Kyoko Akasaka, International Development Center of Japan Inc.

Job details

I am working on a JICA project aiming to promote improved techniques for rainfed lowland rice production in Ghana, West Africa. Since most of rice production in Ghana is rainfed with low productivity and production, we have developed a rice extension guideline including rice production handbook and disseminate it to increase yield and improve quality of rice by using Japanese rice production techniques. The tasks I am engaged in are more practical than research. I utilize the expertise I have gained in the past research and in other fields as well to conduct training for Ghanaian beneficiaries. Also, I am responsible for administrative tasks that are necessary to conduct those training.

What do you find rewarding about your job?

I feel rewarded when I see Ghanaian farmers getting excited to see the increase in production using the improved technique they learned from our training. I also feel rewarded when I find that Ghanaian officers and extension agents in Agricultural Department in the target districts become confident in our technique and train farmers. During my third year in the university, I joined the volunteer at an orphanage in Kenya and worked for their home vegetable garden whose soil looked unfertile. This experience motivated me to learn soil science in the university so that I could work for improving food production in African countries in my future. Africa has much room for further development, such as increasing agricultural production, marketing, postharvest treatment, food processing and so forth. I feel it is worthwhile to be able to contribute in these areas.

Advice to students?

I think it is never too late to choose your career path after having working experiences in other areas if you want to work in International Cooperation. However, if you are considering International Cooperation or working in developing countries at an earlier stage, I think it would be better to decide which field you want to be involved in beforehand. I think you would be able to work with confidence and satisfaction when becoming a specialist in that chosen field in International Cooperation. When you hear working in a developing country, you might get the impression that it is dangerous or hard. But in actuality, people were very kind, and there were many countries offering hospitality at the same level as Japan or even higher. So, I would like for you all to challenge in this field of International Cooperation.