The Rural Leaders Training Centre of the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) in Japan is currently soliciting applications for the 2026 Rural Leaders Training Programme.
ARI’s Rural Leaders Training Programme teaches practical skills in organic agriculture and servant leadership. Through the programme, rural leaders also discover the values needed for healthy community development, and widen their understanding of social issues, embodying the programme’s goal of empowered leaders with the knowledge and vision to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world.
Sharing best practices
Rural leaders participating in the programme stand to gain valuable experience that will enable them to return to their home countries to transform their local communities into vibrant, prosperous rural societies of the future.
Every year from April through December, ARI invites rural leaders from grassroots communities across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific to its training facility in Japan, where an international community of learning is fostered on campus, sharing a common goal to study the best ways for rural people to improve their lives.
Participating rural leaders must be between 25 to 45 years in age, with at least three years of leadership experience serving in organisations such as faith-based ones to nongovernmental organisations.
Application process
The ARI programme does not accept applications from candidates directly. Before a candidate applies, a representative from the sending body (SB) must first complete and submit the Sending Body Application.
The SB representative is usually the head or leader of the SB. ARI will remain in contact with them throughout the application process.
Whenever a SB Application is approved for registration, ARI will formally invite the candidate/s from each SB to complete the Individual Application form with guidance from the ARI Admissions Team.
Each SB can recommend up to TWO candidates.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the submissions of the SB Applications is 31 May 2026.
For more information, click here.
