第47回Rice Field Seminarの特別企画。JICA海外協力隊の濵嶋と村井がガーナから活動の進捗を報告。両名とも食用作物・稲作という職種でガーナ灌漑局に所属し、1000ha規模の灌漑地区を管轄する現地事務所に着任。水稲生産に取り組む小規模農家への技術支援が主な業務。想定されていた活動は様々な事情で立ち消えになったものの、自らの興味と能力を糧に独自のプロジェクトを立ち上げる。まもなく帰国する濵嶋は、農家と業者への聞き取り調査から担当地区のコメ流通構造を明らかにし、農家の収益構造の改善案を提案する。着任したばかりの村井は、担当地区のデジタルマッピングやパッケージデザインの改良を通じて、水利費の納入率向上を目指す。研究経験を活かした大学院生らしい協力隊活動。
JOCV Progress Report from Ghana
A special program of the 47th Rice Field Seminar. JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Hamajima and Murai presented progress reports on their activities from Ghana. Both serve in the position of food crops/rice cultivation and are affiliated with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, assigned to local offices that oversee irrigation schemes of 1000-hectare scale. Their main responsibilities are technical support to smallholder farmers engaged in paddy rice production. While originally anticipated activities dissolved due to various circumstances, they established independent projects based on their own interests and abilities. Hamajima, approaching the end of his service, has elucidated the rice distribution structure of his assigned scheme through interviews with farmers and traders, and proposes plans for improving farmers’ income structure. Murai, recently arrived at her post, aims to increase water fee payment rates through digital mapping of her assigned scheme and improvement of rice package design. These represent graduate student-like volunteer activities that leverage research experience.