Report of ERECON Extension Programs in 2022
Following extension programs were implemented in theprogram year of 2022 from 1 April 2022 to the end of March 2023.

the risk of climate change and other disasters, and are interested insustainably managing the forest. However, the knowledge andtechniques could be more extensive. Accordingly, this projectprovides the local residents the opportunities for reforestation
activities to recover biodiversity and workshops for deepening
knowledge on approaching to sustainable forest management andenvironmental conservation. The reforestation activities wereconducted at three elementary schools in Mondulkiri Province andtwo elementary schools in Kratie Province. Forest Management
Group formed in each project area has been taking care of the plantedtrees and is expected to continue managing the trees.

1. Program on Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservationin Asian Countries
1-1 Strengthening National Biodiversity and Forest Carbon
Stock Conservation through Landscape-based Collaborative
Management of Cambodia’s Protected Area System as
Demonstrated in the Eastern Plains Landscape, CAMPAS(Phase 6)
This project aimed to establish the system of community-based
forest management and rehabilitation in community protected areas(CPA) located in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri Provinces, Cambodia. In
2021, a series of workshops were conducted in the target areas toenhance community awareness and understanding of reforestationand habitat restoration. Reforestation activities under the project werecompleted by June 2022, but monitoring activities in collaboration
with local residents are continuing as a following-up.

Photo. 2 Reforestation activity in Kampong Cham Province,Cambodia (Project 1-2)

Photo. 1 Monitoring activity in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia(Project 1-1)
1-2 Project of Reforestation for Sustainable Forest Managementin Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia (Phases 3 and 4)
The local residents in Kampong Cham Province have faced
hardships with climate change impacts, such as droughts andflooding because of low-density forests. This project aims to promotereforestation activities in pagodas and elementary schools withresidents. It is expected to contribute to the conservation andmanagement of the forest for promoting the objective of “Sustainable
Forest Management” in SDGs No. 15. The reforestation activities
were conducted on public land around the lake of Prey Chhor Districtin Phase 3, and one elementary school and one pagoda in Chamkar
Loeu District in Phase 4. Also, through the workshop on the“Importance of Forest”, the residents learned why trees are crucial
for our livelihoods and its benefits. Each area has formed a Forest
Management Group for managing and monitoring the planted trees.

Photo. 3 Reforestation activity in Kratie Province,Cambodia (Project 1-3)
1-4 Project on Promoting Reforestation for Rehabilitating Rural
Environment in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia(Phases 2 and 3)
In Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia, eight species of 10,000
native trees were planted in 10 districts in collaboration with 493
local people, aiming to restore the environment of rural areas forfuture generations. The workshop on “Importance of Forest andBiodiversity Conservation” was also conducted for local people. In
Phase 2, the planted sites were being managed by the Forest
Management Groups formed with local residents. Based on thequestionnaire survey conducted to the participants, all people wereaware of how important it is to increase the forest resources in theircommunity, and the half of them widely understood the multibenefits (economically, environmentally, and socially) of the forest.

1-3 Project on Greening for Satoyama Regeneration in Eastern
Cambodia (Phase 2)
Biodiversity was abundant in the past in the northeastern part ofCambodia, Mondulkiri and Kratie Provinces, however, it has been
severely damaged due to deforestation and forest degradation causedby land conversion and illegal logging. Local residents are aware of１

These results testified to the importance of forest environmental
education with tree planting activity at the grassroots level. In Phase3, the project continues to promote reforestation activity across ten
districts in Kampong Cham Province, and local people are preparing
the planting seedlings under the supervision of the Provincial
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

2-2 Consultation Services for the Promotion of ResourceRecycling Agriculture in Kampong Cham Province,
Cambodia
ERECON Institute provides consulting services based on
cumulated experiences and knowledge from many years of local
activities in Southeast Asian countries. In 2022, in response to theinquiry from the Japan Water Agency, Extension Center of ERECON
Institute arranged their visits to some project sites under Japanese aidand meetings with the director of the Provincial Department ofAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia, other relevant
officers, and local farmers to discuss the current agricultural situationand challenges for rural development in Cambodia.

Photo. 4 Reforestation activity in Kampong Cham Province,Cambodia (Project 1-4)
2. Program on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in AsianCountries
2-1 Project on Capacity Building and Women’s Empowerment ofAgricultural Cooperative through Production and Sales ofSafety Agricultural Products by Promoting Sustainable
Agriculture in Sre Santhor District, Kampong ChamProvince, Cambodia (Phase 2)
Thirty local farmers who were eager to learn sustainableagricultural practices were selected and received the compost boxes
and tanks for initiating sustainable agriculture in Phase 2. The
Agricultural Cooperative (AC) in Srei Santhor District has formed
and tried to run gradually. In 2022, there were many difficulties inrunning AC by themselves, however, they successfully organized theAC Annual Assembly Meeting with the support of the Provincial
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and ERECON.
The biggest outcome from the activities in 2022 was starting thecollaboration with one of the biggest fresh vegetable distributing
companies after their visits to AC members’ farms and the discussion
with AC board members. ERECON concluded the MoA with thecompany on behalf of AC for the continuous strengthening Srei
Santhor AC.

Photo. 6 Interview to local farmers in Kampong Cham Province,Cambodia (Project 2-2)
3. Program on Environmental Education in Asian Countries

Photo. 7 School greening in Tbong Khmum Province,
Cambodia (Project 3-1)
3-1 Project on Promoting School Environment Greening aiming
for Forest Environmental Education in Tbong KhmumProvince, Cambodia (Phases 1 and 2)
In Tbong Khmum Province, mixed forest, which was thetreasure trove of biodiversity, has lost significantly due to the hugeland conversion mainly to rubber plantations. Environmental
education for children is needed in order to strengthen the foundation
for future forest conservation. Therefore, this project promotes agreen environment in primary schools and forest environmental
education to local students and residents. In addition to the workshop
on “Importance of Forest and Biodiversity Conservation”, the“Forest Management” competition was held at each school in orderto encourage students to voluntarily participate in tree management.
In 2022, Phase 1, the majority of schools showed a high level ofPhoto. 5 General meeting of Agricultural Cooperative in
Sre Santhor District of Kampong Cham Province,Cambodia (Project 2-1)

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participation in tree management, and the average surviving rate ofseedlings in 10 schools was more than 80%. In the year 2023, Phase2, the project continues to promote forest environmental education at
16 primary schools in Tbong Khmum Province, and school
principals, teachers, students, and their family members are preparing
the planting seedlings.

3-4 International Green Volunteer Training in Cambodia
The International Green Volunteer Training was conducted from24 to 28 February 2023 in Cambodia. The training tour wasorganized by ERECON Institute under the Green Fund of theNational Land Afforestation Promotion Organization. This training
aimed to deepen the understanding and knowledge of Japanesetrainees on the importance of the forest through reforestation activity
and environmental education. Ten Japanese trainees attended various
lectures regarding forest management and conservation in Cambodia,
visited several reforestation project sites, and conducted reforestation
activities with local residents. Also, the field appraisal was conductedin collaboration with a local university. Based on the topics, 10trainees were divided into three groups and conducted interviews/
questionnaire surveys to local residents to collect raw data. The
outcomes from the field appraisal were presented at the final sessionin Royal University of Agriculture. Through this training, theJapanese trainees and Khmer buddies (local university students)
learned about the current status and backgrounds of forest
deforestation in Cambodia and deepened their understandings on theimportance of environmental symbiosis, especially with forests, forsustainable development.

3-2 Internship on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture
ERECON Headquarters conducted the internship on promoting
sustainable agriculture from March 2022 to the end of May 2022.
One Cambodian trainee was accepted to be in this internship andreceived various practical trainings on soil conservation, water
rehabilitation, reforestation for biodiversity conservation, and its
extension methods for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Photo. 8 Internship on promoting sustainable agriculture
at ERECON in Tokyo, Japan (Project 3-2)
3-3 JICA Nikkei Training
Mono-culture farming has been widely adapted for producing
cash crops in Latin America. As it has degraded soil conditions, localresidents have increased their awareness of the importance of soil
conservation for sustainable agriculture. With the support of JICA,
this course was arranged for Nikkei people, who are descendants ofJapanese families. ERECON Headquarters accepted a Nikkei trainee
from Peru for JICA Nikkei Training, which was held from May toNovember 2022. Due to COVID-19, the training was conducted
remotely from May to July, but the face-to-face training was done
from August onwards. In the course, the trainee learned methods andtechniques of sustainable farming practices, soil conservation, project
cycle management, etc. Additionally, a picture book illustrating
mining and nature was created by the trainee and e-published. The
trainee is expected to apply the knowledge and techniques gained in
the training to agriculture in his home country, Peru.

Photo. 10 Field appraisal conducted in Kampong Cham Province,
Cambodia (Project 3-4)
3-5 Evaluation on World Bank Project of Cambodia Higher
Education Improvement
The Higher Education Improvement Project (HEIP), aiming toimprove the quality and relevance of higher education and researchmainly in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics and Agriculture at targeted higher education institutions,has been implemented since April 2018 with the financial support of
the World Bank. In the program year of 2022, the intermediate
evaluation was conducted, and ERECON President Prof. Dr. Machito
MIHARA was appointed as an inspector for evaluating the programsof Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Faculty of Agronomy,
Royal University of Agriculture. After reviewing the achievement
reports from each faculty, interviewing faculty members and students
as well as observing research and educational facilities supported byWorld Bank were conducted from 22 to 24 March 2023. Theevaluation reports were summarized from viewpoints of achievementlevel and sustainability of higher education systems, and submitted tothe World Bank through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport,
Cambodia.
(Kumiko KAWABE and Keiko AOKI, Extension Center)

Photo. 9 Vegetable cultivation with sustainable farming practices
at ERECON farm in Tokyo, Japan (Project 3-3)

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