Research Activities

Joint Research on Resource Management and Development

Prof. Kazuyuki Sasaki, coordinator for CRASP, and other members of the Faculty of Development Studies at PIASS continued to participate in the joint research project on rural resource management and development in Africa with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) and its partner universities in Africa. For its second phase (April 2021 – March 2024), a research grant was secured from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) for joint research on “Rural resource management and the state: A comparative study of Ghana and Rwanda.

As an integral part of the resarch project, a joint seminar will be organized at the University of Ghana on March 6 – 7, 2023, which will be attended by researchers from TUFS; University of Ghana; Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO); Aichi University, Japan; University of Cape Town; Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Cameroon; Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; and PIASS. The seminar will focus on the dynamics of rural resource management and comparative studies within different settings. Four researchers from PIASS will present papers during the seminar.

The objectives of the joint seminar are threefold. First, it aims to promote research and publications via the exchange of different perspectives from various countries. A selection of papers from those presented in the seminar will be published in ASC-TUFS Working Papers series, and in an edited volume from Springer. Second, a key objective of the seminar is to strengthen the academic network. In our first joint seminar with the University of Pretoria in September 2018, 22 scholars from six countries presented, while 24 scholars from eight countries participated in the second joint seminar at PIASS in February 2020. The academic network built up thus far has produced rich and varied results through cooperation. The third objective is to nurture young scholars. Since the first joint seminar, we have invited a number of PhD students and post-doc researchers to provide them with opportunities for presentation, discussion, and publication.

On July 22, 2022, a preparative online meeting was held with 20 participants from seven research institutions including PIASS. Professor Shinichi Takeuchi, Director of African Studies Center at TUFS, presented the objective of the research project “Rural resource management and the state: A comparative study of Ghana and Rwanda,” which was followed by comments from Dr. Kojo Aidoo of the University of Ghana. The participants engaged in lively discussion on the conceptual framework of the research and its scope. The 2^nd preparative online meeting will be held on December 16 via zoom.

Research on Resource Management and Development

The research project on “Resource Management and Development in Rural Rwanda” is an ongoing project carried out as part of a three-year (April 2018 – March 2021) joint research conducted by Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) and its partners in Africa including PIASS. In November 2020, the final drafts of three research papers indicated below were submitted to the African Studies Center (ASC) /TUFS as outputs of the research project. The papers will be first published in ASC-TUFS Working Papers 2020 in January 2021, and then their revised versions will be published as chapters in an edited book on resource management and development in Africa. 

The titles and authors of the research papers are:

• “Constraints to the Adoption and Scaling-up of Conservation Agriculture (CA) for Smallholder Farming in Rwanda: Farmers’ Perspectives” by Kazuyuki Sasaki, coordinator of CRASPD & Serge Muvunyi, assistant coordinator of CRASPD.
• “Gender Aspects of Agrarian Reform in Post Genocide Rwanda: Understanding the Benefits of Land Use Consolidation Program for Women Smallholder Farmers” by Fortunée Bayisenge, lecturer of Faculty of Development Studies (FDS), PIASS.
• “People’s Perceptions on conservation opportunities and challenges for Nyungwe and Mukura National Parks, Rwanda” by Gloriose Umuziranenge, lecturer of FDS/PIASS, Muhirwa Fabien, assistant lecturer of FDS/PIASS, Nshimiyimana Jean Bosco, assistant lecturer of FDS/PIASS, and Majyambere Methode, lecturer of University of Rwanda.

Research Project Resource Management and Development: PIASS-TUFS Joint Seminar in Huye

On February 18 – 19, the Joint Seminar on Resource Management and Development was organized by PIASS /CRASPD and African Studies Center (ASC) of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) at the PIASS Huye campus.

The seminar involved 26 researchers from Japan, Rwanda, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who presented papers, and 15 other participants from PIASS, University of Rwanda and various government institutions.The seminar involved 26 researchers from Japan, Rwanda, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who presented papers, and 15 other participants from PIASS, University of Rwanda and various government institutions.

The titles of papers presented by members of PIASS/ CRASPD during the Joint Seminar are as follows:

• “Nature Conservation Policies and Practices in Africa: Critical Analysis, Ideological Challenges and Strategic Vision for Protected Areas Sustainable Management” by Gloriose Umuziranenge & Elysée Ntiranyibagira
• “Gender Aspects of Agrarian Reform in Post Genocide Rwanda: Understanding the Benefits of Land Use Consolidation Program for Women Smallholder Farmers” by Fortunée Bayisenge
• “Constraints to the Adoption and Scaling-up of Conservation Agriculture (CA) for Smallholder Farming in Rwanda: Farmers’ Perspectives” by Kazuyuki Sasaki & Serge Muvunyi
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At the conclusion of the seminar, participants of the seminar discussed the outline of the next seminar that is planned at the University of Ghana in September, 2020 and future prospects of a joint research project.

A brief report of the Joint Seminar can also be seen at http://www.tufs.ac.jp/asc/english/activities//2002PIASS-TUFSSeminarReport.html