Report of ERECON Programs in 2016
Following programs were implemented in the program year of2016 from 1st April 2016 to the end of March 2017.
1. Program on environmental rehabilitation and conservationin Asian countries
1-1 Project on Encouragement for Rehabilitating Soil
Environment in Salt Affected Area of Northeast Thailand
In northeast Thailand, salt accumulation is a big environmentalconcern. Spreading deforestation has degraded soil qualities in thisarea. Accordingly, this project was conducted to rehabilitate soil
environment and to promote sustainable condition for agriculture insalt affected area of Khon Kaen Province. In 2016, reforestation
activity was implemented for promoting agro-forestry system.
1-2 Project of Green Promotion for Restoration of Satoyama inMondulkiri, Cambodia
This project aims to promote technologies and knowledge of
local residents on sustainable forest management for generating
income through harvesting non-timber forest products. The project
includes various workshops and reforestation activities with local
residents and school students in Mondulkiri Province. At the sametime, a set of training for planting trees and subsequent survey ofsurvival rate as well as additional tree planting was conducted.
1-3 Project of Reforestation for Biodiversity Conservation inKratie, Cambodia
Biodiversity has been severely damaged in Kratie Province ofEastern Cambodia due to sharp decrease and degradation of forest
owing to land conversion and illegal deforestation. This project deals
with reforestation activities through tree planting aiming at recoveryof biodiversity as well as enhancement of knowledge and techniquesof local residents on sustainable forest management andenvironmental conservation.

expected that the established management system contributes togeneration of stable local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation
through forest rehabilitation and conservation.
2. Program on sustainable use of natural resources in Asiancountries
2-1 Project on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources withConserving Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes in
Rural Areas of Cambodia (Phase 3)
In Cambodia, soil degradation and water pollution have become
serious problems due to illegal deforestation and excessive usage ofchemical fertilizers and pesticides. Accordingly, this project wasconducted to promote technology and knowledge on sustainable useof natural resources for conserving the socio-ecological production
landscapes in the provinces of Mondulkiri, Kampong Cham andBattambang. The project included various workshops andreforestation activities collaborated with local farmers andelementary school students including delivering pamphlets on forest
degradation and restoration. Also, the networking among theelementary schools in Mondulkiri, Kampong Cham and Battambang
Provinces was promoted.
2-2 Sustainable Rural Development through Natural Resource
Management and Organic Farming in Kratie Province inCambodia
This project aims to promote sustainable rural development
through natural resource management and organic farming in KratieProvince of Cambodia. There are 3 main activities; the first is
holding ESD school monthly for disseminating the concept of SDGs,
the second promoting adequate forest and natural resource
management including production of non-timber forest products, andthe third promoting organic farming including proper usage ofchemical fertilizers and pesticides. At ESD school, local farmers
were provided the opportunities to learn Khmer language,mathematics, in addition to environmental issues related to SDGs ona regular basis. Also, indigenous trees are planted in collaboration
with local farmers to improve bio-diversity in the forest.

Photo. 1 Reforestation activity in Kratie Province,Cambodia (Project 1-3)
1-4 Project on Promoting Participatory Management ofCommunity Forest in Nakhon Ratchasima, NortheastThailand
Natural forests are continuously decreasing due to land
conversion in Thailand. Also, biodiversity has been damaged due toinsufficient forest management. Deforestation is also observed inNakhon Ratchasima Province due to illegal logging and inefficientmanagement of forests. Accordingly, this project was implemented tosupport the reforestation activities of local residents, as well as toestablish participatory management system of community forest. It isPhoto. 2 Workshop on organic farming in Kratie, Cambodia(Project 2-2)
2-3 Project on Eliminating Global Warming by Soil Carbon Pool
It is indispensable to enhance the absorption and the reductionof GHG (greenhouse gas) in human activities. It is still at an earlystage in terms of actual practices of SCP (soil carbon pool) in
agricultural sectors, although the subject is attracting worldwide andcarbon offset is comparatively widely tackled. Accordingly, this１

project was conducted to deepen the recognition of the importance ofsoil carbon pool by local residents, visitors and volunteers throughholding various exhibitions at local events as well as information
dissemination on the internet.
2-4 Project on Planting Salvia, Machida City Flower, in Onoji
SATOYAMA “One of 100 Best Local Landscapes in Japan”
This program was implemented for enhancing attraction ofOnoji SATOYAMA, where is nominated only one in Tokyo as one of
100 best local landscapes in Japan. There are many visitors walking
around Onoji SATOYAMA. In this project, the flowers of salvia,
Machida City’s flower, was selected and planted for decorating
alongside of “Somen Street” with local residents and volunteers.
2-5 Project on Weekend Cleaning in Onoji SATOYAMA “One of
100 Best Local Landscapes in Japan”
The walking route of Onoji SATOYAMA is widely known as avisiting place by many hikers and also utilized as daily road for local
residents. However, the route has steep slope and slippery with fallen
leaves, especially for aged people and bicycle drivers. So, the routeshould be regularly cleaned by removing fallen leaves. Accordingly,the activity was implemented to keep the road clean in collaboration
with the local residents and school students.

organized by ERECON under the Green Fund of the National
Land Afforestation Promotion Organization. This training aimed todeepen Japanese trainees’ understanding and knowledge of theimportance of reforestation as well as afforestation, environmental
conservation and international environmental cooperation. Thetrainees attended some lectures about forest facts in Cambodia,
where the degradation of forest is the serious problem. The trainees
expressed their impression as ‘the experience was very new andunique to me as unlike our daily life’, and ‘I enjoyed theexperience of conducting reforestation and sharing the hours withthe local elementary school students’.

Photo. 4 Green Volunteer Training at ERECON reforestation
project site in Mondulkiri, Cambodia (Project 3-2)
3-3 Project on Human Resource Development for Soil Carbon Pool
Meister to Achieve Low-Carbon & Recycling-Based Society
There is a growing expectation among agriculture sectors thatcarbon pool in agricultural lands contributes to reducing greenhousegases. Accordingly, this project implemented to disseminate theimportance of carbon pool in agricultural land through variousexhibitions, such as Global Festival Japan 2016 an so on. Also, five
training sessions of Carbon Pool Meister course were opened and 26
trainees obtained diploma of Carbon Pool Meister. In addition, thediffusion via the internet website of UNDB-J (Japan Committee for
United Nations Decade on Biodiversity) was very successful since
the project was approved as a collaborating venture by UNDB-J.
3-4 NGO Intern Program
NGO internship program was conducted for capacity buildingof the youth in the field of international cooperation by being
involved in NGO’s activities. The intern of this year was engaged
in various projects not only in ERECON Headquarters but also inThailand and Cambodia. The intern accumulated the experiences ofvarious tasks in Administrative, Extension and Research Centers inERECON.
3-5 JICA ABE and PEACE Training Program
ERECON offered the training to two Ph.D. course students in
JICA project for the Promotion and Enhancement of the Afghan
Capacity for Effective Development (JICA PEACE) and two Mastercourse students in JICA project for the African Business Education
Initiative (JICA ABE), who study at Graduate School of Agriculture,
Tokyo University of Agriculture. The trainees could accumulate theexperiences on soil environmental evaluation and soil conservation
measures.
(Kumiko KAWABE, PM)

Photo. 3 Demonstration workshop in Kampong Cham,Cambodia (Project 3-1)
3. Programs on environmental education in Asian countries
3-1 Fundamental Survey on Setting up and Steering Agricultural
Training Center for Promoting Sustainable Agriculture inKampong Cham Province, Cambodia
This project was implemented to conduct fundamental survey
on setting up and steering agricultural training center for promoting
sustainable agriculture in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. As aresult of the survey, it became clear that setting up agriculturaltraining center in Kampong Cham Province is an appropriate placefor training the officers of PDA (Provincial Department ofAgriculture) and DOA (District Office of Agriculture) as well as
local farmers, as the agricultural conditions in Kampong Cham
Province is in the averaged level among neighboring provinces andthe learned farming practices can be easily disseminated to otherprovinces. Also in this project, a demonstration workshop andseminar were conducted with PDA and DOA officers as well as localfarmers. In addition, the guideline for promoting sustainableagriculture were openly shared with relevant stakeholders throughthe internet.
3-2 International Green Volunteer Training in Cambodia
The International Green Volunteer Training was implemented
from February 12 to 20, 2017 in Cambodia. The training tour was２