Cooperation with other NPOs

We are looking for future cooperation while cooperating in the following activities.

Activities in the field of Universal Agriculture

At a welfare facility for the disabled in Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, community-based activities based on the concept of universal agriculture are being developed. While there are people with disabilities and the elderly who seek greater social participation and employment opportunities (cash income), the agricultural sector faces problems such as the aging of farmers, a shortage of manpower, and an increase in abandoned farmland. By matching and linking these two in the form of "universal agriculture", it is thought that creating a better community that supports each other in the region will lead to the solution of the problem. Currently, they are renting fields and greenhouses from farmers near facilities for people with disabilities to cultivate grapes, indigo, shiitake mushrooms, and senryo as part of universal agriculture activities. So far, they have earned income by selling harvested grapes and senryo and have also started cultivating log-grown shiitake mushrooms. In addition, they are planning to hold indigo dyeing experience using cultivated indigo, and to make and sell indigo dyeing products with the aim of becoming a sixth industry. While participating in these activities, the Muscat Fund will expand activities to surrounding general farmers and abandoned farmlands, connect with people who are interested in local activities, and would like to contribute to further expand universal agriculture.

Indigo dyeing

Grape cultivation

Shiitake fungus

Senryo Harvest

Cooperation with IFPCA

The Institute for Forest and Pasture Conservation in Central Asia (IFPCA), an NPO, mainly targets arid areas such as Central Asian countries and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China and aims to conserve the natural environment and achieve a better symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Specifically, while analyzing the natural environment in collaboration with local residents, they are trying to investigate the existence of problems from a natural scientific point of view, and to construct, plan, and implement optimal measures. In order to obtain funds, they submit proposals to domestic and overseas funds and also hold seminars, lectures, photo exhibitions, etc. as necessary.

Gorno-Badakhshan Province (Pamir) in Tajikistan is a plateau at an altitude of 4,000m and the fuel supply was cut off after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Residents have over-harvested Teresken, a natural shrub, as fuel for cooking and heating, resulted in threatening the natural ecosystem. Furthermore, the rapid development of economic activity through the development of global tourism and the "One Belt, One Road Initiative" spurred overexploitation of Teresken, creating an energy crisis. To solve the energy crisis in a sustainable way, seedling production and planting Teresken are called for. Shirgin in the Wakhan Corridor has abundant hot spring water (40-80℃), and if an all-weather greenhouse using this water can be established, it will be possible to cultivate Teresken seedlings along with vegetable cultivation. Planting ready-to-plant saplings in degraded lands in the Pamirs will make the energy supply sustainable.

The Muscat Fund agrees with this idea and has provided technical support for the greenhouse structure and heating methods. We would like to provide further necessary support according to the development of future activities.

Growing Teresken

Collecting Teresken

Drying Teresken

Use of Teresken

Hot spring

Greenhouse construction

Preparing the reserve

Existing reserve

Cooperation with EEN 

EEN (Economic Empowerment Network) operates as a global network organization providing a variety of information and technical support to those seeking to start or improve their income-generating activities using available resources. EEN's vision is to contribute to the realization of a world where people can live sustainably. EEN's mission is to help local residents explore and strengthen their means of economic empowerment, aiming to ensure that they are "empowered with the resources available".

EEN is providing support to WoFE (Workforce Friends of Environment), which is active in Kigoma in the northwestern part of Tanzania. The organization aims to achieve rural transformation by promoting agribusiness involving youth and smallholder farmers from vulnerable communities. WoFE was registered with the local government in 2019 and started supporting local farmers by providing vegetable seeds. The group also has an interest in environmental conservation and is currently focusing on promoting organic farming. WoFE's activities are not limited to organic farming, but they are thinking of expanding their efforts to livestock farming and ecotourism.

The Muscat Fund has so far provided technical support for know-how to promote efficient organic farming locally. We would like to provide further necessary support according to the development of future activities. The photos below are pictures of local situations taken when a Muscat Fund staff visited Kigoma in the early 2000s.

Reference: Homepage of EEN

Lake 
Tanganyika

Cassava 
cultivation

Vegetable cultivation

Oil palm 
plantation

Cooperation with Midorization Project 

The Midorization Project started in 2016 with the aim of creating a better living environment through greening activities and designing future society. Specific activities include restoration of ecosystems, regeneration of forests, recovery of biodiversity, improvement of soil, disaster prevention measures such as prevention of sediment runoff, creation of natural resources, conservation of water sources, and mental rest and relaxation, which are essential for urban functions. They decided to make maximum use of the effects of forest development, such as providing healing effects. So far, they have accumulated experiences such as starting up a farm that produces organic fruits, reforestation by introducing the Miyawaki method for the first time in Arab countries, and urban forests to improve the living environment. In addition, they have been promoting hometown forest development together with public institutions such as GIZ, the German government's overseas development agency, and the Amman city administration. 

The concept of the Midorization Project is rooted in the Miyawaki method, which is based on "mixed and dense planting, in which the numerous tree species that make up the forest are mixed and planted mainly with potential natural vegetation". Trees planted by this method are said to grow faster than ordinary trees due to competition for existence among plants, grow stronger, and are more resistant to drought and disasters. In Amman, the capital of Jordan, which has a high population density and little access to green spaces, urban greening is being actively promoted with the aim of improving the living environment of residents and increasing the resilience of the city to climate change. In arid regions such as Amman, such afforestation projects are being reconsidered because they can minimize the use of water resources and promote soil conservation and water resource recharge. 

On the other hand, the Muscat Fund staff has experience in urban greening in the Gulf countries and desert greening mainly for the purpose of fixing sand dunes. Due to the limited water resources in these areas, there is a strong tendency to plant fast-growing exotic tree species. Based on this experience, the Muscat Fund has provided technical advice to the extent possible for Midorization Projects. We would like to provide further necessary support according to the development of future activities. 


Reference: Blog of Midorization Project

Amman
Capital of Jordan

Survey on potential natural vegetation

Seedling production

Urban 
greening