Category: Information

From September 22nd to November 15th, Phillip Kapulula from the University of Malawi was accepted as a short-term foreign researcher at the Tokyo University of Agriculture.
He visited Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture and Saku City in Nagano Prefecture. In order to contribute to the realization of landscape monitoring using UAVs, which is one of the core elements of the integrated natural resource management system in Malawi, we gained knowledge about automatic waste identification technology using UAV images, which is essential for managing village landscapes as a tourism resource. In addition, in order to help promote community-based tourism in Malawi, we acquired knowledge and techniques about tourism that utilize livelihoods such as agriculture and fisheries based on a survey of advanced examples of community-based tourism, especially agritourism.

From September 2nd to October 23rd, Happy Mussa, Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho:MEXT) Scholarship Student from Kagoshima University, conducted research in Malawi.
He is conducting comparative research that combines participatory research on advanced cases in Japan with fieldwork on Lake Malawi. Based on the information he has obtained, he returned to Malawi once and conducted research for about two months. He conducted on-site research necessary to promote specific efforts to build a value-added distribution system and the sustainable and effective use of fishery resources through it, research on advanced cases, and research on fishery sociology and economics that are directly linked to fishery resource management and sustainable development in developing countries. He gathered a lot of information that will be useful in his future research.　

From August 8th to September 9th, 2024, Tamano Hayashi visited Malawi.
The final results of the Deadwood Assessment (DWA) were reported to seven Village Natural Resources Committees (VNRC) and village heads, and opinions were exchanged. Observed the activities of local organizations and innovators related to forest regeneration and had discussions with them. Discussed future research plans with Yasuko Kusakari and other members, including data collection for estimating distribution in LMNP.

From August 5th to 22nd, 2024, Hiromu Okazawa visited Malawi.
Visited the Malawi Mango Farm, surveyed the Sustainable Cape Maclear (SCM) plots and agroforestry areas, and conducted UAV surveys of farmland. Conducted UAV surveys of farmland and maintenance of meteorological observation equipment.

Survey in Sustainable Cape Maclear plots and Agroforestry areas（with Placid Mpeketula）

From June 27th to July 10th, 2024, Tetsu Sato visited Malawi.
The introduction of a diving computer for the design and maintenance of the artificial fishing reef (Chirundu) has significantly improved safety measures. A trial run of a new tour program by the tour guide association clarified areas for improvement and solidified the content of a short-term research program in Japan.

From April 4th to 18th, 2024, Shinichiro Kakuma visited Malawi.
Designed a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of fisheries resource management in the absence of fishery catch statistics. Discussed indicators with a local resource management organization, completed a prototype of the tool and tested the tool on the resource management organization. Installed an electromagnetic current meter on the lake bottom to observe the flow conditions around Chirundu for one year. Conducted observations using a CTD (vertical temperature, fluorescence intensity, and turbidity profiler) and a lake bottom topography survey using a Deeper (a simple fish finder).

From April 2nd to 23rd, 2024, Tetsu Sato visited Malawi.
The design and maintenance methods for artificial fishing reefs (Chirundu) have been almost completed, and able to formulate a future strategy for constructing the new Chirundu. Made progress in developing a new tour program centered on plantation tours, and have achieved great results in establishing a community-based strategy for managing protected areas.

From March 24, 2024, Talandila Kasapila from Lake Malawi National Parks and Wildlife arrived in Japan and enrolled in the Graduate School of Science and Engineering at Ehime University in April as an international student. The trainee, who plays a leading role in research into community-based protected area management and community sustainable development in Lake Malawi National Park, aims to utilize the principles of sustainability science and his accumulated experience to continue his research in the master’s program at the graduate school and obtain a degree. It is expected that he will utilize the knowledge he gained in Japan in the field of nature protected area management and sustainable development in Malawi after returning home, contributing to the continuation of the integrated natural resource management that the project aims to achieve.