Press Release: Japan Celebrates Rice Harvest in Gezira State - Visit of Japanese Ambassador-designate to Japan-funded project sites-
2014/11/6
On the 4th and 5th, H.E. Mr. Hideki Ito, the Ambassador-designateof Japan to the Republic of the Sudan, visited Wad Medani and Hasaheisa Locality of Gezira State with 15 press officers through the Press Tour, which was co-organized by the Embassy of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Sudan to provide firsthand knowledge of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to journalist of Sudanese newspapers and TV. This was his first visit to Gezira State.
Mr. Ito, the Ambassador-designate started his first day of the Press Tour by visiting Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) to hear the presentation by the operator of “Dr. Car”(mobile clinic) in the state. This was followed by seeing the actual activity of Dr. Car in El Shokaba Shaa El Din Village. The representative of the village told Mr. Ito that Dr. Car made a change to their lives enormously and praised Japan’s continuous assistance and contributions.
Dr. Car is a mobile clinic equipped with advanced medical devices and can reach to rural and remote areas with doctors and nurses on board. “Dr. Car” can also function as an ambulance in case of emergency and it offers basic medical services to the people suffering from limited access to health services. The total 7 Dr. Cars were handed over to Khartoum and Gezira States in August this year and these mobile clinics provided medical services to over 6,000 people in 37 villages and to 150 families at home in 2013.
Subsequently, Japanese delegations visited Gezira Water Training Centre which is the site of Japan’s technical cooperation project, ‘Human Resources Development for Water Supply Phase 2’. They witnessed Japan’s contributions to the development of human resources of the water sector in Gezira State.One of the trainees of the project told the press, “My experience of receiving trainings in Morocco as a part of the project was excellent because Morocco, as a model, has many similarities and the trainings gave me some points to improve in Sudan and are directly connected to my obligation in a practical manner.” It is worth mentioning that the cooperation between Sudan and Morocco, supported by Japan, will continue, and the next trainees will be dispatched to Morocco in May 2015.
The Human Resources Development Project for Water Supply in Sudan has been carried out since 2008. The capacity of the Public Water Corporation Training Center (PWCT) for implementing trainings was developed in the first stage of the project (Project Phase 1). And JICA is currently engaged upon developing human resources of the water supply sector in all of the 18 states in the second stage (Project Phase 2).
Mr. Ito, the Ambassador-designate started his first day of the Press Tour by visiting Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) to hear the presentation by the operator of “Dr. Car”(mobile clinic) in the state. This was followed by seeing the actual activity of Dr. Car in El Shokaba Shaa El Din Village. The representative of the village told Mr. Ito that Dr. Car made a change to their lives enormously and praised Japan’s continuous assistance and contributions.
Dr. Car is a mobile clinic equipped with advanced medical devices and can reach to rural and remote areas with doctors and nurses on board. “Dr. Car” can also function as an ambulance in case of emergency and it offers basic medical services to the people suffering from limited access to health services. The total 7 Dr. Cars were handed over to Khartoum and Gezira States in August this year and these mobile clinics provided medical services to over 6,000 people in 37 villages and to 150 families at home in 2013.
Subsequently, Japanese delegations visited Gezira Water Training Centre which is the site of Japan’s technical cooperation project, ‘Human Resources Development for Water Supply Phase 2’. They witnessed Japan’s contributions to the development of human resources of the water sector in Gezira State.One of the trainees of the project told the press, “My experience of receiving trainings in Morocco as a part of the project was excellent because Morocco, as a model, has many similarities and the trainings gave me some points to improve in Sudan and are directly connected to my obligation in a practical manner.” It is worth mentioning that the cooperation between Sudan and Morocco, supported by Japan, will continue, and the next trainees will be dispatched to Morocco in May 2015.
The Human Resources Development Project for Water Supply in Sudan has been carried out since 2008. The capacity of the Public Water Corporation Training Center (PWCT) for implementing trainings was developed in the first stage of the project (Project Phase 1). And JICA is currently engaged upon developing human resources of the water supply sector in all of the 18 states in the second stage (Project Phase 2).
On the 2nd day, the Government of Gezira State held the Rice Field Day Ceremony in the field, to laud everyone’s efforts for harvest and share their delight with the guests coming from other states. Over there, Mr. Ito was invited to the ceremony by the Gezira State and experienced riding a combine harvester and tasted rice products such as fresh “rice juice” with the officials together. In the ceremony, he shared the joy of harvest with the people of the State. Mr. Ito described his vision of what he should do in Sudan.
One of the farmers who succeeded in realizing high productivity of upland rice this year, showed his great pleasure of his success and his confidence. He also praised Gezira State’s contributions, and JICA and Japanese experts’ dedication. H.E. Eng. Azhari Khalafallah, Acting Governor and Minister of Agriculture of Gezira State, in his speech during the ceremony, lauded Japanese contributions to promote the agricultural sector in Sudan and making agriculture one of Japan’s priorities.
Japan’s agricultural project has been featuring production of rice in Sudan as rice has a potential to become an important strategic crop in terms of the domestic consumption and the export to the neighboring countries. Through “Capacity Building Project for Agricultural Revival”, JICA and Japanese experts have been working together with their Sudanese counterparts for the promotion of upland rice cultivation and the development of the demonstration farms in Gezira and White Nile State since 2010, along the strategy of the Sudanese Government. Japanese experts have utilized their experience of rice production and supports to other countries in Africa. The project has expanded now to Sinnar, Gadaref, River Nile and Northern States.
At the end of the Press Tour, Mr. Ito, the Ambassador-designatestressed the importance of Japan’s continuous cooperation with Sudan, particularly in local areas. He also showed his keenness in hearing the local people’s voice in person, and said that Sudanese people’s understandings are indispensable for Japan’s projects. After looking around the localities of Gezira State, he stated that Sudanese people’s cooperation and understandings would augment effects of Japan’s projects and that would provide Sudanese people with more benefits from the achievements of the projects.
One of the farmers who succeeded in realizing high productivity of upland rice this year, showed his great pleasure of his success and his confidence. He also praised Gezira State’s contributions, and JICA and Japanese experts’ dedication. H.E. Eng. Azhari Khalafallah, Acting Governor and Minister of Agriculture of Gezira State, in his speech during the ceremony, lauded Japanese contributions to promote the agricultural sector in Sudan and making agriculture one of Japan’s priorities.
Japan’s agricultural project has been featuring production of rice in Sudan as rice has a potential to become an important strategic crop in terms of the domestic consumption and the export to the neighboring countries. Through “Capacity Building Project for Agricultural Revival”, JICA and Japanese experts have been working together with their Sudanese counterparts for the promotion of upland rice cultivation and the development of the demonstration farms in Gezira and White Nile State since 2010, along the strategy of the Sudanese Government. Japanese experts have utilized their experience of rice production and supports to other countries in Africa. The project has expanded now to Sinnar, Gadaref, River Nile and Northern States.
At the end of the Press Tour, Mr. Ito, the Ambassador-designatestressed the importance of Japan’s continuous cooperation with Sudan, particularly in local areas. He also showed his keenness in hearing the local people’s voice in person, and said that Sudanese people’s understandings are indispensable for Japan’s projects. After looking around the localities of Gezira State, he stated that Sudanese people’s cooperation and understandings would augment effects of Japan’s projects and that would provide Sudanese people with more benefits from the achievements of the projects.