Report of ERECON Extension Programs in 2023 (Extension Center)
Following extension programs were implemented in theprogram year of 2023 from 1 April 2023 to the end of March 2024.

in Kratie Province. Monitoring activities conducted in December
revealed a 90% survival rate of seedlings in community conservation
areas and a 95% survival rate in the elementary school. The results ofthese survival rates indicated effective managements were conductedby the afforestation management group. Additional monitoring
activities, including supplementary planting activities, will beconducted in June 2024.

1. Program on Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservationin Asian Countries
1-1 Project of Reforestation for Sustainable Forest Managementin Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia (Phases 4 and 5)
The local residents in Kampong Cham Province have faced
various hardships due to climate change impacts, such as droughts
and flooding caused by low-density forests. Therefore, this project
aims to promote sustainable forest management by implementing
tree-planting activities and workshops at pagodas and elementary
schools, which are deeply rooted in the lives of residents. It is
expected to contribute to the conservation and sustainable
management of the forest for advancing the goal of “Sustainable
Forest Management” outlined in SDGs No. 15. A planting activity ata pagoda in Batheay District was conducted in September 2023.
After planting, the afforestation management group continued tocarry out monitoring activities; however, as the planted area wasflooded due to heavy rainfall immediately after planting. Accordingly,
the result of seedling survival rate was only 50% in January 2024.
We are planning to carry out further tree planting throughsupplementary planting activities scheduled in June 2024.

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

Photo. 1 Monitoring activity in Kampong Chan Province,Cambodia (Project 1-1)

Photo. 3 Reforestation activity in Kampong Cham Province,Cambodia (Project 1-3)

1-2 Project on Greening for Satoyama Regeneration in Eastern
Cambodia (Phases 2 and 3)
Biodiversity was abundant in the past in the northeastern part ofCambodia, such as Mondulkiri, and Kratie Provinces; however, sincethe 1970s, priority has been given to economic development andforest resources have continued to be expropriated. Deforestation andforest degradation caused by land conversion and illegal logging
have severely degraded biodiversity in the region. Therefore,tree-planting activities were conducted in Kratie and Mondulkiri
Provinces to restore Satoyama landscapes, where people and nature
can coexist. In August 2023 during Phase 3, tree-planting activities
were carried out at the community conservation area in Mondulkiri
Province and at an elementary school in Kratie Province. In thecommunity conservation area, 42 residents participated in planting
activities, while 65 people, including students and teachers,
participated in planting activities at Meak Kandal Elementary School

1-3 Project on Promoting Reforestation for Rehabilitating RuralEnvironment in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia(Phase 3)
In Kampong Cham Province, a collaborative effort involving
558 local residents led to the planting of 5 species of native trees
across 10 districts, with the aim of restoring rural environments forfuture generations. Furthermore, a workshop titled “The Importanceof Forest and Biodiversity Conservation” was held for the localcommunities. During Phase 3, the planted sites have been under themanagement of Forest Management Groups comprised of residents
from each reforestation site. These groups play a central role invarious management practices, including weeding, watering, pruning,and partially setting up protection nets. Moreover, local residents
conducted replanting activities based on the survival rates observed
at each site. Over the past three years, starting from 2021, greening
and extension activities have been promoted in over 30 planting sites

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across all 10 districts of Kampong Cham Province. Looking ahead,
we plan to maintain our collaboration with the Kampong Cham
Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to carryout follow-up inspections and surveys. These will include monitoring
the growth status and survival rates at each reforestation site.
Furthermore, we aim to encourage local residents to adopt effective
management practices through ongoing dissemination of the multiple
benefits derived from forests.

the region. In detail, local residents contribute labor and materials tocover about 20% of the construction costs. This contribution will berefunded to the community as a “Development Fund” to aid in thefuture maintenance of the school. Two buildings at 2 elementaryschools were constructed in Phase 1 in Dambae District, Tbong
Khmun Province. An inauguration ceremony was conducted inMarch, during which the new school building was officially handed
over to the school. The event was attended by supporters, including
the Nippon Foundation, the Deputy Governor of Tbong Khmun
Province, and government officials from Tbong Khmun Provincial
Education, Dambae District, among others. Community development
projects utilizing the funds will soon be initiated. There is anexpectation that the development fund committee will take a central
role in launching a community business, with the profits directed
towards enhancing the educational environment. The success of thisproject hinges on the strong commitment of local residents, asexternal support will not be provided without self-help endeavors.
Our objectives include fostering ownership among local residents,
establishing a sustainable school environment, and implementing
sustainable rural development projects in the region.

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 3)
The project has offered technical guidance on sustainableagriculture utilizing natural resources for local farmers in Srey
Santhor District, Kampong Cham Province. Additionally, efforts
were made to enhance the capacity of the Agricultural Cooperative(AC). During the project's last year, agricultural experts from “TheNew Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited” wereinvited to solve farm management issues, particularly plant diseases,
and to facilitate collaboration with companies specializing in organic
produce. We believe that AC members have developed a certain levelof proficiency in cooperative management of the cooperative evenafter the termination of the project. Future challenges include
stabilizing transactions with companies and improving water quality/
quantity for irrigation as a farming concern. Our plan involves
conducting regular follow-ups even after the project term, andoffering ongoing support to the Srey Santhor Agricultural
Cooperative to ensure their continued independent activities.

Photo. 5 School construction in Tbong Khmun Province,
Cambodia (Project 2-2)3. Program on Environmental Education in Asian Countries
3-1 Project on Promoting School Environment Greening aimingfor Forest Environmental Education in Tbong Khmum
Province, Cambodia (Phases 2 and 3)
In Tbong Khmum Province, mixed forests, once rich inbiodiversity, have significantly dwindled due to large-scale land
conversion, particularly to rubber plantations. There is a need forenvironmental education targeting children to strengthen thefoundation for future forest conservation efforts. Thus, the project
aims to enhance the green environment of elementary schools anddeliver Forest Environmental Education to local students andresidents. Besides the workshop on the “The Importance of Forest
and Biodiversity Conservation,” each school hosts a competition on“Seedling Management” to encourage students’ participation in treemanagement. During Phase 2, the majority of schools demonstrated
increased participation in tree management, with an average seedlingsurvival rate exceeding 80% across all 16 schools. Phase 3 of theproject continues to advance Forest Environmental Education, notonly through greening activities but also by producing tree seedlings
at model schools and conducting workshops for elementary school
teachers on developing “Nature Games” as an environmental

Photo. 4 Field survey on plant disease protection with agriculturalexperts from New Zealand in Sre Santhor District ofKampong Cham Province, Cambodia (Project 2-1)
2-2 Project of Community Development through School
Construction and Renovation in Tbong Khmun Province,
Cambodia (Phase 1)
The objective of this project is to cultivate a sense of ownershipamong local residents by engaging them in providing labor services
for school construction and renovation projects in rural areas ofCambodia. Additionally, the project aims to nurture a sustainable
school environment and facilitate sustainable rural development in２

education tool. These games are anticipated to be integrated into
school curricula. Activities such as field surveys, preparation forseedling production at schools, and planning for extension activities
are currently ongoing.

Development (ESD) for local residents will be promoted through aseries of workshops aiming at deepening their understanding of land
management and raising awareness of environmental issues in theircommunity. Ultimately, the community is expected to further discuss
a community development plan focused on the sustainable utilizationof natural resources. Phase 1, initiated in January 2024, commenced
with a kickoff meeting with the Siem Reap Provincial Department ofAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, where the project aims wereshared. Activities such as field surveys, establishment of nurseries
and compost pits, and preparation of seeds for seedling production
are currently in progress.
3-3 International Training for Green Volunteers in Cambodia
The International Training for Green Volunteers was conductedfrom 7 to 14 March 2024 in Cambodia. The training tour wasorganized by the ERECON Institute with support from the GreenFund of the National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization.
The aim of this training was to deepen the understanding andknowledge of trainees from Japan on the importance of the forest
through reforestation activities and environmental education. Ten
Japanese trainees attended various lectures on forest management
and conservation in Cambodia, visited several reforestation projectsites, and engaged in reforestation activities alongside local residents.
The ten trainees were divided into three groups according to theirinterests, and conducted interviews and questionnaire surveys tolocal residents for collecting data. Through this training, the Japanesetrainees learned about the current status and context of forest
deforestation in Cambodia and deepened their understanding of theimportance of symbiotic relationships, especially with forests forsustainable development. The outcomes from the field appraisal wereshared to the students of University of Heng Samrin Thbongkhmum
and discussed in detail, and the final presentation was held in Phnom
Penh.

Photo. 6 Forest Environmental Education in Tbong Khmum
Province, Cambodia (Project 3-1)

Photo. 7 Meeting with the Siem Reap Provincial Department ofAgriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Siem Reap,Cambodia (Project 3-2)
3-2 Project on Promoting Reforestation and Education for
Sustainable Development in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia(Phase 1)
In Siem Reap Province, the major factor contributing todeforestation is the economic growth in the agricultural and tourism
industries since the civil war ended in the 1970s. In recent years,
nearly half of the forests presented in 2000 have vanished, primarily
in the northern hills and mountains. Moreover, nearly 80% of theprovincial population residing in rural areas, where access toadequate knowledge and resources is limited, jeopardize theirlivelihoods through unplanned consumption of wood materials,
participation in illegal logging, or forest fires to clear land for
temporary farmland use. Hence, the project aims to promotereforestation in the northern Banteay Srei District, which has
experienced forest resource depletion due to rapid agriculturaldevelopment. Forest regeneration will be encouraged through theadoption of an agroforestry system, which involves cultivating
indigenous trees and enhancing carbon sequestration using localorganic resources. Furthermore, Education for Sustainable

Photo. 8 Closing ceremony after the final presentationin Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Project 3-3)
3-4 ESD Training and Internships in ERECON Headquarters
During September 2023, four graduate students from Tokyo
University of Agriculture attended the ERECON ESD training
session focused on water quality assessments with GIS integration.
During the training, participants conducted measurements of watertemperature, pH, NO3-N, and PO4-P in the Tama River watershed ofTokyo. They were instructed on recording measured values andcapturing photographs of each survey site as georeferenced datapoints using the QField smartphone app. Later, on 20 October 2023,

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three of the training participants attended a GIS Seminar conductedat the ERECON Administrative Center. They were then taught how
to process the data for subsequent analysis, upload it into QGIS, andcompute NDVI. Following that, the participants were instructed on
preparing data layers in QGIS for survey collection using the QField
mobile app., uploading prepared layers into QField, and recording
survey data in QField using their smartphones, as they had
previously practiced during the September field training. Finally,
participants practiced re-importing data back into QGIS foradditional analysis, which involved linking survey point data withNDVI values derived from satellite data. As part of the post-seminarfollow-up, participants were given supplementary QGIS notes andexercises.
Concurrently with the aforementioned activities, the ERECON
Institute arranged an internship program for three undergraduate
university students, involving them in greening and beautification
efforts in the Onoji Satoyama. This served to deepen theircomprehension of the importance of Satoyama conservation. As partof their internship, the students also took part in the Global FestaJAPAN 2023, where they gained insights into the role of NGOs in

global environmental conservation and international cooperation.

Photo. 9 ERECON ESD training on water quality assessmentswith GIS integration in Tokyo, Japan (Project 3-4)
(Kumiko KAWABE and Keiko AOKI, Extension Center)４