President: HATCHO
Nobumasa
(Professor Emeritus
, Kinki University)
The Association was established in January 1975 as a voluntary organization by a group of consulting companies with a strong interest in and high motivation for overseas agricultural and rural development. Later, in May 1977, it became a public incorporated association named Agricultural Development Consultants Association (ADCA), and in 2013 it became a general incorporated association, and now it consists of 3 regular members, 1 supporting member, and 11 cooperative supporting members.
Since the establishment of ADCA, the situation surrounding Official Development Assistance (ODA) and agriculture and rural areas has changed significantly. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was held in 1991, and many efforts are currently underway to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. However, the results are not always sufficient, and problems such as stable food supply, poverty, environmental degradation, and global warming are becoming more serious. Under these circumstances, there is an increasing need to improve living standards, prosper local communities, and preserve the environment in rural areas in developing countries, and I believe that the role of consultants in development cooperation is extremely important.
Japan's cooperation in agriculture and rural development initially focused on infrastructure development and related technical assistance, but over time it began to focus on capacity building (dissemination and training), income improvement and marketing, and support for measures against climate change and environmental degradation. In this context, the significance and role of Japan's agricultural development cooperation and the consultants who support it have also changed. For this reason, we believe that there is an urgent need to develop human resources capable of responding to various issues in agriculture and rural areas, improve their capabilities, and strengthen their competitiveness.
The Association will continue to work closely with government-related organizations to continue its active activities, such as collecting and organizing information and materials, developing human resources, coordinating overseas activities conducted by member companies, and implementing project finding.
I would like to conclude my remarks by asking for the further understanding, support, and cooperation of all parties concerned.