paced progress in promoting alternative and renewable energy is becoming visible now.

Three Year Interim Plan (2010/11-2012/13) of the country focuses on the promotion of alternative energy and expansion of renewable energy under decentralized energy system. It sets forth conducive environment for technology transfer for clean and renewable energy, and promotion of bioenergy as sustainable technology for rural areas. The Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), founded in 1996, is a major government agency that promotes development and deployment of renewable energies and alternative energy technologies in Nepal. In line with the government focus towards clean and renewable energy, Japan’s assistance has also been contributing in the sector in different forms.

JICA’s grant assistance and technical cooperation to Nepal in this particular sector is worth discussing. JICA’s especial grant assistance for the recently completed Project for Introduction of Clean Energy by Solar Electricity Generation System contributed to add milestone in government initiatives to promote clean and renewable energy. The Solar Plant

October to December 2012 | VOLUME 67

Japan InternationalCooperation Agency

JICA Nepal Office

All sources of natural energy inexhaustible no matter to what

amount they are used such as solar, wind and hydro power, and secondary energy are collectively called renewable energy. Modern realization of alternative energy started particularly from ‘Oil Shock’ of 1970s followed by the spirit of nationalism for energy independence; rising concerns on climate change and global warming to name a few. The Renewables Global Status Report 2011 states that 16% of global energy consumption comes from renewable energy and new renewables (micro hydro, bio mass, bio fuel, solar, geo thermal) accounts for 3% of final energy consumption and is increasing rapidly.

Topographically rich country like Nepal has high prospect for utilizing natural resources to expand renewable energy. However, despite ample natural energy resources, the opportunity to tap such a potential has not been adequately grabbed. According to the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS), Nepal’s total energy consumption from small scale renewable energy sources such as biogas, micro hydro and solar energy contributed about 0.7% to the national balance in 2008/09 altogether. Although the share is small, it has increased by 40 % since 2005. The snail-

- Bidhya Pokhrel

InsIdenWrap Therapy Page 2nProspects of Japanese investment Page 3nObservation of volunteers’ activities Page 5nEducation Caravan Page 6nJICA Press Tour Page 7nJournalists’ feedback Page 8

Quarterly Newsletter

A retrospection of JICA’s contributions in Nepal

constructed under Japan’s especial Grant Aid for Environment and Climate Change is the first and model project to demonstrate how renewable energy implementation scheme can add up electric power to the national grid. The project is first of its kind in Nepal that procures and installs 680.4 KW grid connected Photovoltaic (PV) generation system.

Moreover, Technical Cooperation through several schemes reflects JICA’s contribution in the promotion of renewable and alternative energy. JICA’s Senior Volunteer’s contribution in technical assistance in the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) is equally noteworthy. Kyoko Shuku in her capacity as JICA Senior Volunteer is providing technical inputs on the advancement of solar power backup system of Solar Laboratory in the NAST. Her technical assistance mainly targets to connect existing solar power backup system of NAST to the national grid.

Through 3,240 photovoltic solar panels, the JICA-funded solar project at Sundarighat, Lalitpur, has been generating 680KW solar energy. Ph

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ReNewABle eNeRgy

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Wrap Therapy—a new method of treating bedsores previously

unfamiliar in Nepal—is becoming increasingly popular in Nepali hospitals courtesy of JICA volunteer Osamu Watanabe. This inexpensive and simple method used for the care of pressure ulcers is introduced in Nepal first by the Japanese volunteer starting from Model Hospital.

Compared to basic wound-healing therapies, Wrap Therapy is a rational treatment method of burn and traumatic injuries as well as skin laceration as it helps heal sores faster ensuring a lubricated environment without applying stress on wounds. Under this method, bedsores are cleaned with saline water first then covered by food wrapping sheets, not like the treatment methods in which wounds are dried using gauzes and disinfectant that causes more pain and may sometimes result in full-blown infections.

So far Wrap Therapy has already been applied in six hospitals—Bir Hospital, Kirtipur Hospital, Sushma Koirala Memorial Burn Hospital, Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Capital Hospital and Model Hospital itself. More hospitals located in several parts of Nepal and health practitioners are gearing up to introduce this wound treatment method.

Watanabe has received a special mention from doctors of Model Hospital, where he worked for two years before his assignment came to an end in December 2012, for bringing in this easy-healing therapeutic method to Nepal from Japan. A physical therapist by profession, the JICA volunteer has a rich experience of working in Tsukuba Central Hospital in Japan and Kaiser

TRAILBLAZER: This inexpensive and simple treatment method used for the care of pressure ulcers, introduced in Nepal by Osamu Watanabe, is gaining increasing popularity.

Wrap Therapy boon for treating bedsores - Santosh Chhetri

More hospitals located in several parts of Nepal and

health practitioners are gearing up to introduce this

wound treatment method

Foundation Rehabilitation Center in the US after graduating from Chiba Kashiwa Rehabilitation College, Japan, in 2006. He has engaged in physical therapy treatment to scores of hospitalized patients and has been organizing study sessions time to time. While he was in Nepal, he organized several workshops to inform nurses and health staff about Wrap Therapy and ways to use it, besides imparting training to Model Hospital to become more patient friendly.

Doctors and nurses at Model Hospital, who earlier treated bedsore patients mainly through the dressing method that can lead to rapid granulation development, have found that the application of Wrap Therapy results in less wound cavity.

The plastic wrapping sheet, containing a thin fibrin layer applied for bedsores of all stages, protects wounds and ensures speedy formation of epidermis. Watanabe is hopeful that this cheap treatment method will be applied in many health institutions in a country like Nepal where the number of bedsore and burn injury patients is considerably high. If the figure made available by Model Hospital is anything to go by, Wrap Therapy will be the key treatment method to treat bedsores. In the last one year, the hospital successfully treated more than 2,000 patients through this method, says Amrita Tumbapo, a physiotherapist at Model Hospital.

(Mr Chhetri is Public Relations Consultant of JICA Nepal)

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Nepal is promoting private investment, both domestic and foreign direct

investment for its economic growth. Enactment of Investment Act 2011, establishment of Investment Board, declaring Nepal Investment Year 2012-13, working together with the private sector, enacting new industrial policy, the initiative to bring new industrial act to incorporate the provisions of new industrial policy, SEZ (special economic zone) initiatives, among others, are the latest initiatives. JICA, through its new country assistance strategy, has introduced private sector development as one of the important program areas for helping economic growth of Nepal apart from its continued support to develop economic and institutional infrastructures such as roads, hydropower. At the same time, JAAN (JICA Alumni Association of Nepal) while celebrating its 39th annual function had organized a national seminar on “Importance of Japanese Investment for Economic Development of Nepal”. The seminar was participated by Nepali Government officials, private sector and academia and also from the Japanese side mainly from the Embassy of Japan and JICA. Very intensive and soul searching type of deliberations and discussions were the centerpiece of the function. In this article, it is intended to account the comparative perceptions and made suggestions to realize the investors from Japan and utilize the Japanese market to the Nepali products.

How does the Nepali side see the prospects for Japanese investors to Nepal and Japanese market to Nepali products and whether the other side (Japanese) also see on the same line or there are gaps holds important message to look at the prospects. How does Nepali side see the prospects? Below are the areas where Japanese investors can be attracted or Nepali products marketed to Japanese market:

• Investment to Lumbini (Nepal), Bodhgaya (India) and Takshila (Pakistan) to promote Buddhist circuit based tourism promotion

Prospects of Japanese investment in Nepal

JICA Nepal Senior Representative Satoshi Fujii presenting his paper on “Private Sector Development” at the national seminar on “Importance of Japanese Investment for Economic Development of Nepal“ organized by JICA Alumni Association of Nepal.

• Investment in hydropower, as the Nepali stakeholders are concerned with the origin of the investment; Japanese investment would not face that problem

• Investment targeting the aging population of Japan by capitalizing the beautiful landscape of Nepal and thus developing rest homes and resorts

• Japanese market is the highest margin producing, hence the Japanese investors can invest in Nepal targeting to export in Japan by capitalizing the comparative cost advantages by utilizing cheap labor of Nepal

• Nepali people have special regards to Japanese people that can be another added advantages to the Japanese investors

• Japanese investors can invest in IT sector in Nepal, capitalizing the Nepali young IT graduates with good English

• Technology transfer from Japan to agriculture commercialization

• Investment to vegetable seeds production capitalizing the climatic advantages

How the Japanese sides see? Below are the representative perceptions of Japanese investors and importers with respect to investment in Nepal and importing Nepali products:

• Cheap labor, abundance of young population in the population composition, beautiful Himalayas, water resources, etc. are the comparative advantages to Nepal while considering investments.

• Japanese believe more on “realizing” rather than “saying” and the trust building needs understanding their sentiments and needs. Some examples of trials made in the past and failed to continue could be the representative examples of Japanese requirements, which are narrated below.o Nepali Pashmina was very much

liked products especially to Japanese ladies and was imported from Nepal. But, the quality which was originally produced was not maintained and that failed.

o Nepali Tea, again Japanese awarded import order, but could not continue because of the ‘mixing’ to the original quality

o Nepali Garments import was again failed as the supplier could not meet the delivery deadlines

• Lumbini could be good tourist attraction point to Japanese people, but again Nepali side should know much vividly whether Japanese tourists value more on pilgrimages or historical learning

- Ram Bhandari

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• Hydropower side, Japanese investor might not be so attracted in the context of riparian politics over water resources despite having huge potential

From the comparative perceptions briefly outlined above, it can be argued that the Nepal has much potential, but much effort is needed to translate such potentials to “real FDI attractions” level. In a simple Input-System-Output logic the potentials are only the Input conditions – given things and environment, but the system (physical, policy and institutional infrastructure as well as the enabling environment) needs to be strengthened to transfer the Potentials as an output that is worthy and usable for Investors and Market.

Looking on the Potentials, the System – operating environment and double checking the product – output whether attractive is or not is most important at one hand. It needs to be checked from the lenses of the target audience (in this case Japanese Investors and Market). Looking from only own perspective might again result the representative failure cases discussed above.

Furthermore, Nepali side should be very cautiously keeping its eyes on the potential competitors for example the ASEAN countries, Chinese, as well as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh within the SAARC region. Otherwise our dreams will remain only at the level of dreams or the Potentials at the level of Potentials like the example of Hydropower Potentials of over 42,000 MW (technically and financially viable),

Similarly, retired researcher of Japan Dr. Hiroyuki Kojima is rendering services as Senior Volunteer in the NAST to streamline bio fuel as a sustainable form of alternative energy since April 2011. His research has been pioneer on exploring and establishing opportunities to promote bio-diesel fuel (BDF) from Jatropha seeds. He has been supporting NAST to produce bio diesel policy and incorporate it in the mainstream energy policy of Nepal, aiming to mitigate the nation’s chronic fuel shortage as well as to vitalize the rural economy. He has developed a project to that effect, exploring sustainable energy economy for rural communities from Jatropha plant.

Dhangadhi district in the Far-Western Nepal has been selected as the model site, where Jatropha is planted in large swaths of land. In cooperation with other local NGOs, the NAST along with Dr. Kojima is proposing a Jatropha processing system in Dhangadhi. He is trying to introduce the superheated steam technology (SST) for the best use of Jatropha seeds to produce different forms of energy like bio-oil, bio-gas and bio-char and to provide energy products to the community.

Conversion of Jatropha crude oil to BDF was the main project that Dr. Kojima has been

undertaking with NAST. He developed dolomite-based catalyst process. It turned out to be more economical and suitable in Nepal than the existing alkali catalyst process. Nepal has abundant deposit of unexploited dolomite and catalyst wastes. In the beginning, he produced BDF from waste cooking oil (WCO) in the NAST Research Laboratory. Using dolomite based catalyst and methanol, he converted waste cooking oil into BDF that was blended with diesel to run the Bio Diesel Fed Generator during load shedding hours in NAST. Currently, the ratio of the blend is 10% of BDF and 90% of petroleum diesel. NAST is targeting to make it 50/50 ratio. The 2.5 KW of Bio Fed Generator was handed over by JICA to NAST in April 2012 in grant for its Research Laboratory.

In retrospection, Dr. Kojima thinks his tenure as NAST expert has been successful in many aspects, mainly to gain recognition of Jatropha, which was merely limited to research studies, from the government and NAST for its practical usage nationwide; to aware stakeholders through the first national conference in bioenergy and local level workshops; and to forge collaborative actions among the government, academicians, NGOs and other likeminded institutions whose attention have drawn

up towards Dhangadi. Likewise, the recently completed technical cooperation project on dissemination of alternative energy fuel, (bio briquette) has also contributed to the promotion of renewable energy at the local level. The project targets to promote research and dissemination of locally viable different kinds of briquettes. It has identified and analyzed several bio mass raw materials to use them in production of beehive briquettes and designed ‘Sajilo Mold’ of briquetting for good compaction and faster production. The project was implemented under JICA partnership project through New Energy Promotion Association (NEPA) of Hokkaido, Japan and Center for Energy and Environment (CEE).

The diagnosis of the activities carried out under different schemes of assistance as discussed above reflect JICA’s continuous efforts to promote the renewable energy sector in Nepal. JICA’s assistance, on the one hand, is focused to address the deepening energy crisis of the country through renewable alternatives and, on the other hand, to meet the need of sustainable clean energy in rural communities of Nepal.

(Ms Pokhrel is Program Officer of JICA Nepal)

but struggling with the 18 hours of daily power cuts. The suggested role of the key stakeholders to promote Japanese investment and open up Japanese market could be –JAAN (using their network to market Nepal in Japan, transferring the knowledge, skills and the cultural aspects learnt from Japan); Investment Board and GoN (making the operating system efficient and trustworthy to transfer the Potentials to worthy outputs and sharing the information); FNCCI (marketing Nepal through their own channel); JICA (extending cooperation to capacitate the Nepali side to make the operating system really converting the Potentials to Worthy Products).

(Mr Bhandari is Associate Program Manager of JICA Nepal)

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A retrospection of JICA’s...

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Government officials observe activities of JICA volunteers

GeMSIP holds sixth JCC meeting

The sixth Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) meeting of Gender Mainstreaming

and Social Inclusion Project (GeMSIP) was held on December 21 in co-chairpersonship of Dinesh Hari Adhikari, Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and Shanta Bahadur Shrestha, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development.

Yoko Komatsubara, expert of GeMSIP, presented the progress of GeMSIP up to the 3rd year and Norimichi Toyomane, Team Leader of GeMSIP, made a presentation about the Plan of Operation of GeMSIP Year 4. In his presentation, he focused on the major activities of the fourth year and put three agendas for discussion. They were: End-line survey, Counterpart training in Japan and Operational GESI manual.

Takeshi Kikuchi, JICA Representative commented on presentation and highlighted that the expert team emphasized planning process in their presentation but the importance of GeMSIP approach is concerned not only with planning but also with implementation and monitoring. He stressed the need of aligning with LGCDP at central and local level.

The meeting concluded with the closing remarks by JICA Nepal Senior Representative Satoshi Fujii and co-chairs of the meeting. In his remarks, Fujii said there was a smooth implementation of GeMSIP ever since it started in 2009. He emphasized that the most important thing is not to achieve the project purpose but to maintain its achievement. He also requested for the aligning with LGCDP which is very important to maintain its achievement.

In his remarks, Secretary Shrestha said this meeting had become a basis for the remaining period of GeMSIP and shown how we should go ahead in future. LGCDP-II is planning to go with the SWAP model. On behalf of the Government of Nepal he thanked JICA and suggested that LGCDP would coordinate with the Japanese agency. Similarly, Secretary Adhikari in his closing remarks said this meeting made important decisions for Year 4 of GeMSIP. He expressed his happiness saying that GeMSIP has been working in line with government guidelines and contributing to the improvement of government guidelines, which is the importance and beauty of this project.

Government official s observed activities of Japanese volunteers on November 28.

Organized by JICA Nepal, the observation visit featured activities of JOCV Hajime Kihana, posted at Sano Thimi Technical School (STTS) and JICA expert Dr Kazuo Watanabe working at Nepal Agriculture Research Centre (NARC). The main objective of this visit was to increase the understanding of JICA volunteers among several ministries of the Government of Nepal.

Officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare; Ministry of Tourism and Civil

Aviation, including Chief of Foreign Aid Division of Ministry of Finance Madhu Marasani and Social Welfare Council were in the team. They went to Sano Thimi Technical School and observed the activities of Kihana who is popularizing 5S—Sorting, Straightening, Sweeping, Standardizing and Self-discipline. 5S help achieve high level of quality, safety and productivity as well as ensure a conducive environment at workplaces. The mechanical engineer informed government officials about his teaching plans, training schedules, teaching methods and his efforts to keep mechanical equipment well-maintained.

Similarly, at NARC, officials informed the visiting team that JICA mushroom expert Dr Watanabe has been comprehensively studying local mushroom available in all 75 districts of Nepal. It is said that NARC’s efforts to promote mushroom farming has made strides after Dr Watanabe came to Nepal.

On the occasion, the JICA volunteer brought some facts to light, saying that Nepal is producing 40,000 metric tons of mushroom and the yearly transaction is between Rs 400,000 and Rs 500,000.

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(Left) JICA expert Dr Kazuo Watanabe presenting a paper on local mushroom varieties. (Right) JOCV Hajime Kihana with government officers.

- Nama Raj Adhikari

- Santosh Chhetri

Training in Cambodia

JICA expert in MoUD

Environment education

As part of working together with local stakeholders based on a ‘Hatemalo’ spirit and keeping them informed, eight education sector JICA volunteers organized the Education Caravan from December 8-16. Starting from Pokhara, the Caravan reached Kusma (Parbat), Putalibazaar (Syangja), Damauli (Tanahu), Gajuri (Dhading), Bharabise (Sindhupalchowk), and Dhulikhel (Kavre). The Japanese volunteers conducted classes on science, health, peace, history, moral education at primary schools, secondary schools and technical schools.

On December 8, the volunteers visited Children’s Day Care Center in Pokhara, where the Caravan team measured children’s’ height and weight, and calculated BMI (Body Mass Index)—an ideal method to know the body weight which can be a reference for preventing diseases. The kids themselves digitized the results of their body measurement and learned how to utilize a computer. Staff of the center acquired information on children’s physical growth like overweight and low weight. After the body measurement, a mini athletic meeting was held as a part of physical education,

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wherein the children enjoyed exercises and a relay race together with the volunteers.

The volunteers have realized that education in Nepal means excessive emphasis on rote method of learning. Thus, they are conducting a Caravan with the purpose of imparting not only new knowledge and experience to children, but also instructing teachers about the necessity of emotional development education and suitable education for childhood through conducting actual lessons.

As a part of Training of Trainers, Third Country Training was organized in Cambodia under the Project for Capacity Development on Water Supply in Semi-urban Areas in Nepal.

A 12-member team comprising of government officials from the Ministry of Urban Development, the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS), and the Water Supply and Sanitation Divisions of Jhapa and Morang participated in the training. The team visited Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority and Siem Reap Water Supply Authority of Cambodia.

The training was arranged in Cambodia as the Southeast Asian country has a similar past that Nepal witnessed.

On the request of the Government of Nepal, JICA dispatched Water Policy Advisor Takashi Honda to the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). Commencing his tenure from the end of 2012, Honda, an expert of WASH (Water Supply and Hygiene) sector, is facilitating government’s initiatives in the long term water supply and sanitation sector. He is expected to provide technical inputs to the government and conduct a feasibility study for the future potential projects in WASH.

Training to EPH (Environment, Population and Health) teachers on the theme “Bagmati and Its Environment Mechanism of Watershed” was conducted from December 11-14 under the project Strengthening Community Action through Environment Education and Community Based Environment Protection Activities. The program aimed to strengthening capacity of local teachers teaching EPH curriculum in the schools, and helping

them explore the initiatives to protect environment by themselves. Teachers from 34 schools from Boudha and Jorpati, Kathmandu, participated in the two-day training. In line with the national efforts to protect and preserve the Bagmati river and environment surrounding its vicinity, the project, being implemented under JICA Partnership Program (JPP) in collaboration with Japanese the NGO named SOMNEED and its local counterpart SOMNEED Nepal has been conducting various awareness activities.

Education Caravan in seven districts

- Ikuko Niizeki

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The JICA Nepal Press Tour 2012 was organized from December 16 to 18. The Press Tour is designed to provide select journalists with insights into issues that are of contemporary interest within the field of development. This year’s tour featured 160-km Sindhuli Road, two technical cooperation projects, COMCAP (Strengthening Community Mediation Capacity for Peace and Harmonious Society) and

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SRCAMP (Sindhuli Road Corridor Agricultural Master Plan); observation of JICA volunteers’ activities; and JICA Partnership Program scheme in Sindhuli and Kavre districts.

The aim of this program was to raise awareness among the media of JICA’s activities by giving journalists a chance to see first-hand how projects are delivered, interact/interview some of

the local beneficiaries and project staff, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that JICA is working to address in Nepal. Journalists representing Nepal Television, Kantipur Television, Radio Nepal, Gorkhapatra, The Rising Nepal, The Himalayan Times, The Kathmandu Post, Republica, Kantipur, Rajdhani, Karobar and Radio Kantipur were the participants of the Tour.

JICA organizes Press Tour 2012

JICA Senior Volunteer Goto (bespectacled) briefing journalists about cooperative-based livestock farming at Dhumrebas, Sindhuli.

A local farmer telling media persons how his livelihood is being improved through high value commercial agriculture production with the support of SRCAMP.

A press briefing about the Sindhuli Road at Nepalthok-based Hazama Camp. Chief of the Sindhuli Road Project of the Department of Roads was also present on the occasion.

At Devitar VDC, Kavre, the participants got an idea of what JPP (JICA Partnership Program) is all about and how JICA, forging partnership between Japanese NGOs and their Nepali counterparts, is trying to increase the involvement of local people in uplifting their living standard.

JOCV Kitazaki informing journalists about the activities he is doing in Kavre.

Nippon Koei engineer Fujisawa and SRMU expert Bindu Shumsher Rana bring interviewed. Nippon Koei is the consultant of the Sindhuli Road, while JICA is supporting SRMU to complete backlog works of the road.

Press Tour participants being informed about the activities implemented under COMCAP at Ratanchura VDC, Sindhuli.

A view of Sindhuli Road that was the center of journalists’ attention during the Press Tour.

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Modern SUVs made the trip, which passed through river banks, hillsides and plains of Tarai, a memorable experience for me.Apart from getting the much-needed break from the hectic assignments, I got the opportunity to get firsthand experience of people benefited by JICA’s activities. Construction of first of its type road, support to local farmers on citrus farming, sharing of knowledge on farming of improved breed of goats, and mechanism to settle domestic disputes through joint approach in village itself have not only benefited the locals but also set an example that not all foreign support come with strings attached.Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to JICA for making me a part of such a memorable trip.

Bipulendra AdhikariRepublica

Successful TourThe Press Tour provided me a chance to see first-hand how JICA is delivering its projects. I was overwhelmed by seeing

the Sindhuli road, to which I would like call the road to prosperity. The Japanese technology used in the construction of the road is amazing. My only concern is the road is little narrow in some of the sections between Nepalthok and Dhulikhel. We saw some visible changes brought about by two JICA’s projects, COMCAP and SRCAMP, Japanese volunteers’ activities and JICA Partnership Program in Sindhuli, Dhulikhel and Banepa. With this tour, I truly realized that Nepal’s major donor agencies are doing a good job here. Overall, the Tour was successful.

Devi SapkotaNepal Television

Such press tours will not only help bring several projects to the attention of visiting mediapersons but also to the larger audience.

Narayan UpadhyayThe Rising Nepal

Hectic, but all funI found the Press Tour an important opportunity to learn about various programs and projects being implemented in Nepal by JICA. During my

interactions with local people, I found many of them cherishing JICA projects. The farmers, workers, project officials and government staff whom I met in Sindhuli and Kavre districts were generous.Though the Tour was hectic from the very beginning owing to flight cancellation to Janakpur, I had a great time in all the places where we visited, mainly in Dhulikhel on the third day. It is true that donor agencies have been Nepal’s partners for development. Nepali people too want to move with the changing times, so the donors like JICA should apply the needs-based vision of development in Nepal.

Binod Ghimire The Kathmandu Post

Memorable tripExploring new places has always remained my hobby; and if its road trip, I just can’t resist. JICA’s recent tour to Sindhuli was one

of them -- an excuse to take a break from hectic office works and explore the country.Though the tour kicked off on a sour note due to cancellation of flight to Janakpur, the road trip, though hectic, was fun-filled.

Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh Building, Hariharbhavan, LalitpurP.O. Box 450, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977-1-5010310 Fax: 977-1-5010284 Website: www.jica.go.jp/nepal/englishEmail: np_oso_rep@jica.go.jp

Japan International Cooperation Agency Nepal Office

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for what you would like to see in future issues, please do not hesitate to write us.

A memorable visitThe best way to get the first-hand knowledge about any place and the people living there is to pay a visit to that particular place.

The JICA Press Tour provided a fitting experience to that effect.

The Press Tour, of which I was a member, was the first time I was travelling on the beautiful, meandering Banepa-Sindhuli road, which has proven a vital link to local people. I personally think that several members of this tour had also enjoyed the trip. The tour also enlightened us about other programs, conducted under jointly by locals and JICA experts and volunteers. All activities, from livestock to citrus farming in the some of the VDCs lying adjacent to the road, offered a glimpse of Japanese assistance for the development of various communities of Sindhuli and Kavre.

The community mediation project and the improved animal husbandry project being implemented in Sindhuli VDCs provided an account of the JICA’s efforts in making several poor communities living in the Sindhuli road corridor self-reliant. Another beautiful notion of establishing close relationship with Nepali NGOs and Japanese NGOs was seen in Kavre’s remote villages. A Nepali NGO, Love Green Nepal, is working with Love Green Japan to equip local farmers with better and low cost techniques to improve their farming and incomes.

We later found out that it was the idea of JICA to help develop local communities through combined efforts—by building a main arterial road and launching income-generating activities together. We must, therefore, praise the efforts of the Japanese government and JICA.

whAt the JouRNAlIStS SAy