JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program trainees visited the Arid Land Research Center / IPDRE
On October 1, 2024, ten participants from the 2024 JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program on "Land, Water and Energy Management for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture in Dry Areas" visited the Arid Land Research Center (International Platform for Dryland Research and Education: IPDRE).
Professor Atsushi Tsunekawa, Director of the Arid Land Research Center and Deputy Director of IPDRE provided an overview of the center’s history and major initiatives. He emphasized how the center systematically tackles dryland issues through research.
The participants then toured the Arid Dome and exhibition areas in the center, where they received explanations about the research facilities, equipment, and plants cultivated on-site. During the tour, the trainees engaged in discussions, comparing the dryland divisions' dioramas with their home countries' climates and environments. They also showed keen interest in photographing other arid regions' cultural and lifestyle aspects. Comments from the participants included, "It's important to have such a collaborative environment where researchers both inside and outside the university work together," and "It is essential to introduce advanced research facilities and technologies in our own countries."
This training program, lasting about three and a half months since July, includes various technical training sessions held at Tottori University and other institutions in and outside Tottori Prefecture. This year, ten trainees from seven countries—Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Sudan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe—are participating, with Tottori University as their base, learning about sustainable and resilient land, water, and energy management from a multifaceted perspective.
