Name: Orkhan Naghizade
Course: Integrated agriculture and rural development through the participation of local farmers
Period: October 2 – November 19, 2016
Mr.Orkhan Naghizade is in the center
Some of the events happen in your life that you can never forget them. Visit to Japan is one of the most unforgettable experiments for me. I had a good chance to visit Japan in the framework of the training programmed «Integrated Agriculture and Rural Development Through the Participation of local Farmers» organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from October 2nd 2016 to November 19th 2016, almost 50 days.
During the training course in Japan, we got different kind of opportunities to improve our knowledge and skills about agriculture and rural development of Japan. So we got many subjects and lectures, practices, tests and intellectual games. These kind of activities was making easier our learning’s and more enjoyable. In our lectures, professors and teachers who have worked in agriculture for a long time gave us valuable knowledge. In addition to, JİCA experts who have worked in impelementing of projects in different countries shared valuable knowledges with us too. During the lectures, they were making an maximum effort how to deepen and widen our learnings. They were trying to answer all our questions without hesitation and wanting to be sure that our understanding are correct or not. After each lesson, we had a reflection part which we shared our thoughts and expectations about lecture.
All the lectures are many important and interesting for me. But especially agricultural cooperatives, farmer’s markets, facilitation techniques, agriculture extension service and extension methods, farmland consolidation were many interesting subjects for me. The knowledge gained from these lectures is an important contribution to the further development of agriculture in each country. I believe that we will apply successfully in our country what we have learned from this course. Besides that, I learned more Japanese National System and functions of the government. Now I understand better that in agriculture sector how plan, programs and projects are implemented by government and its organizations.
On the other hand, we had many visits to the different places of Japan at the framework of the training program. During the visit, we were meeting with officials, members of associations, farmers and villagers who are not farmers. Their attitudes and thoughts to the agriculture are indispensable source for me. Especially, when we were in Yoshikage village, we got a chance to apply our knowledge into the practice. We divided into different small groups. Each group did some research to examine how we can contribute to improve quality of Yoshikage villager’s life and solving challenges they were facing. After the research, we presented our findings as a listing what is going to be opportunities and threats for this village. It was a perfect experience for me.
When I were in Japan, I do not think that we only had a chance to improve our knowledge and experience about agriculture of Japan, I think it was also great opportunity for me to know more about history, traditions and customs of Japan. İn my opinion, one of the main reasons for the rapid progress of Japan had been mutual confidence and trust among people. This mutual trust should be an example for everyone.
In the end, I want to express my deep gratitude to the JICA and government of Japan giving me opportunity to take part in this training course and also thank to for the people’s hospitality of Japan.
