1st ICA-Japan Training Course on “Improving Capacity of Rural Women”, Thailand and Japan, 12th November to 10th December
The 1st ICA-Japan Training Course on “Improving Capacity of Rural Women” was held in Thailand and Japan from 12th November to 10th December 2014. Ten women participants from nine countries, namely, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam attended the Training Course.
The main objective of the Training Course was to assist capacity building of leaders of rural women for promotion of more organized business activities in the countries of South-East Asia and South Asia regions.
Participants of 1st ICA-Japan Training Course on “Improving Capacity of Rural Women”
The part-I of the program – field study visits with a focus on observation of the activities of cooperatives/women groups and social institutions – was held in Thailand from 12th to 18th November in collaboration with the Cooperative League of Thailand (CLT), a member organization of ICA.
The part-II of the program held at the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA) from 19th November to 9th December included extensive classroom work and study visits to agricultural cooperatives in Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan. Lecture-cum-practical field study visits assignments were combined to impart necessary knowledge to the participants on the working of women’s associations and the general activities of agricultural cooperatives in Japan. Some of the key subjects covered at IDACA were: (a) Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Japan; (b) Women’s Associations of Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives; (c) Rural Women’s Entrepreneurship (marketing and local agro-processing); (d) Women’s Participation in the Rural Development; (e) Finalization and Presentation of Action Plans; and (f) Reporting and Evaluation.
In view of the experiences gained by the participants through class room lectures, field visits in Thailand and Japan, the participants were able to finalize/improve their Action Plans which they would be recommending to their respective organizations on return to their home countries.
An end-of-the Course Evaluation was conducted at the conclusion of the Training Course. The participants felt that the training course was very relevant for the women leaders of agricultural cooperatives in Asia and hence it should be continued. They also expressed their greatest appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Government of Japan for providing financial support for this Training Course. They hoped that the MAFF would continue to support this training program in the future also for the development of rural women in the developing countries.
The Training Course is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Government of Japan.
A Certificate of Participation was awarded to each participant at the concluding session held at IDACA in Tokyo on 9th December.
