Revitalizing “endangered” rural communities thorough agritourism: The roles of a local university

1. Revitalizing “endangered” rural communities thorough agritourism: The roles of a local university Akita International University, Japan Center for Regional Sustainability Initiatives (CRESI) Yoshitaka Kumagai Ph.D July 9, 2010 World Ecotourism Conference Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2. Population trend and its projection in Japan National Institute of Population and social security research, Japan

3. Population and communities in Japan • Currently 127million people • It is declining as a whole • But increasing in mega cities • 1,727 municipal governments in Japan • Population in 776 municipal governments is declining • 45% of municipal governments • 8 million people--6.3% • 50 % of Japan’s land is being depopulated • There are 2,643 endangered communities in those depopulating cities/towns/villages

4. Akita, Japan • The 3rd largest prefecture • 1.1 million people • Snowy in winter • Mining and Forestry • Agriculture • 76 endangered communities

5. Issues in Akita • High suicide rate (the worst for 15 years) • High unemployment rate • High cancer rate • Low income • Aging • Depopulation • Losing a pride and hope

6. Potentials • Education • Natural resources • World nature heritage sites • Water • Landscape • Food • Rice and Sake • Folk culture • Wisdom

10. The role of a local university:Requests from municipal governments • Revitalizing endangered communities through ecotourism • Research • Initiative • Coordination • Developing a plan • Monitoring • Agritourism

11. Akita International UniversityCenter for Regional Sustainability Initiatives (CRESI) • Research on • History • Folk culture • Food • Community • 8 faculty members、12 students、1 fulltime staff • Japan, Poland, UK, US • Communication, Recreation management, Anthropology, Philosophy, International Development, architecuture

12. CRESI’s approch Getting together with local people Exploring local resources with outsiders’ eyes Sorting out resources and developing a plan and strategy Linking various resources within community Implementing the plan and developing a monitoring system Capacity Building

13. Exploring and Analyzing community resources Nature Landscape Industry Hard Historic sites Facilities Infrastructures Community Capital Atmosphere Culture Unity Soft Foods Festivals Information People

14. Exploring potential resources by CRESI(1)

15. Exploring potential resources by CRESI(2)

18. Exploring potential resources by CRESI(3)

19. Exploring potential resources by CRESI(4)

20. Interviewing with local residents

21. CRESI ＆ Akita PrefectureLaunched in 2005, Two years CurriculumLearning how to link among various resources within a communityLectures, workshops, event planning/management • CRESI ＆ Akita Prefecture • Launched in 2005, Two years Curriculum • Learning how to link among various resources within a community • Lectures, workshops, event planning/management • Marketing • Negotiation skills • Data collection • NPO& NGO • Communication • Grant Proposal • Conflict management • Project Planning • Public Relations

22. Developing a plan • What to achieve? • How to achieve? • Who would play what role? • What to provide/sell? • What and what need to be linked? • To whom?

23. Akita capacity building seminar

24. Future of CRESI • Keep working on this • Fostering producers and coordinators • Establishing extension services • Accumulating cases and data • Secretarial office of IUCN/WCPA-Japan • Park and protected area management • “International workshop on protected area management beyond 2010” in winter 2011 • “Asian Park Congress” in fall 2011