EE/ESD Program

Title of EE/ESD project

The environmental education program of TANBO NO GAKKO (the Paddy School) for utilizing the multi-functions of farming villages.

Created : Oct 18 2007 / Modified : Oct 18 2007

Type of the Project

Target area and people: *The applicable areas: Rice paddies, waterways, reservoir, village mountains and hills, etc.
*The object: Not specified. Ordinal commoners (Joe Public) from children to grownups
* The idea of TANBO NO GAKKO has been created, implemented and promoted by this Center. The program itself can be versatile from place to place, or from group to group. Farmers, local volunteers, schools, NPOs or any other group of people can employ the idea for their own individual goals through emphasizing their specialties in the areas or fields of activities. The basic idea of TANBO NO GAKKO stipulates as described in the foregoing but the actual activities can be in any form to reflect the significance of the locality and the features of the groups.

Background/Problems of the project: In Fiscal 1998, the then three ministerial parties from the National Land Agency, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery jointly established a research group council consisting of the learned members from various fields to make study and survey on the model for raising the educational effects in terms of conserving the lands and environment of the nation. The idea of TANBO NO GAKKO was then proposed for implementing the environmental education positively using rice fields, etc. After this report, Advice Center for Rural Environment Support (ACRES) has started to tackle this issue by rendering the all-out cooperation to the program of TANBO NO GAKKO since the start of Fiscal 1999.

Objectives/Significance of the project: Paddies, irrigation waterways, reservoirs and mountains and hills behind the villages have the long history closely related with the agricultural activities of the farmers. By actively utilizing them for the purposes of play and learning, children are expected to grow up as the ones with rich and sensible personality and generosity toward the environment, nursing them through the multiple functions of the villages. This movement will lead to the co-existence between the cities and villages and eventually between the synergetic approach of the humankind activities and the settings of the nature.

Description of the project: Operation and Management of the Activities:
A variety of groups such as farmers, local volunteers, schools, NPOs, etc. shall make their own planning and operation

Contents of the Activities:
The activity may involve actual farming work, husbandry, inspection visit to the farming facilities, biological checks around the rice fields, observation of the nature, environment conservation and refinement activity, activity related to foodstuff, experiencing crafting and living, participating in lectures and seminars, and many other plays and studies around the rice paddies, to be planned, arranged and executed by each and every individual group of participants.

* The activities of the Advice Center for Rural Environment Support (ACRES)
Contents of the Activities:
*Training of instructors
*Opening of nation-wide forums
*Opening of the planning contest
*Creation of instruction and educational materials
*Publication of bulletins

Materials/equipments used in the project:: * Activities at various locations
　 To be planned and arranged by each and every individual group.

* Materials for teaching and instruction planned and prepared by the Advice Center for Rural Environment Support (ACRES)
　 The Entry Edition to the Paddy School written by Une Yutaka
　The Play Edition of the Paddy School written by Minato Shusaku
　The Study Edition of the Paddy School written by Minato Shusaku
　 The Feeling of the Paddy (A pictorial book) written by Mori Masahiro, illustrated by Matsubara Yuko.

Time span/Timeline: To be decided and arranged by each and individual group which presides the activity of TANBO NO GAKKO.

Result/Self evaluation (success or failure) including its reasons: Ever since the beginning of Fiscal 1999, Advice Center for Rural Environment Support (ACRES) has been accepting the enrollment to the activity by those groups for promoting TANBO NO GAKKO programs and individuals who are interested in the programs. The numbers of enrollment are increasing year after year to reach at some 299 groups and 639 individuals as of February 2005, which we appraise as fair achievement.
From the activities of TANBO NO GAKKO at each location, the following achievements have been reported:

*Understanding and sympathy toward farming and farmers are deepened.
*Local living environment is vitalized.
* Interchange of urban and rural cultures promotes.
*Children become lively and animated.
*Rich and affluent natural environment is conserved.

Other learning from the project: In order to promote the program of the Paddy School any further, the following are considered some important points.
*The arrangement of good and efficient linkage between the field providers, the activity providers and the participants to the activity.
*The lateral cooperation between the activity groups (especially within a same local area).
*Network structuring to allow a variety of people to participate.
*Organizing a framework to allow administrative bodies and agricultural parties to participate in the programs more positively (as official participation).
*Study on the more sustainable activity to lead to promoting and advancing agriculture and continuing utilization of agricultural resources.
*Educating and making most use of the instructors and coordinators on the spot.