives in their own countries, and returned home on August 8.

1 Selection of Participants Toward Training in Japan

3 Holding of Training in Japan, Visiting Kinjiro’s Hometown

2 Cooperative Workshop and Conclusion of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)

We conducted a workshop on agricultural coop-eratives from August 4 to August 7 in Naypyitaw. The purpose of this workshop was to study about agricultural cooperatives in Japan in order to make

training courses in Japan effective. The Ministry of Cooperatives gave a lecture on “The Current Situa-tion and Issues of Agricultural Cooperatives in Myanmar,” while the CCS offered a lecture on “The Organization and Activities of the Central Council.” Participants were able to understand the current situation of cooperatives in Myanmar. They came up with such feedback as follows: “We were able to envision our future through the stories about Rochdale and Ninomiya Sontoku (also known as Kinjiro, a name at his infant stage)” and “We came to learn about the history of JAs in Japan.” In this way, we are able to learn about the current circumstances in which the farmers in this country are placed. The good news was that on the last day of the workshop, we were finally able to conclude a MoU.

Tadafumi Kigasawa, Director of IDACA Myanmar Office

Reports from MyanmarINTERIM REPORT ON THE MYANMAR PROJECT

With regard to the selection of partici-pants in the training course in Japan, while we were able to make the selec-tions through thorough discussions at the village selection meeting, we had a valuable experience in the village of Wundwin as the opinions of the monks were reflected in the selection process. In another village called Yangonpa, the men refused to allow women to partici-pate in this training course. However, after a long discussion, the women were finally allowed to participate.

We decided that participation by the village of Shinmacaw should be put off this fiscal year because it was too late for preparations. Therefore, a total of 10 persons participated, including three farmers each from the two villages, one field officer, one person

from the Central Cooperative Society (CCS), and two local staff members from the IDACA Myan-mar office.

Opening ceremony at an IDACA lecture room

Workshop at a hotel in Naypyitaw to learn about “cooperatives”

The training course was held from August 24 to August 29. In Sakurai in Odawara City, the birth-place of Ninomiya Sontoku, the participants lis-tened to a farmer who started joint use of agricul-

tural machinery, learned about the life and work of Kinjiro at the Ninomiya Sontoku Memorial Hall, and were moved once again upon seeing the pine trees along the banks of the Sakawagawa River

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Implementation of Fire Drills

OTHER EVENTS

After the March 2011 Great East Japan Earth-quake, public awareness of disaster prevention has increased, and IDACA has also conducted a review of its food stockpiles and improvement of supplies for stranded commuters, among other things. In addition, based on the Fire Ser-vice Act, buildings with accommodation are required to conduct periodic self-defensive fire drills. Personnel from the Machida Fire Depart-ment were invited to conduct a fire drill in March 2015 with the participants joining the drill. The participants engaged in the drill seri-ously, assuming that a fire actually occurred. They participated in an evacuation drill in which they evacuated from their own rooms through

4 I, too, Shall Become Kinjiro of My Village

5 Increased Awareness of Farmers Regarding This Project

planted by Kinjiro, as well as the rice growing in the paddies where extra seedlings have been plant-ed. The participants visited JA Kanagawa Seisho, JA Group Kanagawa Education Center, JA Hada-no, and farmers in the area of operation as obser-vation sites. They also visited Kamakura Agricul-tural Coop Vegetable Market from early in the morning and learned about its history and unique management method, the need for farmers to be business minded, and many other things in the actual field. Using this publication, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to all the people for their cooperation.

Visit to Ninomiya Sontoku Memorial Hall

Receiving a briefing on the introduction of mechanization from Mr. Ozawa of Sakurai Production Cooperative (above)

After returning home, the participants held report meetings in each village, and moreover, 120 farmers participated in report meetings held in townships. The farmers who participat-ed in the training course in Japan came to clearly understand the purpose of this project and the need for cooperative activi-ties, and they became active about the savings activities in which they are currently engaged. Those farmers who refer to Ninomiya Kinjiro, the pioneer of agricultural cooperatives in Japan, as their spiritual leader will likely overcome various dif-ficulties such as poverty and the lack of education by identify-ing themselves with Kinjiro.

Due to economic poverty, small-scale and pov-erty-stricken farmers who are the subjects of this project are in a situation where it is impossible for them to purchase farm machinery by themselves alone. However, through various workshops and training in Japan during the first year, as well as

participation in sharing workshops after they return home, the farmers have begun to recognize the importance of the mechanism of purchasing agricultural machinery by saving money together and making joint utilization of the machinery. Therefore, as a result of such factors as (1) the

Visit to a famer’s house in the area of operation of JA Kanagawa Seisho

Receiving a briefing on the history of direct sales shop from Mr. Kato of Kamakura Agricultural Coop Vegetable Market

Participants working on preparing material for presentations at report meetings

Participants engaged in a fire extinguisher exercise

Participants wearing fire protection clothing

reduction of production costs through the introduc-tion of farm machinery and (2) shortening of the time for farm work during harvesting, it has become possible to plant green gram (a type of bean) and other cash crops during the appropriate

time. While trying to increase agricultural income through this and effective utilization of money and time to spare generated from there, the recognition of the purpose of this project, which is to achieve a better life, has deepened among the farmers.