JOCV since 1983
Sakai wants to make a difference in the dairy industry
I'M a veterinarian and I worked at the Gifu Prefecture Office in Japan for 35 years. After I retired, I joined JICA for the first time and was dispatched to Paraguay to help the dairy farmers in January 2020.
Unfortunately, I had to repatriate to Japan in the middle of my volunteer work due to the pandemic.
It has always been my dream to work abroad as a JICA volunteer. and I was glad to be given that opportunity to be a volunteer again.
I was dispatched to Fiji in May, 2022 as the first volunteer after COVID-19.
I was dispatched to Koronivia Research Station (KRS) in the Animal Health and Production division under the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to work for a two-year assignment, helping and advising staff to improve the feeding method of livestock.
With my 30 plus years of working as a veterinarian in Japan, I have gained a lot of good knowledge and ideas that I can use and share with my colleagues at KRS and the local farmers in Fiji.
Based on my experience, it is important to observe our domestic animals daily.
We should listen and keep an eye on them. They will tell us what to do.
My volunteer activity aims at improving dairy cows for better increased of milk production using AI (Artificial Insemination).
The frozen semen from an excellent dairy cattle bull for AI makes cow's body size and the udder size larger, resulting in the increased in milk production.
I think that improving dairy cows not only increases milk production, but also improves dairy farmer's productivity.
Currently, I am teaching my colleagues how to do AI techniques using the AI manual that I developed at KRS.
I also taught them about cow pregnancy diagnosis techniques.
We had an AI workshop for dairy farmers in Tailevu with MOA staff to introduce the new techniques.
I hope these techniques will take roots in Fiji. Finally, the 40th anniversary ceremony for the JICA Volunteer Program was celebrated in Suva last year in October. I was grateful to be part of this milestone celebration. Since its inception in 1983, 759 volunteers have worked in Fiji and I am optimistic that more volunteers will be coming to Fiji.
The volunteers will continue to actively engage in activities that will help and make a difference in the lives of the people in Fiji.