The objective of the J-PRISM Partnership is two-fold, firstly to strengthen and develop national waste management systems and human capacity in Pacific SIDS through partnership with Pacific SIDS, SPREP and the Government of Japan; and secondly to promote the regional sharing of knowledge and expertise and encourage the eventual uptake of good waste management practices in Pacific SIDS.Good waste management is a vital component of national sustainable development, since poorly managed waste has negative impacts on areas such as public health, environment, and tourism. By strengthening the systems and the people responsible for waste management at the national and local authority levels, and by promoting locally-developed and regionally-relevant solutions and expertise, J-PRISM aims to improve waste management in the Pacific and in turn contribute to sustainable development of Pacific SIDS.

J-PRISM is a Pacific example of triangular cooperation, involving a major donor (JICA), a technical partner in the 'South' (SPREP), and beneficiary developing SIDS in the Pacific. Each of the participating Pacific SIDS has signed an agreement with JICA, which specifies roles and responsibilities, contributions from each party, and the expected outcomes for each Pacific SIDS. In order to achieve the objectives of J-PRISM, a combination of national and regional-level activities have been designed. National activities are designed and implemented to strengthen the capacity of national waste management authorities in addressing the priority needs of each Pacific SIDS in line with national waste management plans based on the Regional Solid Waste Management Strategy, such as the promotion of 3Rs: reduce-reuse-recycle, improvement of collection systems, and rehabilitation of the dumpsites.The activities at the regional level, on the other hand, provide space for sharing outcomes and best practices among the Pacific SIDS. Knowledge and expertise gained from regional activities are then fed into national activities, using various modes including dispatch of local experts, country attachments, study visits, trainers dispatch, and training workshops at the regional, sub regional, and in-country levels. J-PRISM is therefore designed to promote a spiral learning process and capacity development through the closely intertwined activities at both the national and regional levels.

J-PRISM builds capacity and achieves technology transfer in several ways. Firstly, J-PRISM provides technical experts to support counterparts in Pacific SIDS to implement waste management improvement activities.Secondly, J-PRISM promotes South-South cooperation through activities at the regional level that are designed to share outcomes and best practices among the Pacific countries. Knowledge and expertise gained from regional activities were then fed back to national projects for further improvements in individual countries. Mechanisms used to promote South-South cooperation include:- Dispatching local expertsLocal experts who gained technical skills through previous JICA projects work on behalf of J-PRISM as experts and play various roles in J-PRISM including those of facilitators and trainers for national and regional activities. - Training programs (regional, sub regional, and in-country training/workshops) Group training has also been implemented using local human resources and facilities/sites with the aim of providing technologies, expertise and solutions for the issues common to the whole region, or to subsets of countries. - Country attachment ProgramCountry attachment - Staff members working for a waste management related organization in a target (beneficiary) country are sent to a counterpart organization in another country for a certain period of time, to learn specific skills, knowledge, and expertise through on-the-job training. - Study visit Program This program requires the host country organization to plan a range of site visits and lectures that respond to the needs of the partner (visiting) countries.- Trainers dispatch ProgramThe Trainer Dispatch program dispatches international experts to the target countries to introduce programs or provide technical advice and support. J-PRISM also promotes technology transfer from Japan, through the application of the semi-aerobic landfill method (Fukuoka-method) in improving waste dumpsites in Pacific SIDS. The Fukuoka-method was developed by Fukuoka University and Fukuoka City in Japan, and the benefits to Pacific SIDS include lower operating and maintenance costs, and faster waste stabilisation as well as reduction of the GHG.

J-PRISM is governed through a Steering Committee comprised of JICA, SPREP and member countries. The Committee meets once annually to review progress, identify issues, and endorse priorities for the following year. National-level activities are coordinated in each country through Joint Coordinating Committees comprised of key national stakeholders including representatives from national waste management authorities, local authorities, Ministries of Environment, Ministries of Health, Ministry of Education and so on. Key outcomes from each national Joint Coordinating Committees are reported on and discussed at the Steering Committee level.J-PRISM is centrally coordinated by an office established within the SPREP campus in Samoa under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which allows for greater coordination between JICA and SPREP.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) International Labour Organization (ILO) Member Countries (11 countries) Federated States of Micronesia Republic of the Fiji Islands Republic of Kiribati Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Palau Independent State of Papua New Guinea Independent State of Samoa Solomon Islands Kingdom of Tonga Tuvalu Republic of Vanuatu (Beneficiary Countries: Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue)