The International Lake Environment Committee (ILEC), commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), conducts an annual training course entitled “Integrated Lake, River and Coastal Basin Management for Sustainable Use and Preservation of Water Resources.” This year, from January 10 (Tue.) to 31 (Tue.), 2023, nine central and local government officials and university representatives from developing countries involved in the river, lake, and coastal watershed management from nine countries will visit Japan for training (Part 2) at the ILEC facility (Kusatsu). During the three-week training period, the participants will receive lectures from university professors and companies in and outside the prefecture and visit related facilities. This year’s training will be combined with the online training (Part 1) conducted in September 2022, making it possible for them to visit Japan for the first time in three years.

●Background and Purpose of Training
In rivers, lakes, and coastal watersheds, the lives of residents and industrial activities are rapidly developing, and environmental pollution, including that of water sources, is progressing. In particular, lakes and marshes in developing countries face a wide range of problems, including water pollution, soil deposition, and abnormal algae growth. Multiple factors cause these problems, and there is a pressing need for environmental conservation based on clear watershed management measures. This training course is based on Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM), a management approach that comprehensively addresses the six elements of “organization and system,” “policy,” “technology,” “participation,” “information,” and “finance,” and introduces the efforts of residents, governments, businesses, and universities to conserve the water environment in Lake Biwa, as well as integrated basin management efforts including the Yodo River watershed. The training’s purpose is to contribute to resolving water environment problems in the participating countries.

●Participants
9 participants from 9 countries (Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Nigeria, the Cote d’Ivoire, Albania, Botswana, Bolivia)

●Main Training Programs
・Lecture on Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM)
・Shiga Prefecture’s initiatives for environmental conservation in Lake Biwa
・Water quality improvement/monitoring, GIS, environmental education, eco-tourism, waste management, etc.
・Visits to related facilities (Lake Biwa Environmental Science Research Institute, Lake Biwa Museum, Konan Chubu Sewage Treatment Plant, Lake Biwa Construction Work Office, Hiyoshi Corporation, etc.)

*Since 1989, ILEC has accepted 562 trainees from 71 countries around the world, including JICA trainees. (As of December 2022)