IDACA Executive Director’s Inaugural Message

To Achieve Food Security in Asia

New Executive Director Hirofumi Kobayashi
receiving a memento from the leader of JICA
Malaysia Marketing Course

I assumed the post of Executive Director of IDACA on November 1, 2019. Since its establishment in 1963, IDACA has accepted 6,500 agricultural cooperative leaders and government officials from developing countries for training and has dispatched specialists to various countries in the world on short-term and long-term assignments. I received the baton from my predecessors who exerted efforts toward establishing these projects, and I feel very humbled.

Since joining JA-ZENCHU, where I hail from, I have worked in the field of advocacy on international agricultural policy issues, organized the Asian Farmers’ Group for Cooperation (AFGC) in 1999 as a framework for discussing agricultural issues in Asia, and participated in the preparation of the establishment of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) in 2011. Recently, I have been serving as one of the Japanese members of the APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security.

Born to a farming household in Hokkaido, I myself understand from experience how much hardship a farmer challenging globalization is going through. Under such circumstances, I have devoted myself to make sure that Japanese and Asian agricultural models can show their presence within the framework of global agricultural policy so that farmers can continue their businesses with pride.

As Executive Director of IDACA, I still believe that farmers’ organizing and participating in business operations of agricultural cooperatives are one of the important solutions for farmers to develop sustainable agriculture. With Asia, where the economy and society are evolving dynamically, as center stage, I intend to do what I can, thinking about how IDACA can contribute as a part of the JA Group.