General

Short general project overviewChallenges in Hokkaido and JapanHokkaido suffered from 3 typhoons in a week between August 17 to 23, 2016, followed by another typhoon after a week. These events lead to exceptional heavy rainfall causing large scale inundation due to dike breach, damage to main roads, bridges and railways and agricultural damage in large areas. Due to climate change the pathways of typhoons is changing, with more events coming to Hokkaido (The Prediction of Climate Change in Hokkaido, Japan, 2018). Research showed that, based on RCP8.5 scenario, the amount of rainfall is expected to rise with a factor 1.4 (The Prediction of Climate Change in Hokkaido, Japan, 2018). Future rainfall will cause the increase of flood discharge by 1.5 to 1.7 times (The Prediction of Climate Change in Hokkaido, Japan, 2018).Beneficiary of the projectHokkaido requires renewed water management planning taking climate change into account. For this a regional committee is established called “Flood Disaster Prevention Committee Based on Extremely Heavy Rain in Hokkaido August 2016”. The committee is established by Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau (part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)) together with Hokkaido Prefectural Government. This committee must examine how to prevent future flood disaster, by examining climate change and water management (securing production area). This regional committee is the first beneficiary of the project. Hokkaido is an example for other prefectures in Japan which face similar questions, so the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is the second beneficiary.Why this consortiumThis consortium builds on an existing network of Japanese and Dutch universities, research institutes, companies and governmental agencies. This network was initiated by the Japanese partners over the last two years after the recent floods in Hokkaido and the need to cope with climate change. In this network only top experts are involved, as only they can give the required and accepted added value for Japan. These experts can be seen as knowledge entrepreneurs. This resulted in involvement of Dutch experts in Japan and has created the (once in a lifetime) opportunity to create further opportunities for upscaling.Pilot project and resultsIn the project we will analyse the flood risk of Hokkaido using the state-of-the-art flood risk methods developed and widely used in the Netherlands (Veiligheid Nederland in Kaart VNK2). This approach will be made fit for use in Japan. This means that additional failure mechanism (meandering of rivers and earthquakes) must be considered as well as multiple hazards (rainfall, tsunamis). Therefor we must have a better understanding of the impact of future climate change on extreme water levels. We will apply the official Dutch method for deriving extreme flood statistics (GRADE) on a case study in Hokkaido. Parallel to these activities we will exchange knowledge and develop a sustainable network of knowledge entrepreneurs. We will have three workweeks to work closely together, and bilateral meetings. The results of the project are a flood risk atlas including models and description of the method, meeting reports and roadmaps for upscaling in the field of research and businesses.UpscalingThe project will provide valuable knowledge on the applicability of the Dutch approach for flood safety in Japan. This knowledge will help to apply the methods in comparable situations around the world. The project will develop roadmaps for research and business opportunities. This can lead to application of the method in Japan and South East Asia and can be a driver for new PhD’s, graduate students, postdocs on joined research projects.• Initial activities and results of the projectThe long-term goal of the project is to develop a sustainable and self-supporting network between Dutch and Japanese researchers on the field of flood risk management. The experience and knowledge of both parties can combine lead to fruitful research and business relations.In this project a flood risk assessment for Hokkaido is done, in which Japanese and Dutch knowledge is combined. To do so we improve models (develop new knowledge) of- Failure mechanisms as meandering rivers and earthquakes.- Risk models, by taking more water threats into account (tsunamis and typhoons in addition to river discharge and storm surges).- Consequence modelling (as early warning, evacuation) modelling by a better understanding of disasters and human choices (land use planning, building codes, emergency management).To make the Grade and VNK2 approach fit for use in Japan, an adopted risk-based method will be used by Japan. This requires a further development of the VNK2-method because of other types of water related disasters (typhoons and tsunamis in addition to storm surges and extreme river discharges) and additional mechanisms of failure (meandering of rivers because of morphologic processes and earthquakes).

General

Over the past 2 decades, the Egyptian government has faced tremendous challenges to provide safe sanitation practices in rural areas. The majority of investments primarily focused on providing large centralized sanitation-related services and infrastructure in the major urban cities. The capital costs, as well as operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of wastewater treatment facilities, are high. It became clear that it’s not possible to recover the full costs of treatment from the end-users, making wastewater treatment facilities financially unsustainable. In addition, about 65% of the population in rural areas has only access to (improved) septic tanks, consisting of lined single or dual compartments, or simple soakaway vaults or latrines. The biggest challenge is usually in remote villages, away from the main wastewater network, with contamination via the onsite discharge of domestic wastewater to groundwater, water bodies, or irrigated fields, resulting in increased public health risks.The Holding Company for Water and Waste Water seeks support to develop an investment/business plan for sewage & sludge handling in Egyptian rural areas. Such would have enormous benefits for the Egyptian economy and health noting that with implementing proper sanitation practices in rural areas, the pollution load of waterways will be significantly reduced as well as the land productivity will be increased.The mission will be to deliver data and technical expertise to develop a Proof of Concept of the unique AquaVest tool. The goal is to get a better understanding of the functionality and added benefits of the tool for developing the desired investment/business plan for sewage & sludge handling in Egyptian rural areas.

General

ACOPAGRO is a cooperative producer of coca beans located in the San Martín region in the north-eastern jungle of Peru; It has more than 1800 members to date and has a history of more than 20 years in the market being the leading cooperative in Peru producing cocoa beans. ACOPAGRO members are small farmers with a land ownership of between 2 to 3 Hás. ACOPAGRO has been playing an important role both regionally and nationally since it is the cooperative that brings together the majority of members in this crop and has led the main advances in the processing of cocoa beans although it has not yet made the move to industrialization its production and export is limited to dry grain to be processed abroad. It has a staff of professionals and technicians mainly from the area who have collaborated in the growth of the organization during this period; however it is necessary to continue strengthening and expanding the capacities of the staff and their leaders / managers who run this organization on different issues in the process of professionalization for better decision-making at all levels both business and institutionally. Additionally the organization is experiencing technical problems in the field that are reducing its business commercial and financial performance this refers to pests in the area (such as the corn worm and witch's broom) as well as the low yields of cocoa by Há (1000 kg / ha when the optimum is 3000 Kg / ha) related to not having an effective extended technological package that includes limiting the presence of cadmium in production. This situation has meant for the cooperative a loss of production of around 30% during the years 2018 and 2019 with the consequent loss of contracts with foreign clients and reduction of the income of the producers. ACOPAGRO currently offers its members the following services: - Technological advice in the field. - Advance of pre-harvest credits. - Installation of fermentation areas in various sectors. - Installation of drying area. - Purchase of production. - Centralized drying services - Storage - CommercializationThree cooperatives of farmers who also produce cocoa beans from the same region and that face similar challenges are also invited to this training with 6 participants each (3 staff and 3 leaders/ directors) it means that the total number of participants is 24 (50% staff and 50% directors/ leaders). The invited cooperatives are: ALLIMA CACAO (from Chazuta-San Martín 373 members) CECAT (from Tocache- San Martín 615 members) MONTE AZUL (from Tarapoto- San Martín 278 members).To execute this programme Agriterra has set up an alliance with the renowned Peruvian Business University ESAN will be part of the consortium and their local teachers will deliver the majority of the trainings. The partnership with ESAN has a big advantage because each participant will receive an official and legally recognized diploma which will be an amazing accomplishment for the participants of this TMT especially for the elected directors and future leaders who are farmers.

Objectives

The proposed training aims to provide comprehensive training that guarantees the understanding of the basic aspects of the business management of a cooperative aimed not only at its staff but also at the directors and leaders (who will ultimately remain in the organization indefinitely) and who can give sustainability to the application of the technological package; all this promoting the participation/ inclusion of youth and women in decision-making.The program includes the elaboration of a technological research and implementation plan to solve the problems of each organization which will be evaluated by experts at the end of the program. Throughout the Program the development of a technological innovation project in the field is included and the best performing participants will be awarded by Agriterra with a study tour to the Netherlands to visit advanced cooperatives and companies that provide technological innovation.

Other

The total contribution from the cooperatives in this Project is 12 500 euros. ( check enclosed budget)The program constitutes the following:• 4 modules of three days each 8 hours per day being 24 hours per module. Total 96 effective hours.• In total 4 cooperatives benefiting from the program. 3 cooperatives of small cocoa producers in the region (Allima Cacao Monte Azul and CECAT) with the participation of 6 members (3 staff and 3 leaders-managers) are invited to spread this knowledge.The Program Courses are:For Staff:Module 1: Introduction to financial management and governance (with a focus on gender and inclusion) of cooperatives: 24 hours taught by an expert from Agriterra with a Master's degreeModule 2 - Financial management for directors-leaders / technical staff: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers with a Master's degree- Financial and strategic planning: 8 hours- Costs and Budgets: 8 hours- Management Indicators: 4 hours- Tutorial Development of a Team Project - Phase 1 (new business ideas / design thinking design thinking): 4 hoursModule 3 - Management for directors-leaders / technical staff: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers with a Master's degree- New Agricultural Technologies: 8 hours - Taught by experts from Agriterra with a Master's degree- Management and Process Optimization: 8 hours- Ethics and Labor Regulatory Framework: 4 hours- Tutorial Development of a Technological Innovation Project in a team- Phase 2: 4 hours.Module 4 - Management skills for directors-leaders / technical staff and managers / future leaders: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers with a Master's degree- Transformational Leadership and Effective Communication: 8 hours- Adaptation to Change: 8 hours- Completion and presentation of technological innovation projects developed in teams - Phase 3: 8 hours.For Directors and future leaders:Module 1: Introduction to financial management and governance (with a focus on gender and inclusion) of cooperatives: 24 hours taught by an expert from Agriterra with a Master's degreeModule 2 - Financial management for executives / future leaders: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers- Costs and Budgets applied to the crop: 8 hours- Family finances: 8 hours- Management Indicators: 4 hours- Tutorial Development of a Team Project - Phase 1 (new business ideas / design thinking): 4 hoursModule 3 - Management for executives / future leaders: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers- New Agricultural Technologies: 8 hours - Taught by experts from Agriterra with a Master's degree- Fundamentals of Business Management: 8 hours- Formalization and Legal Framework of Cooperatives: 4 hours- Tutorial Development of a Technological Innovation Project in a team - Phase 2: 4 hoursModule 4 - Management skills for managers / technical staff and managers / future leaders: 24 hours taught by ESAN teachers- Transformational Leadership and Effective Communication: 8 hours- Adaptation to Change: 8 hours- Completion and presentation of technological innovation projects developed inteams - Phase 3: 8 hours