Program

* 1st Presentation (14:00 - 15:30) *

Thinking of the soil fertility in the developing country from the agricultural technology book (Nousho) in Edo period

Speaker :
Dr. Yukihiro Hayashi
(Professor, Department of International Development Studies, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University)

In the developing countries, if not dependent on the chemical fertilizer as the outside material, it is difficult to maintain the soil fertility. Has no choice but the sustaining of the soil fertility to depend on the outside material? Wisdom and methods with sustainable soil fertility by local resources are written at the agricultural book in Edo period. It examined whether or not these knowledge was effective with the solution of the problems of soil fertility in the developing countries.

* 2nd Presentation (15:30 - 17:00) *

Life Improvement Approach to Rural Development

Speaker :
Dr. Masami Mizuno
(Professor, Department of International Development Studies, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University)

Rural development is one of the major challenges to world poverty reduction. The Life Improvement (Kaizen) Approach that has been created based on the experience of Japan's rural development programs during the last several decades can teach us some important lessons relevant to promote the renewed MDGs in a few years. The approach puts emphasis on extending rural development activities to much wider areas so as to make multi-sector efforts toward rural well-being in a continual and continuous basis. The rural development process with the approach begins with using things already available in an individual locality. This can thus be implemented by anyone, any time, and anywhere with utilizing anything easily available. Of inherent importance to rural development in the Developing societies the Life Improvement Approach is in that it teaches us 'how' to advance development activities rather than 'what' types of activities to carry out.