On November 20, 2017, Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), JICA Hokuriku Branch Office, and the United Nations University Institute for Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) signed a memorandum on ‘International Cooperation Through GIAHS in Ishikawa Prefecture”
‘Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi’ which stretches over nine municipalities in Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture was designated as one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in 2011 together with Sado Island. They were the first designations from developed countries. Since then, United Nations University has been carrying out various activities together with Ishikawa Prefecture, nine municipalities, and local people of the region. At the GIAHS International Coference 2013 , it was suggested to strengthen the cooperation between the GIAHS in developed countries and those in developing countries by Noto Communiqué. In the following year, 2014, Ishikawa Prefecture established a training program thorough which participants can learn about conservation and utilization of Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi and its regional development. It has accepted trainees from six different countries so far, including Bhutan, Indonesia, and Laos.
This program has just taken a step further. An international cooperation program was established to bring about mutual-leaning: to enable trainees from developing countries to learn ‘sustainable regional development’ in Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi on site; and also to enable people in Noto region to realize the global values of sustainability thorough their contribution to this training program. FAO, JICA Hokuriku Branch Office, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Ishikawa Prefecture, and UNU-IAS have joined the program as implementing bodies.
