Promoting Enterprise Activities for Women

At JA Hida, with members of JA Women's Association

On behalf of ICA, IDACA held the ICA/JAPAN Training Project for the “Promotion of Sustainable Enterprises for Rural Women” from August 25 to September 20, 2008.

The project brought together 12 leaders of agricultural cooperatives from six countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines and Thailand.

They listened to lectures on organization and businesses of the JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Group, activities of the JA Women's Association and cases of rural women enterprises, merchandise development in agro-processing and the marketing method. In the study visit, the participants visited JA Hida, JA Gifu, JA Gifu Prefectural Union and JA Narusawa-mura. There, they shared information with members of the JA Women's Association and saw for themselves new businesses rural women developed while visiting through JA's direct sales shops and farmers' market as well as facilities of JA and JA Zen-noh (National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations) Gifu Prefectural head quarters.