This reports on the institutional journal "International Agriculture and Forestry Cooperation" Vol.47 No.3 published by the Japan Association for International Collaboration of Agriculture and Forestry (JAICAF).
This issue features agricultural development and technical cooperation in Africa, with detailed reports on cooperation cases in sub-Saharan African countries including agricultural productivity improvement, irrigation technology dissemination, crop variety improvement, and agricultural mechanization. Particularly, initiatives for market-oriented agriculture promotion aimed at improving smallholder farmer income and women farmer capacity strengthening are emphasized.
Regarding agricultural technology development and dissemination responding to climate change, specific achievements are introduced including introduction of drought-resistant crops, dissemination of water-saving agricultural techniques, and utilization of agricultural meteorological information. These initiatives are implemented through cooperation with local agricultural research institutions and extension organizations, developing comprehensive approaches toward sustainable agricultural development.
From international cooperation perspectives, multifaceted cooperation activities are reported including technology transfer utilizing Japan's agricultural technology and experience, human resource development through training systems, and policy and institutional development support. These cooperation efforts contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly hunger eradication and sustainable agriculture promotion.
The article shows that Japan's international agriculture and forestry cooperation plays an important role in African regional agricultural development, contributing to sustainable agricultural system construction through practical technical cooperation and human resource development responding to local needs.