The JICA Activities

JICA

ACTIVITIES
Technical Training Program
JICA annually accepts about 8,000 participants for technical training courses in Japan. The main aim of the program is to transfer specialized knowledge and technologies. The program includes training conducted in Japan (both group and individual courses) and third-country training held in host countries other than Japan.

Dispatch of Experts
The Expert Dispatch Program has grown into an important component of Japan's technical cooperation since 1955. The program's key objective is to transfer and disseminate technical knowledge and skills appropriate to the needs of partner countries.

Provision of Equipment
Equipment is usually supplied in conjunction with existing cooperation programs in order to:
(1) facilitate technology transfer from JICA experts and JOCVs;
(2) help counterparts in recipient countries continue their work after the experts have returned to Japan; and
(3) help former participants in the training programs in Japan utilize their newly acquired knowledge and skills effectively in their own countries.

Project-Type Technical Cooperation
As a comprehensive approach to promote technology transfer, this program provides integrated assistance, from planning and implementation to evaluation, by combining three types of cooperation:
1) training programs in Japan,
2) dispatch of experts, and
3) provision of equipment.
The program is largely implemented in four sectors: social development; public health and population/family planning; agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; and industrial development.

Dispatch of JOCVs
Under the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) program, Japanese volunteers with special skills are dispatched to developing countries to assist in the socio-economic development of local communities. The volunteers are between the ages of 20 and 39 and serve in their assigned countries for two years.

Development Studies
Study teams are dispatched to provide assistance in formulating development plans for the public sector and other basic areas of infrastructure, which are keys to the socio-economic development of developing countries. The team studies the proposed project or program from technical and financial viewpoints, and takes into consideration economic and social factors, organization and management, environmental impact, and other aspects.

Support for Grant Aid Programs
Japan's grant aid mainly benefits what is called Basic Human Needs (BHN), which includes medical care, public health, water supply, rural and agricultural development, and human resources development. JICA is commissioned to carry out surveys/studies and to expedite the execution of three sub-programs: General Grant Aid, Grant Aid for Fisheries, and Grant Aid for Increased Food Production.

Development Cooperation
JICA provides long-term, low-interest loans to Japanese enterprises for projects which do not qualify for loans from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund or the Export-Import Bank of Japan. JICA also conducts surveys and provides guidance as necessary. These services, referred to as Development Cooperation, support Japanese private enterprises who intend to contribute to the economic progress of developing countries through investment.

Emigration
To support Japanese emigrants and people of Japanese descent, primarily in Latin America, JICA is engaged in a variety of activities. These activities include emigration studies; recruiting and dispatching Overseas Development Youth Volunteers and experts; operating agricultural experiment stations; training in Japan for children of emigrants; and capital subscription projects, including loans to emigrants and emigrant groups.

Emergency Disaster Relief
The Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Team was established for the purpose of engaging in international emergency relief operations in response to requests from affected countries and/or international organizations when a major natural or a man-made (such as gas explosion) disaster occurs, especially in developing areas. JDR consists of three types of teams: rescue team for search and rescue operations, and medical team, and expert team to assist with rehabilitation and the prevention of possible secondary disasters.

Recruitment and Training of Qualified Personnel
JICA's Institute for International Cooperation recruits and trains experts in technical cooperation, conducts surveys and research in the area of technology transfer, and provides information on records of international cooperation. The institute also provides training courses for local government personnel and NGOs in order to support their activities. The institute's library contains academic journals on international development as well as technical information on JICA's activities.

Addressing Aid Effectiveness and Global Issues
In order to create more efficient and effective aid activities, it is important to screen and plan programs that are based on the realities of the developing countries and which adhere to JICA's implementation structures. JICA must be actively involved in addressing global issues, such as environmental conservation, poverty alleviation, and women in development. Working committees have been set up to study these issues and release recommendation reports for JICA's future aid activities.

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