Japaneses Support For NGOs
- Communication Unit, Development Alternatives

At the Earth Summit (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro , Japan made a commitment to set up a fund that would support NGOs tackling environmental issues not only in the country but the developing world as well.  A year later it established the Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE), which is headed by Kazu Katu who was in India a short whole ago to check out on NGOs that needed assistance in the form of grants, information and training.  Development Alternatives organised the meeting so that he and his colleagues could interact with gentlemen and women of the voluntary sector.

Katu, until be took over JFGE, was with the Ministry of Environment, prior to which along with Ashok Khosla he had been employed by the UNEP.  Both returned to their respective countries because their experience with UN organisation “made us sadder and wiser about the global environment system”, and they wanted to apply their training to issues at home.

A scientist, Katu says that “at heart in some ways I am an Ngo”, and for long he had wanted to visit “Ashok’s organisation to see the type of alternatives it has come up with”

He was informed that the primary purpose of Development Alternatives was to create jobs, “sustainable livelihoods”.  To achieve that end it had initiated a number of projects that included the development of biomass based micro industry products, mud brick dwelling units with microlite tiles, hand made paper, and textiles with innovative designs.

Katu was interested to know weather DA was acquiring patents for the technologies it had developed, for the range of products it had begun marketing.  He was told by Ashok “if people steal our technology we will not be too unhappy.  That’s how Japan came up.  You have to be innovative to grow rapidly, and that involves stealing good ideas.”

It was stressed that Development Alternatives did not go on endlessly with R & D.  Sooner rather than later the organisation must put something usable in the market. And appropriate technology is not appropriate until it is appropriated (by the people). This involves thinking through the technology.

After the presentation by Development Alternatives got over over, Katu spoke of JFGE saying that it was not yet going out of its way to broadcast its existence as “ we are not currently equipped, financially - the government has given JFGE an initial endowment of one billion Yen -- or in terms of staff to receive too many applications”.  But it was sending out teams to Asian and African countries to collect information on the nature of the activities of the NGOs into sustainable development.

Representatives of Indian NGOs raised a wide range of questions.  Raymond Miles of AFPRO was interested in the in the technical support that JFGE could provide; Suman Sahay of Gene Campaign wanted to know if it could promote biodiversity not merely as an environmental goal but its economic dimensions; Sanjay Sharma, the VHAI representative, was keen to discover if JFGE, through the support of Japanese NGOs, could pressure the government to prevent the destruction of shrimps that it encouraged third world farmers to undertake.

Katu observed that my NGO wishing to take on the following projects could apply for funds;

1. Afforestations, wildlife protection or pollution prevention activities which are implemented in co-operation with local inhabitant or grassroot organisation.

2. Information service activities to provide the people and non-government organisations with data which promotes  “local-based” activities such as afforestation, wildlife protection and pollution prevention.

3. Research & study, or holding international conferences which contribute to activities mentioned above in (I) & (ii)

JFGE had already financed several projects.  These included agroforestry schemes in Vietnam and Tanzania, anti-desertification in China and Kenya, nature conservation in Zimbabwe and Bhutan, pollution in the Philippines, water pollution in Indonesia and waste recycling in Nepal.

Katu emphasised that the Japanese finance ministry laid down very strict rules for accounting for the funds donated and suggested that Indian NGOs should seek the help of Japanese NGOs/persons well versed in these matters.  He requested Development Alternatives to co-ordinate the efforts of NGOs seeking support from JFGE.

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