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6 June, 3 July, and 13-15 July 2013: Fieldwork in Rural Communities – Towa, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
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“Fieldwork in Rural Communities” has been launched as one of the FOLENS domestic training courses last year. For the fieldwork this year, fifteen students and three faculty members (Masaaki Yamada and Yosei Oikawa of Dept of International Environmental and Agricultural Science and Sachi Ninomiya-Lim of FOLENS) participated and visited Towa District of Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.
The focus of this course is on understanding “society and people”, which forms a critical aspect of every environmental issues. However, as it is impossible to “understand” a certain society and people within a few days long training, the aim of this course is “to help students recognize the importance and difficulty to understand society and people, and develop necessary attitudes and view points for it, through lectures and fieldwork in a Japanese rural community”.
Towa, a rural community promoting its development through organic farming and networking, has faced a serious challenge since March 2011. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that followed the Tohoku Great Earthquake discharged radioactive substances contaminating the surrounding region including Towa. The people in Towa have been struggling to study the actual situation of radiation pollution and find possible solutions to protect their agriculture and life. Because of its strong internal and external network capability, Towa attracted a number of supporters including TUAT research project teams. Committee for Organic Farming and Community Development in Towa (Yukinosato Towa Furusatozukuri Kyogikai) and its Executive Director Mr. Masatoshi Muto, that have coordinated such networking, hosted our visit and provided great assistance.
Throughout the three-day long visit after two preparatory study sessions, the students learned the warmth and strength of the people in Towa and their power to take responsible initiative and action for their own community.
The detailed report of the course including reports by all the students is under preparation. It will be shared on this website as soon as finalized later this year. (SN)
1)Introduction to Fieldwork in Towa (Nihonmatsu, Fukushima)
Date: 19 June
Time: 6:30-18:30
Place: Room No. 21, Lecture Hall 1, Fuchu Campus
Contents:
16:30-16:40 Overview of this Course: Sachi Ninomiya-Lim
16:40-17:10 Background and Findings of TUAT Research Collaboration with Farmers in Towa – Radiation Pollution and Its Impact on Agriculture: Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura
17:10-17:40 Questions & Answers
17:40-18:20 Workshop – What are the Issues?
18:20-18:30 Grouping for Pre-Study and Fieldwork
2) Students Presentation
Date: 3 July
Time: 5th Period (16:30-18:30)
Place: N-103 (Multi-purpose Room), 2N Building, Fuchu Campus
Contents：
16:30-17:50 Group Presentation on the Issues of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident (Presentation for 10 min & Q&A for 10 min x 4 groups)
17:50-18:05 Lecture: What is “Fieldwork”? (Oikawa)
18:05-18:20 Lecture: Geography and History of Towa (Yamada)
18:20-18:30 Information on the Towa Fieldwork on 13-15 July (Ninomiya-Lim)
Task: Preparation of slides for the presentation on 14 July – “Life in rural communities in international students’ home country”
3) Fieldwork in Fukushima
Date: 13-15 July
Contents:
Day 1: Talk by Local Leaders
Day 2: Fieldwork in Groups
Day 3: Presentation and Reflection
Saturday 13 July
| TIME | Activity |
| 7:00 | Meet at the Main Gate of TUAT Fuchu Campus |
| 7:20 | Depart (Bus) Orientation/ Self-introduction/ Lecture… |
| 13:00 | Arrive in Towa Roadside Station, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Pref. Lunch |
| 14:00 | Orientation
14:00-14:10 Introduction 14:10-14:40 Talk by Mr. Masatoshi Muto, Executive Director, Committee for Organic Farming and Community Development in Towa: Organic Agriculture and Radiation Pollution after Tohoku Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster http://www.touwanosato.net/kyougikai.html 14:40-15:10 Talk by local young leaders (Ms. Mizuho Sugeno) 15:10-15:40 Q&A/ Discussion |
| 16:00 | Go to Farmer’s Guest House: work/ dinner/ sleep |
Sunday 14 July
| TIME | Activity |
| 8:30 | Group Work
- Participatory Community Study “Find What They Have (Arumono Sagashi)” - Walk around the community - Interview people/ Take photos/ Record what you find Farm Work |
| 12:30 | Lunch?Shower |
| 14:00 | Meet at Towa Roadside Station / Group work: Make maps/ posters |
| 18:00 | Party with Locals at Towa Roadside Station
Students’ Presentation:
- Fieldwork Maps/Posters - Life of rural communities in the international students’ home countries |
| 20:30 | Back to Farmer’s Guest House: Sleep |
Monday 15 July
| TIME | Activity |
| AM | Farm work/ Shower |
| 12:00 | Meet at Towa Roadside Station / Lunch |
| 13:00 | Depart by bus/ Reflection |
| 17:00 | Arrive in TUAT Fuchu Campus |