In the report on the implementation of each activity in the first half of the meeting, the TF members expressed their enthusiastic appreciation to the Japanese counterparts for their active cooperation and encouragement from the relevant organizations in Shiga Prefecture, which would not have been possible without such support and encouragement. In particular, it was reported that the webinar by ILEC experts for Nicaraguan government officials was very well received and sympathetic on the Nicaraguan side, and that the educational content of the Lake Biwa Floating School “Uminoko” of the Shiga Prefectural Board of Education was shared by many concerned parties, which resulted in high motivation for the implementation of the Nicaraguan version of UMINOKO. This was reported to have led to a high level of willingness to implement the Nicaraguan version of UMINOKO.
In the latter half of the meeting, Mr. Hasegawa, an expert from JICA’s Global Environment Department, explained the environmental degradation factors/characteristics and needs of Lake Managua and the surrounding environment based on his field visit in March 2022. In addition, TF members presented their future activity plans for the conservation of Lake Managua (including issue-specific/third-country training that has been decided to be implemented, dispatch of environmental education volunteers under adjustment, experts in the idea stage, grass-roots technical cooperation, etc.).
A participant from the Shiga Prefectural Board of Education asked what specific challenges UMINOKO faces in conducting its activities, and TF members shared that environmental education should not only be conducted once, but should continue in the future, but that the lack of budget and organization to continue such activities is a challenge. The TF members shared that environmental education is not just a one-time activity and should continue in the future, but that the lack of budget and organization to continue it is a challenge. The TF members shared that environmental education is not only a one-time activity, but should continue in the future, but that there is no budget or organization to continue it. Mr. Ichiki, ILEC’s Technical Advisor, also advised that “since lake management will take many years, it is necessary to involve lake users’ organizations, such as fishermen’s associations, for example, in order to preserve the environment of Lake Managua.
© Source JICA