This reports on the institutional journal "International Agriculture and Forestry Cooperation" Vol.47 No.4 published by the Japan Association for International Collaboration of Agriculture and Forestry (JAICAF).
This issue features agriculture and forestry cooperation and environmental conservation in Latin America, with detailed reports on cooperation cases in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Central American countries including forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity protection. Particularly, cooperation activities are emphasized regarding Amazon rainforest conservation and sustainable use, Andean highland agriculture technical improvement, and quality improvement of cash crops such as coffee and cacao.
From climate change countermeasure perspectives, cases are introduced including REDD+ (forest degradation and deforestation prevention) initiatives, carbon sequestration technology dissemination, and climate change adaptation agriculture promotion, with cooperation approaches developed aiming to balance global environmental conservation and regional development. Additionally, forest management through collaboration with indigenous communities and utilization and conservation of traditional agricultural knowledge are reported.
In agricultural technical cooperation, initiatives are introduced including organic agriculture dissemination, soil improvement technology introduction, irrigation system improvement, and agricultural product value addition, with support provided toward smallholder farmer income improvement and rural economic revitalization.
The article shows that Japan's agriculture and forestry cooperation in Latin America emphasizes harmony between environmental conservation and sustainable development, contributing to regional sustainable development through comprehensive approaches considering local social, cultural, and environmental conditions.