Fieldwork

After a safe landing at Chubu Centrair International Airport, team of OFW2014 successfully completed their fieldwork in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia!

During the two week exploration, four working groups collaborating with advisors and research assistants from RUPP overcame various difficulties in the fieldwork and successfully collected data which they expected. More importantly, participants got opportunities to deepen their understanding of developing countries, to strengthen their team work spirit, to further practice skills for fieldwork and to establish new network for their future live and career! The followings photos show a review of OFW2014 in Cambodia! Last but not the least, our sincere gratitudes go to team from RUPP, related stakeholders in Kampong Speu Province and all who supported us for OFW2014!

From now on, each working group will focus data analysis and report writing. The final presentations about their final research findings will be made on Oct.29, 2014! Everyone is welcome!

July 25, 2014

The final presentations about research plan for DFW2o14 was held in this afternoon. Each group made presentation to show their research intersts, research questions, research methodologies and research schedules. After the presentations, group advisors and students raised various questions and provided constructive comments and suggestions for further revision. These presentations showed that there were still many information which our participants need to know and understand before they conduct the real fieldwork. Good luck to each group for the final preparation during summer break.

July 23, 2014

The last session of OFW2014 Preparatory Seminar was provided by Prof. Wataru Kusaka from GSID. In his lecture, Prof. Kusaka briefly introduced the relationship bewteen researchers and informants and the points needed attention for a sucessful fieldwork in the stages including Pre-departure, In the field and After research. Then, Prof. Kusaka shared his experiences as a master student in the fieldwork conducted in urban poor community in Metro Manila, Philippines from 2002 to 2003. Photos and descriptions about his “participatory observation” showed the exciting perspectives, difficulties and challenges for students and researchers in the fieldwork. Finally, each group shared their understanding about ethinic issues which they may need to pay attention during the fieldwork.

Also, in this session, we showed our appreciation to Dr. Naret from RUPP for his continuous support and instruction for this year’s OFW Preparatory Seminars. We look forward to seeing him again in the forthcoming fieldwork in August.

The preparatory seminars for OFW2014 was closed by distributing souvenir fees for each working group. Participants were happy to receive the fund for them to select souvenirs for their informants. Meanwhile, it also means that the real fieldwork is going to start soon.

Wish every group a safe and fruitful fieldwork!

July 16, 2014

Thanks to all participants’ hard works, each group shared their tentative research proposals in today’s preparatory seminar. Congratulations to all on your progress in the research proposal making! Good jobs!

Meanwhile, there are still many issues and points that each group should pay attention to further improve and revise.

Look forward to your finalized research proposals in two weeks!

July 11, 2014

Ethnical issues for development fieldwork is considered as one of the most important matters that we researchers have to keep in mind. Prof. Nishikawa introduced the basic concepts and principles for conducting fieldwork through a case study of Master student’s experience in fielwork.

“You are welcome to conduct fieldwork.” is the basic idea for us to rember. However, under such pre-condition, how can we deal with our interviees? how can be establish trust with our interviees? how should we ask questions?… Our students need to consider and practice in their fieldwork. DFW is just the platform for them to practice and learn.

July 9, 2014

NGOs have become one of the most important stakeholders in rural development of the developing world. However, there are many cases showed what NGOs did in the rural areas did not fit for local political relationship and even broke the trust between local residence and NGOs…

Ms. Sayaka Akiho, docotral student from University of Tsukuba, provided us an lecture about the issues mentioned above. The lectures started with a case study on agriculture technology assemination by NGO in rural areas of Takaev Province, Camboida. Then, Ms. Akiho introduced the process of the NGO project and analyzed the problem of the understanding of participation between local context and NGO’s approach. The contradictions embedded in development processes, between the conceptual forms based on western “participation” idea and actual implementation is constrained by local cutlure. he session was closed by Q & A between Ms. Akiho and participants of OFW.

July 4, 2014

In Interim Presentation of DFW2014, each group introduced their research topic and tentative research design. WG1 showed their interests in the role of education in promoting sustainability in Odai town. WG2 wanted to identify the impact of tea industry on Odai town and their challenges. WG3 focused on the abandoned forests and how forest-related organizations in Odai town are involved in dealing with problems of abondoned forests.

After each presentation, group supervisors and participants of other WGs raised questions and provided comments on each research design. We wish these helped our participants to have clearer ideas regarding their research topics and focuses. The final presentation on research plan will be held on July 25.

July 2, 2014

Farmer Water User Community (FWUC) has become an important association for farmers to ensure a sustainable resources for a well managed irrigation systems and farming. Dr. Naret, as a specialist in community development of Cambodia, provided us an interesting lecture on  FWUC. Besides introducing the history and legal system for irrigation development, he also shared the knowledge of problems and challengaes of FWUC in Cambodia. Dr. Naret finally raised many issues that our Working Group 4 can take into consideration.

June 30 2014

Besides weekly preparatory lectures for OFW and DFW, participants for these two programs also got together for group discussions. Photos below show these group discussions. It is good opportunity for participants to show their own ideas, share with group members and try to figure out the common interests and design their research.

June 27, 2014

In the 7th DFW2014 Preparatory Seminar, Prof. Nishikawa introduced some basic concepts about rurual/community development with special focus on multi-functions and non-economics values of agriculture. By introducing history of Japan’s agriculture and rural/community development, his talk also gave focus on the utilization of local resources of agriculture and environment for rural/community development. He left a question for us to consider the vaule of low-external input agriculture for various stakholders at different levels and in different sides.