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Project News

2010-07-26

Seminar on “Production Cost”

We held a “Production Cost Seminar” on June 17 for 5 of the community groups. The group activities have entered their 3rd or 4th year (depending on the group) and have reached the stage where the Project is gradually reducing its direct assistance to the groups and the groups will manage their own funds in a sustainable manner. During the workshop, the groups discovered what the real costs are for implementing environmentally friendly farming techniques on the group farms based on calculations made from the real data of each group.

Material costs such as seeds are generally recorded, but the cost for transporting them, the expenses involved in selling products and the cost of depreciation of the greenhouse and farm tools has been frequently overlooked. By uncovering these “hidden” costs the groups were able to clearly see the amount of funds needed for guaranteeing the continuity of their activities in a profitable manner.

photoParticipants listen intently to an explanation using the example of the cost of producing organic fertilizer. (June 17, 2010 at the Salamanca elementary school)

photoThis group grows vegetables in a greenhouse. There are many “hidden” expenses. (April 29, 2010 at the Peñas Blancas community)


The Cashbook and the Farming Record as it relates to the Farmland Use Plan are promoted by extension workers very time they visit the groups. These records are the most reliable source of data for the farmers to calculate their expenses. We hope to transfer to the farmers the understanding that each of these tools that is promoted by the Project is actually interrelated with all the others.

(Mr. Taku MORI, Farmland Use Plan / Environmental Education)

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