The SATREPS-MNGD Project International Symposium was held on November 24th and 25th, 2024, at Sapphire Addis Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
On November 24th, the 6th JCC (Joint Coordination Committee) meeting was held to review the status of the final phase of the project. Mr. Kensuke Oshima, Chief Representative of JICA Ethiopia Office, delivered his remarks after the discussion.
After the JCC session, the symposium’s poster presenters gave their core time presentations. Participants then moved to the posters they were interested in and actively communicated with the presenters.
After the heated discussion, the symposium had two keynote speakers. First, Dr. Worku (Director of ERA RRC) provided a keynote speech, “The Role of Research on Road Infrastructure Development and Management.
The second keynote speaker, Dr. Tsutsumi (Kyushu University), gave the lecture “Structure and Chemistry of Cellulose and Lignin in Woody Biomass,” followed by a discussion with the floor, and the first day of the symposium ended.
On November 25th, the second day began with a speech by the principal investigator, Prof. Kimura (Kyoto University), followed by the third keynote lecture by Prof. Sato (Fukuoka University) titled “Structure and Chemistry of Cellulose and Lignin in Woody Biomass”.
Then, the sessions for each component started. Component 1 was moderated by Dr. Yoshinori Fukubayashi (University of Miyazaki). The first presenter, Mr. Kentaro Fukuda (Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.), gave an online presentation from Japan entitled “Survey on Problematic Soils Encountered in Construction Works in Developing Countries and Examples of Japanese Technology”. The second presenter, Dr. Martin Mgangira (ERA), co-author of Dr. Philips Paige Green (ERA), presented “Innovative Approach to Enhance the Quality of Expansive Soil for the Use in Road Construction.” Then, Dr. Fukubayashi presented “Approach towards the Modification of Problematic Soil by Cellulose-based Soil Additives,” and Dr. Teshome (AASTU), who received his PhD degree at the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University through the MNGD project, presented “Sustainable Stabilization of Expansive Soils Using Agricultural and Plant-based Additives.”
The next session was by Component 2. After the presentation “Progress and Future of Soil Improvement Technologies Using Agricultural Byproducts in Ethiopia” by moderator Prof. Hide Yasuhara (Kyoto University), Dr. Worku (ERA) gave a presentation on “Stabilization of Expansive Soil with Solid Brewery Byproduct and Wheat Straw Fiber” on behalf of Dr. Siraj Mulugeta (AASTU). Then Dr. Fitsum Tesfaye (AASTU) presented “Guide to Cellulose Modified Expansive Subgrade Soils” and Dr. Tesfaye presented “Overview of the Rural Connective Access Program for Food Security.”
The last session for Component 3 was moderated by Dr. Argachew Bochena (JKU), who received his degree from the Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, through the MNGD project. “Possibilities of the Operational Model of Construction Measures for Problematic Soil” by Dr. Kaneko (Kyoto University) and ”The Potential of Labour- based Approaches and the Use of Local Resource Methods in Ethiopia: Experiences, Challenges and the Way Forward” by Mr. Chekole (ILO), and Dr. Kassahun (JKU), another Kyoto University Asian and African Area Studies graduate, gave a presentation on “History of the Community Participation in Rural Road Development in Aari Zone,” and a discussion with the floor followed.
After all presentations were completed, Project Leader, Prof. Kimura provided certificates to the presenters in each category and thanked the staff for their support of the MNGD project.
Lastly, Dr. Abraham Debebe, Vice President of Addis Ababa Science and Technology Univeristy, gave a closing remark congratulating the two days conference with full of attendants to close the meeting.
