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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

Japan International Volunteer Center

Improving the livelihoods of farming families through agriculture that supports the ecosytem (CLEAN)

Activity grant

Project Description

Approximately 70% of the people of Cambodia are engaged in agriculture, and the majority of residents in our target business areas are small-scale rice-farming families. With drought and floods in recent years, food supply has not kept pace with population increases, and many Cambodian farmers have lost farmland due to debt. In addition, other than rice, natural resources are in decline with deforestation as trees are felled to be used as firewood, and fish populations falling due to overfishing. There are also concerns regarding water pollution and health problems due to the improper use of chemical fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. Therefore, in our main business we aim to improve productivity in agricultural practices while practicing the effective and sustainable use of natural resources. In concrete terms, this means improving rice-harvesting technology and conducting training in the fundamentals of agriculture - for example, vegetable cultivation and compost production. We will also conduct training in areas including livestock breeding, fish breeding, mushroom cultivation, and food processing, with the aim of increasing profit for the local people. We will increase cooperation with farmers in the target regions and plant over 10,000 trees with a focus on pea trees. The efforts will educate farmers from more than 6,000 households about environmentally-friendly agriculture, improve the lives of people in the target regions, and help to restore and protect the region's natural resources.

Fields
Marine resources/foodPreservation of surface soil and forestsPreservation of biodiversity and ecosystem
Grant year
FY2010 Activity Grants
Grant term
3 years
October 2010 - September 2013
Grant amount
15,600,000 yen
Activity region
Siem Reap province; Phnom Penh city, Cambodia
Agricultural training for Cambodia's farming community

Overview of the Organization

Hiroshi Taniyama, Representative of the Board of Directors
Representative
Hiroshi Taniyama, Representative of the Board of Directors
Establishment
1980
Establishment Purpose
Everyone on the planet coexists with nature. To create a society in which people can live in harmony with the natural world, we aim to 1) participate in a range of international cooperation activities across the globe to support those forced into difficult societal circumstances who attempt to improve their lives, and 2), create new ways to live and relationships between people through environmental conservation and societal education activities.
Main areas of activity
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, South Africa, Sudan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Korea, Japan
Staff
88 full-time staff members, 2 part-time staff members, 1,245 full members
Annual operating budget
322.37 million yen in 2007, 332.46 million yen in 2008, 276.42 million in 2009
WEB site
http://www.ngo-jvc.net/
Recent activities
  • (1) Sustainable development
    Support local people in effectively preserving and using natural resources, and activities to create regional independence and a recycling-oriented society.
  • (2) Conflict resolution
    We conduct regional activities to protect human rights and promote reconciliation. In addition, through exchange with local people, we help prevent potential disputes.
  • (3) Relief and reconstruction in the event of disasters
    We support victims of conflict and disasters by providing relief and helping to rebuild local infrastructure.
  • (4) Creating networks among the local populace
    We conduct investigations and propose measures to address structural problems such as environmental problems, the North-South problem, and conflicts.