SIXTEEN Ifugao young leaders graduated this week under the second phase of a training program aimed at conserving globally important agriculture heritage sites (GIAHS) like the Ifugao Rice Terraces, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced on Thursday. They completed the course Satoyama Meister Training Program (ISMTP), which covers mentored research and sustainable development work such as preserving the rice terraces and adding value to local farming. The ISMTP is part of JICA’s technical cooperation for grassroots project. The first phase of the project, implemented in 2014-2017, focused on human resource development while the ongoing second phase, which will end in 2020, aims to strengthen the GIAHS Twinning for Sustainable Development of Communities in Ifugao Rice Terraces and Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi. Ifugao and Noto in Japan face similar challenges of engaging young farmers in sustainability initiatives of their respective agriculture heritage sites. “We’re confident that the mentored research work of young leaders in Ifugao will pave the way for sustainable development initiatives in their own communities and give direction to the next generation,” JICA Senior Representative Aya Kano said in a statement.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR