Japanese cut pesticide aid 

The Japanese government has announced a change of policy that will end its regular pesticide donations to Africa(1). Supplied on the assumption that they increase food production, the chemicals were causing hazards in their use, and problems of disposal.

Known as 2KR, the pesticide donations programme of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been criticised for supplying pesticides to developing countries that are inappropriate for national needs or conditions. 
    The aid programme began providing pesticides in 1977 on the assumption that the products would increase food production. Many of the pesticides were unsuitable or did not reach users, and have been left in stores long periods, causing environmental problems. Some, such as those in Mozambique, are now part of Africa’s obsolete stockpile problems(2).
    The Japanese ministry of agriculture will still consider providing pesticides under specific aid programmes led by international institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FAO has led efforts to document obsolete pesticide stockpiles in Africa, and the Japanese ministry has indicated that it will cooperate with developing countries to dispose of unused pesticides. JICA and the ministry of agriculture are sending investigation teams to Tanzania and Senegal investigate pesticide problems. 
    The non-governmental watchdog organisation, 2KR Monitoring Network, while welcoming the policy changes, is concerned that the review of the grant aid scheme, announced on 25 December 2002, has not gone far enough(3). It would like to see the government include Japanese civil society in discussions about the revision process and future priorities. (BD)

References
1. The Japan Times, 27 December 2002
2. www1.jca.apc.org/mozambique-net/en/advocacy/problems.html
3. 2KR Monitoring Network, Tokyo, www.paw.hi-ho.ne.jp/kr2-net/

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 59, March 2003, page 5]