Contents

z Women, Water, Energy

From the Director General’s Desk...
and the Millennium
Dear Friends of ICIMOD,
Development Goals:
Lessons Learned and The energy needs of the poorest mountain people cannot be met by electricity
Implications for Policy 3
alone. Although electrification is able to provide lighting in the mountains, its high
z Saving Global Carbon to cost makes electricity unsuitable for cooking and heating in poor rural households.
Benefit Local Communities Connecting small, scattered rural settlements to electricity is also not cost efficient.
in the Himalaya 9
The energy requirements of the mountains are better met through the sustainable
z Community-managed, development of decentralised, renewable community-based energy options, in
Low-cost Ropeways: technology packages appropriate for specific areas. This has been the focus of
Learning from the
ICIMOD's programme on energy.
Experience of Uttaranchal 13
z Enhancing Market Access Renewable energy technologies (RETs) reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
and Livelihood Options in pressure on forests. They also cut down the amount of time women spend
the Himalayan Region collecting fuel and water, and reduce the health hazards of heavy loads and smoky
through Gravity kitchens. These technologies can promote the economically and environmentally
Ropeways 16 sound development of energy resources, particularly biomass.
z Success Stories in Water
Harvesting from Bajeena Over the years, ICIMOD's programme on energy has implemented initiatives
and Naila Villages, Almora that focus on renewable energy technologies. Action research has identified and
District, Uttaranchal 19 implemented appropriate technology packages by communities and/or by local
z Women as Energy NGOs in selected areas of the Himalaya.
Entrepreneurs: Successes The lives of women all over the world are intimately connected to water, and yet
from a Pilot Project in
Phobjikha and Limukha
women in the greater Himalayan region continue to face hardships related to
Villages, Bhutan 21 fetching water. It is almost impossible to involve women in new livelihood
opportunities without reducing the time they spend in collecting and managing the
z Promoting Technological
Interventions Related to
water and energy needs of their households.
Water and Energy ICIMOD executed a two-year project, 'Capacity Building of Women for Energy
Resources: A Case Study
and Water Management in the Rural Areas of the Himalaya on a pilot basis in India,
from Nepal 23
Nepal, and Bhutan. The project is making a marked difference in the lives of
z The Carbon Market as participating women and their families. The experiences and lessons learned from
an Emerging Livelihood
this project have been encapsulated in three publications, including policy guidelines,
Opportunity for
Communities of the a training manual, project learning, and in a documentary film which hopes to help
Himalaya 26 policy makers and rural development practitioners replicate and up-scale similar
projects in their own regions.
z Institutional Profiles 28
z Centre News 29
This issue of the newsletter also features ICIMOD's research through the
project 'Kyoto: Think Global, Act Local’ into how the carbon saved in community-
managed forests can be brought under the Clean Development Mechanism.
issn 1013-7386 Readers will also be interested in the gravity and diesel ropeways technology which
Editorial Contact could provide an appropriate solution to the challenge of accessibility in the
ICIMOD Publications mountains.
imco@icimod.org
On another note, the Board of Governors, on my request, has commenced the
Guest Editor: Kamal Banskota
Editors: Rosemary Thapa search for the next Director General of ICIMOD (see announcement in this issue).
Joyce M. Mendez Completing the recruitment process in 2006 will enable my successor to participate
Coordinator: Nira Gurung in an evaluation of the results of the fourth Quinquennial Review and take on the
Design & Layout: Punam Pradhan
responsibility of the next Medium Term Action Plan and the resource generation this
Printed by Quality Printers Pvt. Ltd. requires. This timetable, under which I would hand over responsibility one year
Kathmandu, Nepal before the completion of my full second four-year term, should ensure a smooth and
Cover Photo: A woman with a water sustainable transition for ICIMOD and its various mountain development initiatives.
canister and firewood in the back-
ground, Bhutan (Elizabeth Khaka, Finally, I would like to thank all partner institutions who contributed to this
UNEP, Nairobi) volume, and express special thanks to Dr. Kamal Banskota, Programme Manager for
The views and interpretations in this ARID, who served as thematic editor for this issue. We look forward to your
paper are those of the authors. They feedback and suggestions for improvement.
are not attributable to the International
Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) and do not With best wishes for 2006.
imply the expression of any opinion Sincerely,
concerning the legal status of any coun-
try, territory, city, or area of its authori-
J. Gabriel Campbell, Ph.D.
ties, or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries.
 CONTRIBUTING TO THE MDGs

Women, Water, Energy and the Millennium Development

Goals: Lessons Learned and Implications for Policy
Bikash Sharma, ICIMOD, bsharma@icimod.org
Kamal Banskota, ICIMOD, kbanskota@icimod.org

Water and energy are essential resources for human survival and well-being. Improved access to
these critical resources holds some of the key to reducing poverty and achieving the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).

Worldwide, two billion people continue to rely on fuelwood and spend hours in drudgery to meet the
traditional biomass fuels for cooking and heating, water and energy needs of their households and
while some 1.1 billion people lack access to safe farms. They spend extended periods with their
drinking water. Hundreds of millions – mainly children in smoky kitchens – a health hazard to both
women and children – spend hours daily gathering mother and child. Often, young children, especially
firewood and water, often from considerable girls, are unable to attend school because they are
distances, for household and other needs. Women needed to help with water and energy chores at
throughout the world continue to have fewer options home. Without reducing the time women spend daily
and opportunities than men, and in many countries on collecting and fetching these resources, and the
women face overt inequalities, marginalisation, and drudgery associated with these activities, women
discrimination. Of the 1.3 billion who live in poverty, simply do not have time to participate in any new
70% are women. Women perform two-thirds of the livelihood opportunities. Liberating poor women
world's work but earn one-tenth of the world's from this vicious cycle of time poverty1 can be a
income. Their exclusion from decision-making in powerful entry point for reducing poverty and
many countries has led to the failure of many achieving the MDGs.
poverty alleviation programmes.
Any new interventions for women should aim to
Throughout the Himalayan region, women face reduce the hours and drudgery of work, and the risks
the burden of fetching heavy loads of water and to life and health. It should enhance equity in the

Sanat Chakraborty

Women and children collecting firewood from jhum land in the West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India

1 Time poverty occurs when the rate of return on human assets is so low that the labour time (metabolic energy) has to be largely
allocated to these survival activities.
3
 sharing of work and benefits and should widen Since women are the primary collectors, users, and
women's options for more productive work through managers of both these resources at the household
time and energy savings. Women need energy- and level, focusing on their roles and needs in relation to
water-related technologies to meet water and energy these two basic needs can make a significant
needs and to escape from the deep-rooted time difference in meeting these MDGs.
poverty they face. In addition to these practical
ICIMOD and UNEP launched the project,
needs, these technologies also help to improve the
'Capacity Building of Women for Energy and Water
status of women’s livelihoods (productive needs)
Management in the Rural Areas of the Himalayas' in
especially to generate more income as well as for
three countries – Bhutan, India, and Nepal, with
women’s empowerment (strategic needs).
financial support from SIDA in recognition of the
This fundamental relationship between women, gap. The project sought to empower women to meet
water, and energy has not been adequately their water and energy needs in a way that frees them
recognised in past development efforts. This is a from excessive drudgery and long hours spent
major reason why women's contributions to main- collecting water and fuel, and allows them to
stream decision-making processes in the Himalayan increase their income and improve their status in
region has not been fuller. Although integrated water society. In other words, addressing the water and
and energy initiatives can be a powerful entry point energy needs of women served as an entry point for
for empowering women and reducing poverty, this addressing their productive and strategic needs.
issue has not received the attention it deserves. The Women were placed at the forefront of the design
few examples that have stressed the central role of and implementation of energy- and water-related
women in water and energy management remain technological interventions based on their prioritised
fragmented, and learning from them has yet to be needs by enhancing their energy and water manage-
coherently assembled. ment capacities through various forms of training.
The Millennium Declaration adopted by 189 The impacts and lessons that have emerged from
states at the United Nations Millennium Summit in the project are discussed below, and the ways in which
2000 and the eight key goals (MDGs) to be achieved interventions have contributed to meeting a number of
by 2015 have become the international roadmap for MDG targets at the local level are detailed. Some
working on poverty eradication, health, education, implications for designing gender-sensitive water and
and environmental sustainability. Although there is energy policies are also highlighted.
no specific target on energy in the MDGs, and only
Goals 7 and 3, respectively, focus on water and Impacts and lessons learned
gender/women (gender equality and empowerment
Existing water and energy policies and
of women), none of the MDGs, it has been widely
programmes in the countries of the study remain
recognised, can be fully achieved without ensuring
largely gender neutral, failing to address the special
adequate and equitable access to water and energy.
circumstances and needs of women. Nor are
there specific policies and programmes for
combining the needs and role of women in
water and energy management in an integrated
manner at the household and community levels.
Simple and cost-effective water and energy
technologies that women can control and
manage themselves and which bring positive
Centre for Rural Technology (CRT), Nepal

change to their lives, the lives of their families,

and their communities, even in a short period
of time, continue to be overlooked in develop-
ment programmes. While saving time and
reducing drudgery are valuable impacts in their
own right, the time saved from adopting these
technologies can be harnessed to generate
income. This multiple impact makes them
attractive and appealing for women.
Women constructing an improved cooking stove in Nepal

4
 Through improved access to water and energy water and energy are often examined separately,
technologies that reduce drudgery, save time, and but clearly integrated water and energy planning
improve health, women are able to meet their can address drudgery while widening women’s
practical needs. Productive needs are met by options to meet their productive and strategic
technologies that help women to better utilise the needs in a sustainable way.
time saved from accessing water and energy for z Women's empowerment is essential for
income generating activities. Strategic needs are gender mainstreaming. Gender strategies may
fulfilled by building women’s capacity to organise focus on women or men separately, or on women
themselves in ways that empower them to choose and men together, depending on the context and
technologies that suit their needs and improve their approach. Considering the subordinate position of
standing in society. women in male dominated societies, women-
Technology is not gender neutral, and as such, specific initiatives create an empowering space for
technological options must remain open and be women and provide the platform for ideas and
driven by development needs. A major conclusion of strategies that can later be transformed into main-
the project is that integrating women in activities that stream interventions. Patriarchal attitudes and
address the problems associated with water and initial resistance from men to women taking on new
energy is not merely a question of technologies that roles in water and energy activities can shift once
best serve their needs, but more important, how to the benefits to the community, households, and to
enable and empower women to choose from among women themselves are clearly explained and
options those that meet their needs, improve their demonstrated through gender sensitisation.
livelihoods, and their overall status in society. The Gender analysis can lead to success in imple-
z
formation of women-only groups has helped this menting projects. Gender analysis is essential if
process, with women taking charge of the technologies. water- and energy-related technological
Women are emerging as energy entrepreneurs interventions are to receive the priority they
deserve. Such interventions must address
and leaders, running an LPG depot, technology women's practical, productive, and
demonstration centres, and producing and selling strategic needs and their multiple roles
(reproductive, productive, and their
solar dryers and improved cooking stoves.
participation in the community). They must
also assess how women and men benefit
The pilot projects in Nepal have been selected
differently from these technologies in order to
internationally as examples of good practice by the
make visible the varied/invisible roles women,
Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and
men, girls, and boys play in the family and in the
Energy2. Mainstreaming examples of good practice is
community for the purpose of designing proper
already taking place. For instance, the Dhankuta
policy interventions. Gender analysis tools must
District Development Committee has replicated the
be internalised if gender issues in water and
project in Vedetar Village Development Committee.
energy planning are to be mainstreamed.
The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology
Unfortunately, the gender tools developed 15
of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal is incorpora-
years ago for other sectors are not appropriate
ting the project concept into its future programmes on
nor sufficient for internalising gender awareness
gender mainstreaming in the water and energy sector.
in water and energy planning.
The project has gathered valuable experiences and
lessons, some of which are briefly highlighted below. z Making training accessible and suitable for
women is important for their empowerment.
z The right entry point is crucial to ensuring,
Training should be more accessible to rural
women's participation and empowerment.
women, given the time and mobility constraints
While participation holds the key to the
they face, and their high levels of illiteracy.
successful delivery of water and energy services in
Training courses can be made shorter with
rural areas, reducing women’s drudgery and
provisions for follow-up training, giving training
workload and focusing in particular on integrated
locally, and setting practical criteria for selecting
water and energy initiatives should be an entry
trainees. The training of prospective women
point for enabling them to participate in
trainers (e.g., the 'training of trainers' approach) is
livelihood opportunities. The issues common to
an effective way of training other women both
2 'Water and Energy-precious Resources'. In, WISIONS of Sustainability, Issue II, 2004, available online at <www.wisions.net> .

5
 within and beyond project sites. Exposure visits are Linking project impacts to the MDGs
an effective tool for breaking down barriers to
Policies focusing on women's needs and roles in
promoting women’s awareness and adoption of
water and energy can make a difference in meeting
technologies. The concept of a technology
development challenges, including the local applica-
demonstration village can go a long way in
tion of a number of MDG targets, because of their
facilitating the transfer of technology and the
'multiplier effect' on the lives of women, their families,
dissemination of information in inaccessible
and the local communities. This is illustrated below.
mountain regions.
z A more permanent solution to the The impact of water and energy policies must be
water scarcity problem is possible. seen as cross-cutting sectors, warranting links to
The Women and Energy Project has
come up with some promising exam- other policies within the economy.
ples. Some of them include harvesting rainwater on Table 1 (next page) illustrates how the impacts of
mountain slopes with micro reservoirs in the project at the micro level can be linked to the
Uttaranchal, planting trees, and social fencing, as MDG targets. There are both direct and indirect links
a solution to recharging traditional water springs. between women-centric energy and water inter-
z Supporting the organisational capacity ventions and MDG-based indicators of development.
building of women is fundamental to their These interventions can enhance access to income
empowerment. Meeting practical water and generating opportunities and education by freeing up
energy needs may free up women's time and allow the time that women and children (especially girls)
them to engage in income generating activities, would otherwise spend on basic survival activities
but this alone does little to change their sub- (such as gathering firewood, fetching water, cooking,
ordinate position unless an enabling environment among others). Other benefits include improved
is created from the top, and women are mobilised health through the reduction of indoor and outdoor
at the bottom to confront complex existing power air pollution and associated respiratory infections, less
relations. More capacity building efforts using a incidence of water-borne diseases, as well as
holistic rather than project-based approach are widening women’s options for improving their lives
needed to bring about the desired impact on and that of their families.
women's strategic needs and to integrate women in More specifically, Goal 1 of the MDGs – halving
the decision-making at different levels. poverty by 2015 – will be difficult to achieve without
adequate and reliable water and energy services,
which are essential to reducing time poverty and
drudgery, to increasing productive income, and
creating employment opportunities. Goal 2,
ensuring universal primary education, will not be
possible without first tackling time poverty
associated with survival activities, which is a root
cause of child labour and one of the ways that
intergenerational poverty is perpetuated. Goal 3,
gender equality and the empowerment of women,
will not be attained without integrating the roles
and needs of women into public decision making,
implementation, and management – especially in
the water and energy sector as an entry point for
gender mainstreaming. Improving health and
reducing child and maternal mortality rates (Goals
4 and 5) cannot be achieved without dealing with
indoor air pollution and water-borne diseases
Elizabeth Khaka

resulting from traditional, smoky cooking stoves

and unsafe drinking water. Environmental sustain-
ability (Goal 7) cannot happen without sustainable
Woman standing beside a newly constructed water harvesting tank access to clean energy and water, and so on.
with funding from UNEP/ICIMOD

6
Table 1: Linking project impacts at the micro level to the MDGs and targets
Goal Target Linking Project Impacts to the MDGs
Goal 1: Eradicate Target 1: Reduce by half z After adoption of water and energy related technologies women
extreme poverty and the number of people are able to save time spent on collecting water and fuelwood.
hunger living on less than a The time saved is utilised for income generating activities to
dollar a day increase income and improve family well-being.
Target 2: Reduce by half z Use of new technologies improves farm productivity, diversifies
the number of people rural income, and improves household income and nutrition of
who suffer from hunger family members.
Goal 2: Achieve Target 3: Ensure that z Access to efficient fuels and technologies frees up children's time,
universal primary all boys and girls especially girls who are unable to attend school since they
education complete a full course are needed to help with fetching wood, collecting water, and
of primary schooling other domestic chores.
z Income generated through the use of improved water and energy
technologies is used for children's education and well-being
z Solar lanterns permit children to study at night in less smoky
environments.
Goal 3: Promote Target 4: Eliminate z A decentralised water and energy system reduces the time needed
gender equality gender disparity in and the burden of fetching water and fuelwood, thereby enabling
and empower women education women and girls to use the time saved on education (adult literacy
and schooling) and other income earning activities.
z Solar lanterns permit women to use time productively even at night.
z Women's individual and collective organisational capacity
enhancestheir self esteem and self confidence, allowing them to
address their strategic needs (social empowerment), which has in
turn strengthened women's decision-making role at the household
and community levels.
z Being able to mobilise financial resources enables women to
participate in community development activities.
Goal 4: Reduce Target 5: Reduce by z Reduction of indoor air pollution and water-borne diseases through
child mortality two-thirds the mortality the use of smokeless cooking stoves and clean water reduces
rate among children exposure to diseases and improves child health.
under five z Women have more time for child care as they spend less time on
water and energy activities.
z Education helps to increase awareness of health, hygiene, and
sanitation issues.
Goal 5: Improve Target 6: Reduce by z Reduction of excessive workload and the drudgery associated with
maternal health three-quarters the carrying heavy loads of fuelwood and water has positive
maternal mortality ratio implications for women's health.
z Minimising arduous and repetitive food processing tasks and
cooking in a less smoky environments improves women's health
and well-being.
z Empowerment and increased incomes enhance awareness about
and access to health facilities
Goal 6: Combat Target 7: Halt HIV/AIDS, z Awareness raising and social mobilisation as integral components
HIV /AIDS, malaria malaria and other diseases of the participatory action research project spread important
and other diseases by 2015 and begin to public health information to combat diseases
reverse the spread of
HIV/AIDS
Goal 7: Ensure Target 9: Reverse z Rainwater harvesting through micro reservoirs recharges
environmental loss of environmental traditional water springs.
sustainability resources z Plantation ensures slope stability and retards soil erosion.
z Adoption of social fencing by women to control livestock grazing
Target 10: Reduce by allows healthy growth of trees and ground cover and promotes
half the number of carbon sequestration and other environmental services.
people without z Availability of cleaner fuels and energy-efficient technologies
sustainable access to reduces demand for fuelwood, increases availability of
safe drinking water dung and agricultural wastes for fertiliser, and reduces air pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions.

7
 Despite the many impacts of women-centric In addition, policy must be understood as a
water and energy interventions on a number of MDG process, which is as important as outcome (such as
targets, policy makers and planners in the region state policy legislation, laws, plan). The participatory
continue to treat energy and water related process of anchoring good practice in national
interventions as gender neutral. Households are programmes through a bottom-up approach is
often taken as homogeneous units without any powerful, a demand-driven way of ensuring that the
recognition that women and men have very different voice and choice of the people are ultimately reflected
roles and areas of decision making within house- in the policy programme and action continuum.
holds. The importance of bringing a gender
Gender mainstreaming must be carried out in a
perspective to energy and water policy analyses and
manner that is empowering for women. Main-
design is still not widely understood and
streaming may not work because women may not be
consequently is not fully integrated into mainstream
in a position to participate on an equal basis with men
energy and water development activities in the
because of their heavy workload at home, poor access
region. Five years into the new millennium, the
to finances, low literacy, entrenched gender taboos
United Nations reviewed progress on the MDG
and so on. Women-only projects focusing on
Agenda at a Special Summit Session of the General
empowering them can be a sure way to enhance their
Assembly in September 2005. It is yet to become
capabilities, create opportunities for them, and ensure
clear how this summit will re-energise the work to
their participation on an equal basis with men. To be
place gender-sensitive water and energy
empowered, women must not only have equal
interventions at the centre of national poverty
capabilities and access to resources and opportunities,
alleviation strategies, including the MDGs.
they must also have the institutions to exercise those
rights, capabilities, and opportunities to make strategic
Conclusions and policy implications
choices and decisions. Since gender inequality is
For water and energy to become an instrument deeply rooted in entrenched beliefs, sociocultural
for poverty alleviation and sustainable development, norms, and market forces, it is both a technical and a
a drastic change in the existing approach is required. political process which requires substantial shifts in
A fundamental readjustment of public policies is organisational cultures and mindsets. The goals and
needed which will focus on integrating women's roles structures of projects and positive discrimination in
and needs in decision-making in decentralised, resource allocation must also be addressed.
renewable, clean, and efficient energy and water
systems. This requires sustained efforts in awareness z Place women's needs and concerns in energy and
raising and capacity building. Work must be directed water interventions at the centre of the national
towards policy change, technology innovation, and poverty reduction strategy.
investments – all supported by a sound analysis of z Promote technologies to address women's
the policy options available. Both international practical, productive, and strategic needs.
political commitments and partnerships among z Offer a bundle of services that are needs-based
governments, the private sector, non-government and which enable women to access improved
organisations, and community groups are required. energy and water to enhance their entrepreneurial
There is an urgent need to develop a holistic, rather and technical skills and self-confidence.
than a project-based approach to the provision of z Establish gender-disaggregated data at all levels
water and energy, one that is not only technology- using gender analyses tools to understand gender-
oriented but is about understanding the roles that based needs, constraints to participation, ability to
water and energy play in people's lives, especially in participate, and different benefits of participation.
the lives of women who are the collectors, users, and z Enable institutional representation of women in
managers of these resources. decision making.
z Support capacity building and partnerships of
A further issue is that the use of metabolic women and men involved in energy and water
energy for tasks related to daily survival is rarely management.
measured and is not reflected in national statistics, z Promote partnerships among government and non-
making it difficult to understand the whole issue. A government organisations and in the private sector.
full picture of the energy needs of the region is z Anchor demonstrated good practices in the
crucial if policy interventions are to be useful. national programme through a bottom-up
approach, starting at the local level.

8
 CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM

Saving Global Carbon to Benefit Local Communities

in the Himalaya
Kamal Banskota, ICIMOD, kbanskota@icimod.org
Ngmindra Dahal, KMTNC, ndahal@kmtnc.org.np

Forests, soil, oceans, and the atmosphere store carbon. Forests act as carbon sources or sinks at
different times. Carbon sources release more carbon than they absorb, while sinks soak up more
carbon than they emit. The concept of ‘carbon sinks’ is based on the natural ability of trees,
plants, and soil to soak up and temporarily store carbon dioxide.

The Third UN Conference of Parties (COP 3) on How is the carbon market emerging?
Climate Change held in Japan in 1997 was a
Of the three flexible mechanisms of emissions
landmark event in successfully negotiating the Kyoto
reduction, the provision for carbon trading through
Protocol (KP). The Protocol sets a limit on emissions
CDM and JI mechanisms has led to the development
of greenhouse gases and defined reduction
of a global carbon market. The rationale behind
objectives for industrialised countries, also known
emissions trading is to ensure that emissions
as 'Annex 1 countries'. The KP has set binding targets
reductions take place in the most cost-effective
for industrialised countries to reduce their emissions
manner possible to combat greenhouse gases and
by an average of 5% below 1990 levels in the
therefore prevent climate change. The market
period 2008-2012, known as the 'first commitment
created by emissions trading is known as the 'carbon
period'. The Kyoto Protocol came into force on
market' as all greenhouse gases are traded at the
February 16, 2005, after Russia's critical decision to
equivalent of the carbon dioxide tonne (tCO2e). The
ratify it.
carbon market functions as a stock market where the
The Protocol has designed three market-based price of carbon emission reduction units (CRUs)
'flexible mechanisms' to decrease the cost of meeting largely depends on demand and supply. Market
these reduction commitments: emissions trading (ET), intermediaries quote prices for carbon reduction
joint implementation (JI), and the clean development units offered or bid for. The carbon market is
mechanism (CDM). While different in operation, the emerging as a key instrument in the drive to reduce
three mechanisms are based on the same principle: greenhouse gas emissions, which have the same
that industrialised countries are allowed to reduce effect wherever they are emitted.
emissions wherever in the world those
reductions are cheapest, and then count The carbon market is emerging as a key instrument
those reductions towards their national in the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
target. JI and CDM are called 'project-
based' mechanisms because they fund actual A recent World Bank study shows a steady growth
projects. JI generally funds projects in Eastern Europe in the carbon market globally. In 2004, a total of 107
and the former Soviet Union, while CDM projects million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents
can only happen in developing countries which do (tCO2e) were exchanged through projects, a 38%
not have an emissions reduction target under the increase compared to the volumes traded in 2003 (at
Kyoto Protocol. 78 million tCO2e).The report mentions that the total
amount exchanged on all the allowance markets from
Although CDM provides flexibility for developed January 2004 to March 2005 was about 56 million
countries to gain credits from financing emissions tCO2e. This is mostly driven by the ratification of the
reduction projects in countries without emission Kyoto Protocol and the start of the EU-Emission
targets (Article 12), in the context of forests the Trading Scheme (EU-ETS). Volumes traded from
carbon sink projects under CDM are currently January to March 2005 are already 3.5 times higher
restricted to aforestation and reforestation activities as the total volumes of European Union allowances
(Marrakech Accord). Community forests are not exchanged in the whole of 2004. India, Brazil, and
presently included under the Kyoto Protocol. Chile lead in supplying emissions reductions.

9
 Certified emission reduc-
Forest is defined as a minimum area of land 0.05 ha to 1 ha in area with tree
tions is now purchased at a
cover of more than 10 % to 30% with trees that have the potential to reach a
weighted average price of
minimum height of 2 m to 5 m at maturity.
$5.22/tCO2e. The report also
mentions an increase in the Reforestation is direct human-induced conversion of non-forested land to
number of buyers of emission forested land through planting, seeding, and/or the human-induced promotion
reductions. of natural seed sources, on land that was forested but that has been convert-
ed to non-forested land. Only those lands that did not contain forest prior to
How does the CDM promote 31 December 1989 qualify.
the common global good? Aforestation is the direct human-induced conversion of land that has not been
forested for a period of at least 50 years to forested land through planting, seed-
CDM is the only part of the
ing, and/or the human-induced promotion of natural seed sources.
Kyoto Protocol which directly
involves developing countries in reducing greenhouse Besides the two parties involved in the project, the
gas emissions. CDM is different in that the emission reduced emissions may be counted as a contribution
reduction credits generated by CDM projects before to improving the global environment.
the period 2008-2012 can be counted as reductions
in that five-year period. In addition, CDM has an The actual pattern of CDM investment and
explicit mandate to promote sustainable develop- crediting is more complex than the example above
ment, unlike joint implementation or emissions portrays, and commonly involves intermediaries such
trading. CDM is also mandated to assist developing as the World Bank or other carbon credit
countries in achieving sustainable development while procurement agencies investing money on behalf of
helping Annex 1 countries to achieve their targets. industrialised country governments and corporations.
Frequently, there is more than one possible scenario
In general, CDM works as follows: an investor or for what would happen, which makes the process
a government from an industrialised country can difficult. In other cases, developers are self-financing
invest in or provide finance for a project in a CDM projects and then seeking a buyer for the
developing country that reduces greenhouse gas emissions reductions. But the fundamental premise
emissions at a lower cost than in the investor's home remains the same: industrialised country
country. The investor then gets credits called 'carbon governments and companies provide the finances to
credits' for the reductions and can use those credits make possible a project that results in reduced
to help meet the Kyoto target. If CDM works emissions that would not have happened otherwise.
perfectly it will produce three results: first, the investor The credits for reducing those emissions is claimed
gets credits that help meet the reduction target; by the industrialised country investor and can be used
second, the project executing party from the to meet their own reduction target.
developing country also achieves some project goals
including emissions reductions or saving carbon from What types of project are eligible for CDM?
release into atmosphere; and third, the project itself
helps to promote the global common good through In principle, CDM finances project activities that
its contribution to a cleaner environment. fulfill the dual purpose of emissions reduction and
sustainable development. Projects that aim to
For example, a Dutch company needs to reduce sequester or sink atmospheric carbon are also
its emissions as part of its contribution to meeting The eligible. Switching from fossil fuel-run technologies to
Netherlands' emissions reduction target under the clean energy technologies based mainly on
Kyoto Protocol. Instead of reducing emissions from its hydropower, solar energy, or wind power are options.
own activities in The Netherlands, the company For example, a cement factory can earn carbon
provides funding for the construction of new biogas credits by replacing its coal-fired heating system with
plants in Nepal that would not have been able to go hydroelectricity. Similarly, a number of diesel-run
ahead without this investment. This, it is argued, agro-processing mills may be run on micro
prevents or displaces some quantity of fossil fuel hydropower and thus a project aiming to build a
consumption in Nepal, leading to a reduction in its micro hydro can be a CDM project.
greenhouse gas emissions. The Dutch investor gets The criteria for CDM funding for larger-scale
credit for those reductions and can use them to help projects are stricter than those of smaller-scale
meet their reduction target in The Netherlands. ones. Given the flexible provisions for small-scale

10
 project activities, project developers in the Himalaya In a number of developing countries successful
can reap benefits from the following types of projects: community forestry management programmes are in
z renewable energy projects with a capacity of less place. The community forests in these countries have
than 15 MW, successfully increased biomass fuel supplies to cities
z energy efficiency projects that reduce consumption and towns, helping to reduce poverty and enhance
by the equivalent of 15 GWh/year, livelihoods, and involving local people. Their
z projects that reduce emissions and emit less than programmes are participatory, often with a high
15 kilo tonnes of CO2/year, and participation rate for women, and work towards the
z projects to grow trees on bare land. empowerment of rural people. Despite the various
benefits of community forests, the carbon sink function
Weak aspects of CDM policy of these forests and other local beneficial climate
impacts are yet to be recognised. The argument is that
Although, in principle, the policy on CDM aims to
since community forestry can save global carbon and
promote sustainable development through eligible
generate local beneficial impacts in principle, money
projects, in practice some serious shortcomings of the
should be available from international climate sources.
policy do not help benefiting communities of the
developing world despite their contribution to
Deforestation avoidance
achieving the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. The millions
of communities involved in managing their Tropical deforestation is the single largest source
neighbouring forests are an example of discrepancies of CO2 emission, yet the Kyoto Protocol does not cover
in the policy, as their contribution to saving deforestation avoidance, which has the potential to
additional carbon and avoiding deforestation have not enhance conservation efforts, sequester atmospheric
been recognised. carbon, and conserve terrestrial carbon stocks.
Projects may be designed to meet the high standards
Creating an enabling environment in which deve- of atmospheric, environmental, and social benefits and
loping countries can reap the benefits from the carbon generate tradable credits in markets other than Kyoto.
market is a challenge in the heart of which lies During COP9, Brazil, the world's largest forest-rich
renegotiating a policy that would help developing country, proposed the compensated reduction of
countries access the international carbon market for deforestation. According to the proposal, average
their products with proper value addition. Particularly, annual deforestation is to be based on satellite imagery
this means counting their contribution to conserving of the 1980s. Countries that are able to reduce
forests in their natural forms. deforestation below the baselines during a commit-
Bhaskar Karki

Bhojpatra forest
in Manang,
Nepal

11
 Establishment of a baseline and demonstration of additionality
The baseline refers to a 'without project' scenario. Carbon stock changes over time have to be compared to the
baseline. It is necessary to demonstrate that changes in the carbon stock can be made only with additional funds
and that the activity enhances the community's long-term sustainable development goals. So long as it can be
demonstrated that vast areas of wastelands or non-forest lands can be afforested/reforested, additional criteria
will not be a problem.
Addressing the permanence of carbon stocks
It is also necessary to demonstrate that the activity will lead to permanent carbon stock as opposed to depletable
carbon stock. For instance, if the aforestation or reforestation activity is focused on the plantation of species likely
to be harvested for timber production, this threatens permanent carbon stock. Species that are likely to remain as
carbon stocks for many years are more eligible, e.g., local species selected by the communities.
Compatibility of the project with sustainable development criteria
Demonstrating that a clean development mechanism project will lead to sustainable development is not easy
because of the lack of agreement on the meaning of ‘sustainable development’ itself. The criteria are left to nation-
al decision makers. But measures such as biodiversity conservation, meeting biomass needs, improved hydrolog-
ical flows, enhanced income and employment, and so on could offer some criteria.
Addressing leakage
Leakage is defined the net change in anthropogenic emissions by sources of greenhouses gases and removed by
sinks which occur outside the project boundary, but which is measurable and attributable to the clean development
activity. Leakage is therefore failure to capture greenhouse gas changes outside the accounting system that results
from mitigation activities within the system.

ment period are authorised to issue a 'carbon projects eligible for CDM include non-permanence,
certificate'. Countries must also agree not to increase additionality, leakage, other uncertainties, as well as
deforestation in subsequent commitment periods. The socioeconomic and environmental impacts.
International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC)
Studies show that specific management practices
proposed the establishment of a baseline and
adopted in community forestry can help to maintain
equivalence between deforestation and carbon stocks.
or increase existing carbon stocks, prevent carbon
It is argued that deforestation avoidance can better
emissions from biomass and soils, and produce net
minimise leakages and can offer more permanence
carbon uptake from the atmosphere into biomass
than temporary credits and would help protected areas
and soil. As a positive gesture, the World Bank has
in developing countries to provide incentives for
taken an initiative through the BioCarbon Fund to
conservation.
promote forestry CDM projects with the aim of
Need for affirmative action for policy renegotiation conserving biodiversity, combating desertification,
alleviating poverty, and improving sustainable
Although influencing global policy in favour of livelihoods. Although this is not aimed at recognising
poor communities requires extra effort, several community forestry, the Bank's experiences will be
initiatives are in progress. One of them is the 'Think valuable in tackling some of the uncertainties in
Global, Act Local Project' – an action research bringing forestry sector projects into mainstream
initiative to bring community forestry under the project activities under Kyoto.
regime of the Kyoto Protocol. This is being
undertaken by The Netherlands-based University of Without doubt, the Kyoto Protocol is the first
Twente in cooperation with partners in seven international treaty of its kind negotiated based on
developing countries, including ICIMOD. The principles of equity and sharing the liabilities for
initiative aims to resolve the core constraints to improving the global environment. Efforts to identify
bringing community forestry into the Kyoto Protocol gaps and propose corrective measures to improve
through research, capacity building, the application and refine the Protocol would not only broaden its
of technological innovations, and advocacy. ability to address a number of global concerns, it
Constraints identified for making community forestry would also contribute to the global common good.

The Kyoto Protocol is the first international treaty negotiated on principles of

equity and sharing the liabilities for improving the global environment.

12
 APPROPRIATE MOUNTAIN TECHNOLOGIES

Community-managed, Low-cost Ropeways

Learning from the Experience of Uttaranchal
Dr. Pushkin Phartiyal, CHEA, office@cheaindia.org

One of the major constraints to economic development in mountainous areas such as Uttaranchal
in India is the challenge of accessibility. Out of thirteen districts in this state, ten are wholly
mountainous, and one is partially mountainous, while only two are located entirely in the plains.

Although a good network of roads exists in these themselves and was not dependent on external
mountainous districts, a large number of river valleys, assistance for routine operation and maintenance. It
watersheds, and sub-watersheds are away from main was decided to experiment with low-cost ropeways to
tarmac roads. It is estimated that of approximately transport materials and agricultural produce not
15,000 villages, barely 20% to 25% are linked to human beings
all-weather roads. The construction of roads in the
Thus, the concept of low-cost, community-
mountains, although much in demand, poses con-
managed material ropeways, under the alternative
siderable environmental and financial challenges.
marketing system component of IDHP was proposed.
However, it is necessary to link 'pockets' of But it was found that no appropriate agency was
settlements with the nearest all-weather roads if available in the state to install such low-cost, user-
markets are to be accessed, agricultural production friendly units. To overcome this constraint, the project
diversified, and the economic development of identified 'barefoot technicians’ from the adjoining
mountain areas achieved. Since linking to roads is state of Himachal Pradesh. Although material rope-
not always possible, an alternative, more cost- ways were used in Himachal to transport fruits from
effective and ecologically suitable technology is orchards and timber from high altitude forest areas,
required. Community-managed ropeways are an this was done by contractors only on a seasonal
appropriate transportation technology for the basis. Once the season was over the unit was
mountain areas of the greater Himalayan region. relocated to another site. It was observed that the
The Government of India began an Community-managed ropeways are an
innovative scheme, the 'Integrated Development
of Horticulture in Tribal/Hilly Areas', in Almora appropriate transportation technology for
District in the Central Himalayan State of mountain areas.
Uttaranchal in 2000. The project area is rich in
mobile system used by the barefoot technicians was
forests and lies within an altitude of 300 metres to
crude and had limited or no safety measures.
3500 metres above sea level. The total geographical
Accordingly, the IDHP team in consultation with
area of Uttaranchal is 53,483 sq km, of which 65% is
technicians, made modifications to the system taking
forest and less than 20% is used for agriculture. The
into account safety. Erecting material ropeways was
feasibility study, 'Integrated Horticulture Development
carried out using steel girders, replacing the wooden
Project' (IDHP) conducted in 2000, stressed the need
loafs used on more basic mobile units.
to link hamlets and compact areas situated in hinter-
lands with no access to roads. The study indicated Horticulture gives a higher economic return per
that the communities in remote areas have not unit area than traditional crops and is effective for
adapted diversification from traditional low-yielding poverty alleviation, especially of economically-
agricultural crops to vegetables and fruits because of disadvantaged farmers. When villagers of the
the problem of transporting perishable horticultural hinterlands situated either on hilltops or in the valleys
produce from villages to the main road. It far away from roads initiated horticultural activities,
recommended that the transport problem be resolved the excessive cost of transportation made them
by focusing on a system that uses simple technology, reluctant to move into high-yielding horticultural
which could easily be operated by the communities cash crops.

Dr. Phartiyal is Executive Director of the Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), Nainital, Uttaranchal. This article was
written on the basis of his experiences gained as the Project Coordinator for the Integrated Development of Horticulture Project in
Almora District, India.

13
 The high cost of building roads and the difficulty Mechanism projects. The material ropeways
of getting the necessary permission to fell trees for the constructed were handed over to the farmers for their
purpose makes road construction an uphill task. operation and maintenance using their own resources.
Felling trees on mountain slopes can also lead to
The project attempts to establish both gravity and
serious environmental problems. Introducing low-
diesel engine operated ropeways in accordance with
cost, self-sustaining ropeways is a viable alternative.
site conditions. The ropeways are based on a
These low-cost, community-managed material rope-
bi-cable system with a payload capacity of 100 kg.
ways used is a viable alternative for for transporting
While the gravity ropeways are mainly used to take
horticultural produce of marginalised hill farmers and
materials downhill using gravitational force, diesel
reduces the daily drudgery of carrying heavy back
engine operated ropeways are required to take the
loads up and down steep mountainous slopes. It
materials from villages in the valleys to road heads
facilitates bulk transportation, and since the produce
located on hilltops. Accordingly, gravity ropeways
reach the markets quickly, their quality is
preserved and transport costs remain low. Ropeways allow farmers to access distant
So far, 17.7 km of rope distance has been markets for cash crops which have a higher
erected with 29 spans, both gravity and diesel
economic return than traditional crops.
engine operated, to cover 2850 farmer fami-
lies. This is equal to a road distance of approximate- have been installed in project villages situated on
ly 40 km. The approximate time of 23 hours on foot hilltops while diesel engine operated ropeways are
has been reduced to 2 hours and 20 minutes by rope- for villages situated in the valleys with hilltop roads.
way. The intervention has saved forests, since the Costs incurred differ from site to site depending
construction of one km of road requires felling one ha upon the cartage, the length of the ropeway span, as
of forest. Taking into account the carbon being well as type of ropeway. On average, a one km span
sequestered by these forests, which is observed as of ropeway costs IRs 2.5 lakhs for a gravity ropeway,
3-4 t/ha/yr in Uttaranchal, the construction of rope- and IRs 3 lakhs (about US$ 7000) for a diesel engine
ways has contributed significantly to carbon savings operated ropeway. The project required a cash
and could be considered for the Clean Development and/or labour contribution from the communities,

Case 1: Diesel engine operated ropeway

Shama Dana Village (Bageshwar District)
Commenced on: April 2003
Length: 1300 m approximately
Village location: Hilly slopes, 2.5 km below the road head
Items transported: Vegetables, fertilisers/compost, plants, construction materials, grains etc.
Quantity transported: 1266 quintal (2003); 1608 quintal (2004); 471quintal (to June 2005);
total: 3345 quintals
Families benefiting: All 37 families of Shama Dana Village (18 of the families living below the poverty line)
Operatiion/maintenance mechanism (O & M)
Secretary of the village farmers' interest group (FIG) is responsible for O&M of ropeway for which the Secretary
charges IRs 2 of every IRs 7 for transportation of goods of a load of 50 kg
Benefits as experienced by the villagers
z Prior to the installation of the ropeway, transport cost for 50 kg was IRs. 15. With the ropeway the cost has
decreased by 50% to only IRs 7 (paid to FIG).
z Time is also saved, as villagers need not travel to take their produce to the market (more than an hour away).
Farmers have used the time saved to tend their fields and enhance production. With the ropeway it takes only
5 minutes for the produce to reach the main road.
z Now perishable vegetables are transported to market on time.
z Villagers prefer to write notes to shopkeepers at the road head to convey messages (and vice versa) and
have thus saved the time it takes to travel uphill on the road for 2.5 km.
Difficulties in operation
z One operator at both ends is necessary to operate the ropeway.
z Diesel has to be procured regularly.

14
 Case 2: Gravity operated ropeway
Gyandhura Village (Bageshwar District)
Commenced: May 2003
Length: 800 m approx
Village location: Hilltop
Items transported: Vegetables, construction materials, grains
Quantity transported: 1243 quintal (2003); 701 quintal (2004); 138 quintal (to June 2005);
total 2082 quintal
Famiilies benefiting: All the 23 families of Shama Dana Village (including 17 families living below the poverty line)
Operation/maintenance mechanism: The community has appointed two technicians for O&M who collect IRs 2
out of each IRs 5 charged for transportation of a 50 kg load.
Benefits as experienced by the villagers: Prior to the ropeway, manual transportation of 50 kg from the village
to the road head cost IRs. 10 which has reduced to IRs. 5.
z Travel time to road head carrying 50 kg took one hour, now it takes only 2 minutes.
z Reduced drudgery and travel time after installation of the ropeway has encouraged increased production of
vegetables, floriculture, and other crops.
Difficulties in the operation:
z Bulk transportation of goods to village from lower terminal not very feasible.
z Some marginalised farmers prefer to carry their produce themselves to save money.

depending upon the cost of the ropeway, to ensure Lessons learned

that the communities felt ownership of the infra-
structure created. Civil construction was minimised to The experiences gained in Uttaranchal clearly
keep costs low. Expenditures included the indicate that low-cost ropeways are an effective inter-
construction of a small tin shed and a platform to vention to promote the economic development of
protect and operate the system. hinterland villages in mountain areas not accessible by
road. Some important specific lessons are as follows.
The ropeways have received mixed responses z The availability or potential of exportable items
from the village communities. Some of the villages such as horticultural or other produce from the
(Shama Dana in Kapkot Block, Bageshwar District: villages needs to be properly assessed.
Case 1) are using the device extensively and have z Two-way transportation is better, i.e., if villages are
succeeded in establishing an operation and main- also importing large amounts of goods.
tenance system. The villagers have found a sustainable z If villages are located in the valley and have to
answer to the problem of taking horticultural produce access a road head located on a hilltop, the
to the road head through a narrow 2.5 km uphill gravity ropeway will be economically feasible if
bridle path. The project has also assisted the construc- villages have exportable items such as vegetables
tion of a storage and collection centre at the road or fruits.
head. In Dhaura Village (Lamgarah Block, Almora z There has to be clear community ownership of the
District) villagers made negligible use of the four spans land that serves as landing site right from project
of installed ropeway. The project is investigating other design.
cases to develop a code of conduct for establishing z If the time saved is not significant, villagers prefer
low-cost, community-managed ropeways in the state. to carry the load themselves rather than go to the
The ropeways are envisaged to be used to unit to operate it. A ropeway span of more than
transport horticultural produce from villages to road 750 m contributes significant savings in both time
heads. Villagers have started using them for other and labour.
purposes as well, such as for carrying the public z Capacity building of the local communities to

distribution system's ration and construction materials ensure full operation and maintenance must be
for transporting water, taking compost to the fields, part of the project. Safety aspects need to be built
transporting planting materials in bulk, and so on. in the training package.

Villagers have started using the ropeways to carry construction

materials and water, and to take compost to the fields.

15
3
ADDRESSING INACCESSIBILITY

Enhancing Market Access and Livelihood Options in the

Himalayan Region through Gravity Ropeways
Kamal Banskota, ICIMOD, kbanskota@icimod.org
Bikash Sharma, ICIMOD, bsharma@icimod.org
Min B. Malla, Practical Action Nepal, min.malla@practicalaction.org.np
Mahendra Bijukuchhay, Practical Action Nepal, mahendra.bijukuchhay@practicalaction.org.np

Improving roads and bridges along steep, fragile, and rough terrain across scattered settlements
is a major development challenge for governments across the Himalayan region. Access to
markets for many mountain products and resources is severely limited, as is the delivery of
development inputs and services to mountain communities.

Poor accessibility in mountain areas also means scattered settlements. Investments in roads in
marketable services and niche resources remain mountain areas are also difficult to justify
grossly underutilised and undervalued. In remote environmentally. Topography makes even the
parts of the greater Himalayan region, human shortest trip time-consuming, as road and path
porters, mules, goats, and yaks continue to be the systems hug contours and wind slowly up and down
principal means of transport. Not only is the human gradients across hillsides.
drudgery associated with transporting loads on
people backs high, the long travel time and the low Gravity ropeway (GR) technology is a cheap and
volume of freight that people and animals can simple means of transport based on the force of
transport make marketing mountain products and gravity to move goods between two points on a
natural resources uneconomical. Unless per unit linear path. A heavier load is allowed to slide down
transport cost can be reduced and trade flows – at a certain angle; the same force helps to pull a
primarily exports – are increased, mountain areas slightly lower weight from the other end (see photo).
are unlikely to benefit fairly from trade. Globalisation A flywheel with a bearing and bracket located at the
and trade are likely to further accentuate the already downhill station is used as a brake. The operator at
unfavorable terms of trade and marginalise the upper end strikes the wire rope with a stick to
mountain people in the very environment and with send a wave signal to the operator at the lower end.
regard to the very products which should give them The person at the lower station then applies hand
comparative advantage. Poor physical accessibility brakes, to control the flywheel.
will continue to be the single main obstacle to
harnessing the comparative advantages of mountain Since the ropeways traverse straight paths,
areas. Although low-cost, labour-intensive roads capital, operation, and maintenance costs on a per
have been designed to reduce construction costs, km basis are all low. The technology relies entirely on
roads in mountain areas cannot fully cover the gravity and hence does not require external fuel and

A comparison between GR and other ropeways that require external energy is

provided below.
Gravity Ropeways Other Ropeways
Low-cost technology Medium- or high-cost technology
Appropriate technology Modern technology
No external power required External power (electricity or fuel) required
Local people can the manage system External expert should be hired
Two operators can operate system More than two operators are needed to run the system
Low repair and maintenance costs High repair and maintenance costs
Local operator can replace ropeway parts External expert required for replacement of parts
Mainly used for short spans Mainly used for longer spans
(maximum 2.5 km)

16
is non-polluting. It reduces transport time and the ICIMOD Training Demonstration Site at
drudgery and is easy to operate and can be Godavari to the roadhead. Currently, portering is the
managed and maintained by the mountain only means of transportation in both villages.
communities themselves. The technology is not new
In Janagaun it takes about three
Ropeways are environmentally friendly and require hours to get from the village to the
road head carrying a 50 kg load. The
minimal infrastructure at ground level. They are current transport cost by porters is
suitable for earthquake and landslide-prone areas. about Rs 1.75 per kg. The proposed
ropeway (1.35 km) would reduce this
and has been in operation for a variety of purposes time to just 10 minutes. With the ropeway, the
for many years. Ropeways have been used to minimum transport cost that needs to be charged is
transport timber, limestone, and farm products. Rs 0.18 per trip to meet the full annual operating and
maintenance costs as well as the replacement cost; it
In partnership with Practical Action Nepal (PAN) is financially sustainable. If villagers increase their
(formerly Intermediate Technology
Development Group [ITDG]-Nepal),
ICIMOD has supported the
construction of two pilot gravel rope-
ways in Mustang district, Nepal. The
ropeway has helped reduce women’s
travel time and the drudgery
associated with it. Using the rope-
ways, women are now able to
transport firewood, fodder, and other
natural resources to their villages
from the forests. The technology has
eased the bulk transport of apples
and has allowed these products to be

Mahendra Bijukuchhay
moved quickly to their markets, there-
by minimising spoilage. Instead of
porters, local people now use the
ropeway to carry inputs. After the
ropeways’ installation local market
prices of imports have gone down by A gravity ropeway under construction using local labour and materials
almost 5%. This has helped farmers
and traders realise similar increases
in their profit margins. The ropeways
are managed and operated by a
committee of local people.

Economics of gravity ropeways in

two hill areas

ICIMOD and PAN have also

completed a feasibility study for two
gravity ropeways in Nepal. The first is
on the feasibility of a gravity ropeway
connecting Janagaun village in
Mahendra Bijukuchhay

Dhading district to the roadhead

along Prithvi Highway. The second
study is on the feasibility of a gravity
ropeway to connect Chapakharka
village located on the ridgetop above Testing the newly constructed gravity ropeway in Janagaun, Dhading District, Nepal

17
Summary results of an economic cost-benefit analysis of gravity ropeways in
Janagaun and Chapakharak villages
Scenarios PRESENT VALUE (NRs) NPV @ 12% EIRR BC ratio Switching Values*
discount rate % Increase % Decrease
Cost Benefit (NRs/km) in cost** in benefits**
Base Results
z Janagaun 1,004,263 3,298,765 2,294,502 55.89% 3.28 228% -70%
z Godavari# 894,918 1,584,573 689,655 27.35% 1.77 77% -44%
Sensitivity Results
Total project cost
increase by 20%
z Jangaun 1,205,116 3,298,765 2,093,649 45.76% 2.74 174% -63%
z Godavari# 1,073,902 1,584,573 510,671 21.72% 1.48 48% -32%
Total project benefits
decrease by 20%
z Jangaun 1,004,263 2,639,012 1,634,749 43.73% 2.63 163% -62%
z Godavari# 894,918 1,267,658 372,740 20.57% 1.42 42% -29%
Total cost increase and
benefits decrease
by 20% each
z Jangaun 1,205,116 2,639,012 1,433,896 35.57% 2.19 119% -54%
z Godavari# 1,073,902 1,267,658 193,756 15.84% 1.18 18% -15%
* Switching value to bring EIRR to 12% (i.e., discount rate)
** Negative values imply decrease in cost/benefits
# Preliminary result from cost-benefit analysis

marketable surplus of vegetables, fruit, and other sensitivity of the results under different scenarios. The
products (i.e., producer surplus) the benefits that results indicate that a ropeway at both sites is
accrue from ropeways will be even greater. For justifiable on economic grounds with an estimated
example, with producer surplus, the economic EIRR many times higher than the cut-off discount rate
internal rate of return exceeds 50%. (12%) and the BC ratio greater than unity.

The cost-benefit ratio of installing a gravity rope- Conclusions

way in Chapakharka is equally encouraging. Without
a ropeway, it takes a porter approximately two hours Gravity ropeways represent an effective and
to bring goods into Godavari market from Lattle viable mountain technology for enhancing market
Bhanjyang (upstation) and one-and-a-half hours access and livelihood options, and for reducing
going back. Porters currently charge about Rs 65 to drudgery in mountain areas. While the saving in
carry a 50 kg load. The proposed ropeway (1.35 transport costs alone is sufficient to make the system
km) would reduce this time to less than 10 minutes. financially viable, the technology should be
The minimum transport cost that needs to be promoted using an integrated marketshed approach
charged to make the system financially to enhance marketable surplus with complementary
sustainable is only Rs 0.26 per trip. investment in production pockets. When marketable
surpluses are increased, connecting isolated
The Table above summarises the cost-benefit settlements to roadheads not only further encourages
ratio of gravity ropeways in two sites showing their marketable surpluses and contributes to improving
estimated economic internal rate of return (EIRR), net livelihoods in the mountain areas, it also adds value
present value (NPV) per km, and the benefit-cost (BC) to generally underutilised mountain roads.
ratio along withan switching values to understand the

The huge savings in transportation time and cost makes gravity

ropeways economically viable in mountain areas.

18
 SUSTAINABLE WATER HARVESTING

Success Stories in Water Harvesting from Bajeena

and Naila Villages, Almora District, Uttaranchal
Bikash Sharma, bsharma@icimod.org
Asim Mirza, amirza@teri.res.in, and Rakesh Prasad rakeshp@teri.res.in

Water scarcity is a growing problem for countless mountain communities and causes great
hardship to women and girls, who must spend many hours each day collecting water from distant
sources. This article focuses on two successful water harvesting projects in Bajeena and Naila
villages of Almora District, Uttaranchal, India.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), with piped water supplied by the government, the
support from UNEP and ICIMOD, implemented a two- supply came irregularly and was insufficient to meet
year pilot project from April 2002 to September 2004 their needs. The water crisis was reported to have
in the hilly districts of Bajeena and Naila in Almora, started in the last few years, primarily due to deforesta-
Uttaranchal, and in Kotla and Nager villages in Solan tion. Women point out that the plantation of pine trees
district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The pilot project surrounding the vicinity of the water spring was also to
was based around participatory action research and blame for the decreasing water table in the area.
sought to build the capacity of women's groups and
To overcome the problem women's groups in
empower them in water and energy management
Bajeena came up with the idea of replanting the
practices. Various water and energy related
barren hill slope above the water source with
technologies were implemented based on the
indigenous trees and other plants. After carrying out
prioritised needs of women and community
a detailed investigation of the area, TERI, in
members. The project was implemented in
consultation with the women's groups and local
coordination with the local partner organisations,
NGOs, supported the idea. The women constructed
HOPE in Uttaranchal, and DEEP in Himachal. This
14 micro reservoirs spread over the barren hill slopes
paper focuses on two successful water harvesting
to trap and store rainwater, which would percolate
experiments piloted in Bajeena and Naila villages of
through the slope and recharge the traditional water
Almora district, which have had a positive impact on
source. The women also planted 2500 saplings of
the livelihoods of the women in these villages.
medicinal and horticultural and fodder and fuel
Recharging traditional water springs is possible: species on 5 ha of the hill slope to ensure slope
the case of Bajeena stability and generate income, and to ensure the
availability of firewood and fodder. The women of
With a population of 70 households,
Bajeena is a typical hill village situated on both
sides of the main road 14 km away from
Ranikhet, the nearest town. A 'naula'
(traditional water spring) is located in the
vicinity of the village. Due to deforestation and
the consequent drying up of the water spring,
villagers in Bajeena had been facing an acute
shortage in water, especially during the dry
season. During summer, the water
discharge from the naula decreases
considerably and women have to wait long
hours to fill their pots from the trickle that
Rakesh Prasad

comes out of the spring. The discharge was

measured in July and was found to be
insufficient to meet the villagers' needs.
Although many households were connected to A micro reservoir for recharging the traditional spring in Bajeena, Uttaranchal

19
 Bajeena also controlled grazing through social It is about one km away from the main road. Water
fencing. The money that they were able to raise for shortages in this village were acute and women found
operation and maintenance was also managed by it hard to meet their immediate household water
the women themselves. needs. Naulas are the only source of water in this
village. Many reasons are cited by the villagers for the
After the first monsoon the village spring was water shortage. Some indicate that water sources
discharging more water and the small water tank have either disappeared or water discharge has
constructed to store the surplus water was declined after an earthquake. Others indicate that the
overflowing. The women then decided to construct a heavy plantation of 'chir' pine trees caused a drop in
larger water storage tank to collect the overflow, even the level of the water table. Women were forced to
before the pilot project was completed. They took a spend four to five hours a day collecting water from a
loan of IRs 40,000 from the bank and contributed water source that yielded only a trickle. Available water
labour to construct the storage tank. of 475 litres per day was much lower than
The construction of micro reservoirs in Bajeena and the village’s requirement of 3660 litres
per day, assuming a per capita daily need
an infiltration well in Naila has overcome water
of 30 litres. Women sometimes spent the
scarcity in both these villages. whole night collecting water from the
underground spring. This situation was
"We have succeeded in recharging the water becoming worse over time, and especially during the
spring and God has listened to our collective voice summer when the women had to spend entire nights
and efforts," says the women's leader in Bajeena. waiting in line to fill their vessels. Often there were
Influenced by this success, the local Panchayat quarrels among the women over water.
government replicated the practice in the
neighbouring villages of Khagyar and Kothiyan. Infiltration well technology was identified as the
only feasible option to meet the water requirements
While the full impact of this innovation is likely to of the village. A large underground collection
be felt only after several years, available water in chamber was constructed to collect water. After
Bajeena has already doubled. The Bajeena women sealing the chamber, a hand pump was inserted in
indicate that even during the dry season the water dis- the tank to pump out water.
charge is more than in the past. This innovative water
harvesting method can go a long way towards address- A woman contributed land for the construction of
ing water scarcity problems, broadening livelihood this innovative scheme since the water source
options, and can also help improve the environment in happened to be located on her property. Naila women
many parts of the Himalaya in a sustainable way. collected IRs 200 from each household for the
construction of the well, which took a whole month.
Infiltration well technology: Naila Now each woman contributes a token amount every
Naila is a small village located at an altitude of month for the well’s operation and maintenance. The
1500 m and is approximately 10 kms from Ranikhet. women have also introduced an innovative way of
managing the system. The responsibility for
opening and locking the hand pump is
rotated every day among members. The pump is
opened for two hours in the morning and
evening, then locked up with an iron chain to
allow the well to recharge. Although water is still
relatively scarce in Naila, the infiltration well
technology has saved women hours collecting
water.
The formation of separate women's groups and
their organisational capacity building, gender
sensitisation sessions, and community
Rakesh Prasad

mobilisation have clearly helped the project

succeed. Empowering women at the community
level has made it possible for them to address
Infiltration well constructed in Naila, Uttaranchal and prioritise their water and energy needs.

20
 ENERGY VENTURES

Women as Energy Entrepreneurs

Successes from a Pilot Project in Phobjikha and Limukha Villages, Bhutan
Bikash Sharma, ICIMOD, bsharma@icimod.org
Manju Giri, RSPN, manjugiri@hotmail.com

With a venture to produce solar dryers and the establishment of an LPG depot in two remote
locations, some women in Bhutan are emerging as energy entrepreneurs. These endeavours are
taking place through a UNEP/ICIMOD and RSPN partnership project.

An LPG depot in Phobjikha firewood, establishing a local depot would reduce the
time and effort needed to obtain gas cylinders. The
Phobjikha Valley is the winter home of the saved time could then widen the women's options for
protected black-necked crane. The Royal Society for productive activities, with the use of LPG also
the Protection of Nature (RSPN) is also implementing clearing the air in the kitchen environment and
its Integrated Conservation and Development promoting health benefits.
Programme here. Development interventions in this
valley are thoroughly scrutinised to assess their The LPG depot in Phobjikha was established
impact on the black-necked cranes and their after gaining the necessary approval from the
habitat. The valley remains unconnected to grid Ministry of Trade and Industry, including an order by
electricity from fear that that the high voltage the Ministry to the LPG distributor from Tashi
transmission lines may hinder the flight of this rare Commercial Corporation. The capacity of the LPG
and endangered species. depot is 340 cylinders, of which the women from the
Bjena, Gangtey, and Phobji blocks contributed Nu.
Firewood is the main source of energy used by 1400/per person to purchase 240 cylinders. An
households for cooking and space heating. An additional 100 cylinders was supported by the
increasing number of households have also begun to project and are kept in reserve to provide refilling
use LPG for cooking, but its use has not been facilities for the Phobjikha community. The women's
widespread because of the difficulty in obtaining welfare association formed in Phobjikha is
LPG. LPG cylinders have to be transported from the responsible for managing the depot. According to
market centre at Wangdi, half a day's distance away. their rules, income from the sale of each cylinder is
Improved cooking stoves
(ICS) as demonstrated by the
project were not in demand
given their incompatibility
with the housing structures in
Bhutan. The women pre-
ferred LPG and sought
project help to establish an
LPG depot in Phobjikha. The
women had several good
reasons for selecting this
activity. First, it was the most
suitable energy option
available as it did not have
any effect on the conserva-
tion efforts being made in the
Elizabeth Khaka

valley, and the use of LPG

helps reduce pressure on the
forests. Besides saving time
and energy in collecting LPG depot run by the women’s group in Phobjikha, Bhutan

21
 distributed as follows: a) Nu 3 for the Phobjikha interest women showed in setting up a solar dryer
Conservation Area Project community fund b) Nu 10 production business, RSPN trained the women to
per cylinder as incentive for the salesperson; and c) make solar dryers with the help of a skilled carpenter
Nu 2 per cylinder to cover rent. From the funds hired for eight days, and provided seed money to
generated, the women plan to provide loans to produce solar dryers for commercial sale. The women
members of the women's group for income were also supplied with raw materials to make 20
generating activities. At present, a treasurer of the solar dryers. To minimise transport costs, they set up a
women's group is also serving as salesperson. The production outlet in one of the member's houses close
depot functions twice a week: Mondays and to the market (see photo, below).
Thursdays (9 am to 1 pm).
The LPG depot in the If women are to be economically empowered, an
Phobjikha has reduced the
time and effort needed to enterprise-based approach to energy management with the
obtain gas cylinders as well as active participation of women in decision making is vital.
reduced pressure on the
forests in the area. The use of LPG has also The group has already produced nine dryers.
promoted health benefits through reduced indoor While RSPN is planning to help the women market
pollution. Besides fulfilling the women's energy needs, this product through the media and exhibitions, the
the venture demonstrates how women can become women of this group have, on their own, decided to
successful energy entrepreneurs. do their own market promotion by displaying their
solar dryers at vegetable markets and have fixed the
Solar dryer production in Limukha
price at Nu 3000 per system. Profits made from the
A women's group at another project site, Limukha sale of the solar dryers will be retained as their
village, selected solar dryers as a safe technology that community fund, which will be used to provide small
can be used to dry meat, chillies, and other loans to members for income generating activities.
vegetables in a hygienic manner. Following the
These two examples demonstrate how an
enterprise-based approach to energy
management with the active
participation of women in decision
making is necessary for their economic
empowerment. The advantages of
promoting women as energy entre-
preneurs include their advancement, the
expansion of economic activities and
diversification of productive options,
and the creation of new sources of
wealth and income to support family
investments in education and health.
The enabling conditions created,
particularly the formation of women-
only groups, has clearly helped this
process. In such groups women have
felt comfortable taking charge of the
technology instead of handing over
control to men and being relegated to
passive 'beneficiaries'. Once their level
of confidence has been adequately
enhanced through the initial women-
Elizabeth Khaka

only initiatives, these leaders and

entrepreneurs will, it is believed,
continue to provide leadership in their
Solar dryer produced by women’s group in Limukha, Bhutan
communities.

22
 MOUNTAIN LIVELIHOODS

Promoting Technological Interventions Related to

Water and Energy Resources
A Case Study from Nepal
Nilam Kayastha, nilam@crtnepal.org
Ganesh Ram Shrestha, ganesh@crtnepal.org
Krishna Hari Maharjan, khm@crtnepal.org

Water and energy are prime resources vital for human survival and well-being. Their scarcity has
serious implications for livelihoods. Over the years, poverty, population growth, and the growing
demand for firewood and agricultural land to cultivate food have resulted in deforestation and
the degradation of natural resources.

In the Himalaya, the scarcity of water and all stages of the project. It focused on utilising the
energy has the most serious effect on women. They strengths and operational mechanisms of the existing
have to travel away from their homes to meet the women's groups as an entry point for project
water and energy needs of their households. With intervention. This created an enabling environment
the increase in work hours and drudgery, for women, who could identify their water and
opportunities for income generation and other energy needs and implement technologies according
livelihood options are also jeopardised. This to their felt priority. The creation of a district
perpetuates poverty among women and has been a coordination committee at the project level was
serious problem in many parts of the Himalaya. another distinct feature of the project approach,
which later became instrumental in building rapport
To address this problem and diversify livelihood
opportunities for mountain communities, especially
women, the Centre for Rural Technology Nepal
(CRT/N) with support from ICIMOD/UNEP,
implemented a two-year pilot project from April
2002 to September 2004 in two micro-watersheds of
Nepal – Palpa and Dhankuta districts in the west and
east, respectively. The project was implemented in
coordination with local partner organisations, the
Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) in Palpa and the
Society of Local Volunteers Effort, Nepal
(SOLVE-Nepal) in Dhankuta.
The project sought to integrate women in
decision making, in implementation, and in the
management of household energy and water
Centre for Rural Technology (CRT), Nepal

initiatives. This was done by building the women's

capacity to organise themselves in order to identify
their needs and roles and to implement energy and
water related technologies that reduce drudgery and
enhance their options for productive employment
and socioeconomic advancement. The project
focused on both meeting women's immediate
practical needs and on enhancing opportunities to
meet women's productive and strategic needs. The
project followed a participatory 'learning by doing'
A combination of improved cooking stove and water collection
approach and placed the women in the forefront at technologies make for cleaner kitchen environments

23
 and strengthening coordination and linkages with hazards. Many women have installed drip irrigation
various district-level line agencies supporting the systems, recognising not only the scarcity of water but
project in different ways. also the need to irrigate vegetables. Vermi-
composting has increased in farm and vegetable
Impacts production in the project areas. Women have
produced vegetables and other food crops both for
Project interventions through orientation,
sale and home consumption. The beekeeping
demonstration, and skills development training in
training provided has resulted in its adoption as a
various technologies and in capacity building have
new micro-enterprise, providing a source of income
led to the introduction of simple, appropriate
for many women at both project sites.
technologies and have enhanced people's
ability to maintain the technologies. The project has had a positive impact on the
Some of the more popular include
improved cooking stoves (ICS), drip livelihoods of the women and their communities,
irrigation, solar dryers, solar plastic reducing drudgery and opening up livelihood options.
houses, rainwater harvesting tanks,
and wastewater management systems. Women have used their collective strength to
establish group nurseries and vegetable collection
The introduction of these technologies along with
centres to sell their produce at distant markets. They
support mechanisms such as a revolving fund, group
have also established a village technology centre to
savings, among others, have generated visible
demonstrate and enable the speedy transfer of field-
impacts on the lives of women. Use of these
tested technologies already adopted by the women in
technologies has reduced their workload and the
other areas. Linking the women's group with other
drudgery involved in collecting water and energy,
line agencies has helped them acquire support for
improved their health and that of their families
capacity building and has also helped generate
through reduced indoor air pollution, and wider
wider impacts. The community groups in the project
options for the productive use of saved time for
have become proactive and have initiated activities
income generating activities.
on their own such as improving sanitation in their
Almost all women members at the project sites village through the construction of toilets, and
have adopted ICS. Women have also emerged as regular village clean-up campaigns. They have also
energy entrepreneurs, producing and marketing the initiated adult literacy classes and training in tailoring
stoves. The immediate impact has been the reduction – activities that were unplanned for in the project.
in indoor air pollution and its associated health
Within a short implementation
period of just two-and-a-half years,
the project has had a considerable
impact on the livelihoods of the
women and their communities in
terms of reducing drudgery and
opening up livelihood options. The
impact has extended from the micro-
level to the meso-level in the district.
The District Development Committee
of Dhankuta is firming up the suc-
cess of the project and replicating it
in Bhedetar Village Development
Committee, where the nationally-
recognised Village Development
Programme (VDP) is currently
operating in 62 out of 75 districts of
Elizabeth Khaka

Nepal. This has profound policy

implications in terms of integrating
the project concept into the develop-
Mud-covered, three-hole metal improved cooking stove in HP, India ment planning process in Nepal.

24
Sustainability and replicability
The project has focused on training key local
women as trainers in water and energy management
along with enterprise development activities. The local
trainers have been responsible for an exchange of
information among the villages and have started to
provide the information required through various
technical support services to other villages and
communities. Local women now have the skills and
confidence to operate the micro-enterprises which
have been developed with various market linkages
and channels. Business development training for the
promotion of their products, such as fresh vegetables,
honey, candied fruits, pickles, and dried vegetables
has created new income generating opportunities. A
vegetable marketing group has also been formed in
each project site, activated by the villagers them-
selves. Accordingly, the marketing committee chair-
person hauls surplus vegetables from the members
and regularly takes them to distant markets.
Coordination and linkages with various line agencies
in the district has also contributed to leveraging funds
and other support activities. In addition, the line
agencies and organisations have taken the project as
a platform for integrating their own project activities in

Xu Jianchu
the area. CRT/N has also taken the project
beneficiaries as the target group for the SARI (South
Asia Regional Initiatives for Energy)/Energy Small
ICIMOD Director General J. Gabriel Campbell tests the quality
Grants Programme-supported Solar Dryer Project of local energy sources in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
since December 2004 to ensure continuity of the
project's success. Under the SARI/Energy project, a and around the village. The creation of a revolving
further twelve groups of women have been formed fund and improved community access to micro-
within only six months. Earlier, it took two years to credit are effective mechanisms to help start micro-
reach these many groups. enterprises in mountain communities whose
members have limited financial means to meet their
Conclusion productive needs and to establish group funds. The
Addressing women's development needs, reduc- peer transfer of knowledge and skills on the adoption
ing their workload and drudgery, and improving their of technologies and the management of the groups
health, income, and position in society require that a has contributed to more groups being formed in the
bundle of services and multiple technologies be adjoining areas. Based on its demonstrated success,
offered, using an integrated participatory planning the project has been selected as an example of good
approach. This will enable women to access practice by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate,
improved energy and water services and enhance Environment and Energy, Germany. Focusing on
their entrepreneurial and technical skills. Awareness women's needs and roles in water and energy can
development and mobilising the communities and make a big difference in meeting the development
local organisational capacity building should be key challenge of the mountains areas. Policy makers
components of any project. Through these and development practitioners can readily take up
components project activities can be launched and these experiences, replicate them, and adapt them to
upscaled. The approach also helps replicate good their particular needs and settings.
practices in adjoining villages. Establishing village This paper is based on the experiences of the project
technology demonstration centres can be an effective 'Incorporating the Needs and Roles of Women in Water and
Energy Management Practices in Nepal' (April 2002 - September
model for information dissemination and 2004), supported by ICIMOD/UNEP and implemented by the
demonstrating the positive impacts of the project in Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N).

25
EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES

The Carbon Market as an Emerging Livelihood

Opportunity for Communities of the Himalaya
Ashish Tewari, office@cheaindia.org
Pushkin Phartiyal, office@cheaindia.org
Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), Nainital, India

Climate change induced by increased greenhouse emissions is real and has begun to affect us all.
Human activities have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 280
parts per million (ppm) to 372 ppm in less than two centuries and global temperatures by 0.60 C
in the past century.

Evidence of this global crisis include the rise in ecosystem services represents this approach. Carbon
global sea levels by 20 cm, which poses a threat to sequestration is the process whereby atmospheric
millions living in coastal areas, and the melting of the carbon is absorbed into carbon sinks such as
world's snow packs and glaciers; while in many oceans, forest, and soil. It is cited frequently as an
mountain areas the yield of apples has decreased ecosystem service that forests can provide since it can
due to inadequate chilling. be measured and traded. However, there is a need to
Countries of the world are seeking an Forests should be able to generate enough money
international commitment to reduce CO2
and other greenhouse gas emissions to make people interested in their conservation.
worldwide. The Kyoto Protocol is an
expand the purview of credits and trades by including
attempt to set up an international process to address
other ecosystem services of forests such as soil
the problem of increasing CO2 in the atmosphere. It
formation, retention of soil and water, and overall
provides an economic process that puts a value on
hydrological regulation and direct climate effects. A
not emitting CO2 and enables countries to trade
fuller valuation of forests is necessary if forests are to
carbon emissions. Carbon trading is a mechanism to
be better conserved by local people.
pay for an ecosystem service.
Over the past decade, progress has been made
Towards a fuller valuation of forests to justify in developing carbon markets as part of the efforts to
conservation implement the United Nations Framework Convention
Seeking positive linkages between conservation on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The market is still
and economic growth is an important approach in developing, but recent worldwide initiatives suggest
modern forestry. The approach began with the that forestry offsets could play an increasingly
age-old system of sustainable harvesting of timber, important role in achieving the emission reduction
where timber was extracted from forests in amounts targets agreed by signatories to the Kyoto Protocol. In
equal to annual increments while allowing the addition to the market regulated by UNFCC, several
capital to remain intact. Later, the focus shifted to other developing private markets aim to regulate their
include economic activities such as the harvest of environmental impacts, such as emissions of
non-timber forest products (NTFPs) from forests, with greenhouse gases (GHG). Many companies in the US
the idea that if money could be generated from and Canada are involved in the trade of carbon
NTFPs (such as resins, fibre, and mushrooms), there credits with the ultimate aim of developing a workable
would be no need to cut down forests. market mechanism for carbon. A new market trading
centre – the Chicago Climate Exchange – facilitates
Recently, forest ecologists have begun to think carbon trading. Through this, companies can
about generating money from standing forests by exchange (buy and sell) carbon credits. Carbon as a
valuing ecosystem services and developing payment commodity can be traded at national and
mechanisms based on these services. The provision international levels between US$ 8-10/tonne without
of payment for carbon sequestration and other any transportation or quality control.

26
3
 The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change transaction costs as it does not overly rely on experts'
(IPCC) has identified a gap of approximately 800 time. When payments for carbon sequestered are
million tonnes per year between the emission of GHG made, local communities are able to retain more
and the committed reduction by signatory countries to benefits, which would otherwise go to pay experts.
the Protocol. Nearly 25% of the annual atmospheric
increase of about 8 billion tonnes of carbon is a Value of C-sequestration by community forests
consequence of deforestation, which depletes carbon Preliminary data on C-sequestration collected
sinks. Therefore, the conservation of forests, including from the VPs in Uttaranchal indicates that the C-
those under the control of local communities in sequestration rate varies between 2 t/ha/yr to 4.0
developing countries, is an important component of t/ha/yr depending on the condition of the forest.
the overall global climate strategy. Forest sinks repre- Taking a mean of 3 tC/ha/yr, community forests in
sent a cheaper and easier solution to the build-up of Uttaranchal alone (having an average forest size
atmospheric carbon. However, carbon sequestration close to 80 ha per VP and numbering about 12,000
by existing forests, including those managed by local out of approximately 15,000 villages in the state)
communities, is not eligible for carbon trade under the sequester approximately 2.88 metric tonnes of
present structure of the Kyoto Protocol. carbon a year. The value of the carbon saved is about
Rs 1.29 billion at the rate of US$ 10 per t carbon. The
Uttaranchal's community forests
soil biomass carbon pool is as large as the biomass
In the Western Himalaya of India, the state of pool, for which estimations are under progress.
Uttaranchal (UA) occupies a special place in the
participatory management of common resources Carbon market opportunity
because of its Van Panchayats (VPs), which represent If trained communities are able to submit
one of the largest and oldest institutions in India proposals of a similar nature through the assistance
based on collaboration between the state and the of intermediary organisations, one VP alone could
community. Introduced in the 1930s and now in receive up to Rs 1.08 lakhs (US$ 2200) per annum
operation in more than 12,000 villages occupying for carbon sequestered. Marginalised people of
nearly 30% of the total forest area of the state, the Uttaranchal depend heavily on natural resources,
VPs are governed by a committee almost without any particularly on the forests as a source of energy and
external financial or technical assistance. for their enterprises. It is not possible to conserve
forests for long without enabling the poor people to
Nature of 'Kyoto: Think Global, Act Local'
access modern, efficient energy sources such as LPG,
Under the project, 'Kyoto: Think Global, Act solar energy, and electricity. The funds generated
Local' presently underway in several countries of the through the sale of carbon can be used to replace the
developing world (including India, Nepal, and East present subsidy on fuelwood by modern energy
and West Africa), efforts are being made to enable sources and can encourage communities to save their
local communities to measure and monitor carbon forests for use as a ‘carbon sink’. A special portion of
sequestration in their community forests and to make the fund generated from the sale of carbon can be
a claim for payment for carbon services. The project, used for developing eco-friendly enterprise such as
being coordinated by ICIMOD in Nepal and ecotourism and the infrastructure required for it, and
Uttaranchal, aims to explore the possibility of developing organically grown food for niche markets.
community forest management
systems in carbon saving and
capacity building of the local
communities to involve them in the
carbon trade. This work is being
carried out by ICIMOD's partner in
Uttaran-chal, the Central Himalaya
Environment Association (CHEA).
Elisabeth Kerkhoff

Results show that communities can

be trained to use technology to
measure carbon sequestration
rates in their community forests.
This approach results in lower Forest trees contribute to storing carbon

27
3
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES

Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N)

The Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N) women, and micro-enterprise development. The
is a professional organisation established in August organisation is also actively engaged in upgrading
1989 and transformed into a non-government rural technologies and in developing new
organisation in October 1998. CRT/N develops, technologies to better respond to rural needs.
promotes, and disseminates environmentally-sound, CRT/N works closely with government organisa-
rural/appropriate technologies to enhance the tions, NGOs, INGOs, educational institutions, and-
process of rural development, thereby improving the community-based organisations to promote and
livelihoods of the rural population. Since its establish- disseminate appropriate technologies. CRT/N also
ment, CRT/N has been involved in policy studies, provides assistance in conducting training and work-
programme development, and in the implementation shops for project staff, grassroots community leaders,
of various community-based programmes. The and development promoters to enhance their
programmes emphasise renewable energy and water capability in the application of rural technologies.
conservation technologies that create options and
opportunities to strengthen the capability of poor CRT/N serves as member and national focal
rural communities to respond to their basic needs. point for various regional and international agencies
that contribute to the development and dissemination
CRT/N is involved in technical services for rural of rural/appropriate technologies, sustainable
development through renewable energy technology energy, and gender mainstreaming through an
development, environment and natural resources exchange of information, innovations, expertise, and
management, small-scale irrigation management, experiences. Since 1990, CRT/N has been one of
local water harvesting systems, technology for ICIMOD's key partner organisations in Nepal.

Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA)

Initiated in 1981 to address the preservation of the by the Ford Foundation to replicate the experiment in
environment and the appropriate development of the other areas and to sustain a field laboratory in the
Himalayan region in general, and the Central Khulgad catchment.
Himalayan region of India in particular, the Central CHEA also stresses the need to link local
Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA) is a non- activities to global issues such as climate change.
profit, independent body. For over two decades, CHEA The current interest in issues of carbon sequestration
has contributed to creating conditions that have enabled and ecosystem services through direct community
village communities to manage natural resources and representation is an initiative in this direction.
benefit from them on a sustainable basis.
Now on its 24th year, CHEA has taken up a new
CHEA's emblem is an oak leaf. The species initiative, the Livelihood and Sustainable
occupies nearly 20,000 sq km in Uttaranchal at Development Programme. This focuses on action
between 1000 and 3000 m elevation. Oak forests are and outreach activities, integrating livelihood per-
associated with water, humidity, biodiversity, and life in spectives with environment and development that
general in the hills. The oak is the tree of the masses promises to yield income-generating options, from
and is the lifeline of village communities. The fresh new ecotourism and markets for organic products to
oak leaves are a useful source of fodder, while the strengthening livelihood security for marginalised hill
acorns are a favourite food for some species of wildlife. populations.
The oak leaf emblem symbolises CHEA's role in
catering to the livelihoods and needs of the hill commu- CHEA's vision is prosperous, self-reliant, and
nities and in safeguarding the wildlife of the region. secure mountain communities committed to peace,
equity, and environmentally-sound sustainable
Financial support from the Ford Foundation development. CHEA is committed to developing and
initially allowed CHEA to evolve a method for eco- providing integrated and innovative solutions, in
development in the minor Khulgad catchment of the cooperation with regional and international partners,
Koshi River in Almora district of Uttaranchal, on the that foster direct action and policy change for
central theme of integrated development with overcoming the environmental, economic, and
people's participation. This was followed by a grant social vulnerability of mountain peoples.

28
3
 ICIMOD Board of
Governors
Regional Board Members
Mr. Muhammad Ismail Qureshi
CHAIRPERSON
Secretary
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and
Livestock, Pakistan

ws
Eng. Ghulam Mostafa Jawad

Ne
Deputy Minister of Agriculture

e
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock

tr
Afghanistan

Cen
Mr. Khan M. Ibrahim Hossain
Secretary
Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts’
Affairs, Bangladesh

Dasho Sangay Thinley

Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan

Prof. Li Jiayang
Vice President
The Chinese
Academy of Sciences, China

The 35th ICIMOD Board of Governors and Dr. Prodipto Ghosh

Secretary
Ministry of Environment and Forests
India
16th ICIMOD Support Group Meetings: Highlights U Soe Win Hlaing
Director General
Forest Department
Myanmar

Prof. Dr. Ram Prasad Chaudhary

Member
National Planning Commission
His Majesty’s Government of Nepal
Nepal

Independent Board
Members
Dr. Tone Bleie
Chief, Gender and Development
UN ESCAP
Thailand

Prof. Bruno Messerli

Professor
Narendra Bajracharya

Institute of Geography
University of Bern
Switzerland

Prof. Zhao Shidong

Research Professor of
Forest Ecology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
ICIMOD’s Board of Governors and Support Group members, November 2005 China

Prof. Jamuna Sharan Singh

Emeritus Professor
The 35th ICIMOD Board of other partners in North East India Department of Botany,
Governors and the 16th ICIMOD Support including the North Eastern Hill University, Banaras Hindu University
India
Group (ISG) meetings were held in the North East Region Community
Shillong, Meghalaya, India from 23-25 Dr. Rob Visser
Resource Management Project, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DSI)
November 2005. ICIMOD's focal Himalayan Livelihoods Meghalaya Project. The Netherlands
agencies, the Ministry of Environment and Dr. Anne Whyte
Forests (Government of India), the Exposure field trips preceded the meet- VICE CHAIR BOARD
Programme Advisory Committee Chair
Government of the State of Meghalaya, ings. The first was to a community- and Member ICIMOD Foundation
and the G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan managed sacred grove in Mawphlang, and Mestor Associates
Canada
Environment and Development hosted the to Nonglang Village in the West Khasi Hills,
Dr. J. Gabriel Campbell
meetings and provided support, as did one of the sites of the North Eastern Region (Ex-officio) Director General, ICIMOD

29
Narendra Bajracharya

Narendra Bajracharya
Discussing project issues in the field A poster session provided a platform for in-depth discussions
with Programme Managers

Community Resource Management Project with which provided the platform for more in-depth discussion
ICIMOD has been associated through the IFAD with ICIMOD Programme Managers. In the evening,
Project. The second was to Cherrapungee, renowned the Department of Art and Culture, Government of
for being ‘the wettest place on earth’. This was Meghalaya, presented a colourful cultural show in
followed by a trip to Nongtraw Village to interact with honour of the guests.
communities and to give everyone a feel of ICIMOD’s
and its partners' advocacy work for land and natural The Board of Governors, the ICIMOD Support
resources. The field visits provided an opportunity for Group, and other associated committees met in
the Board, ISG members, ICIMOD staff, and partners sessions from 24-25 November. Dr. Ram Prasad
to discuss issues and challenges at the project sites. Chaudhary of Nepal, the outgoing Chair, welcomed
the new Chairperson, Mr. Ismail Qureshi, Secretary
On 23 November, the Centre's Day, ICIMOD’s of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock,
Board and the ISG met with Mr. Namo Narain Government of Pakistan.
Meena, Union Minister of State for Environment and
Forests; Dr. Donkupar Roy, Deputy Chief Minister of ICIMOD's progress in 2005 and Plans 2006 were
the Meghalaya State; and Dr. Friday Lyngdoh, Forest approved. In response to the request of the Director
Minister of the Meghalaya Government. Dr. Ram General to commence the search for his successor in
Prasad Chaudhary, Chair of the ICIMOD Board; time for planning and resourcing for the next medium
Dr. Anne Whyte, Vice-Chair; Mr. Jochen Kenneweg, term action plan, the Board formed a Board of Search
Chair of ISG; and Dr. Gabriel Campbell, ICIMOD Committee.
Director General, took turns in welcoming the The Board also decided on the composition of
guests. Dr. Campbell highlighted ICIMOD's mission, the panel of experts for the forthcoming Quinquennial
underlining the value of regional collaboration and Review of ICIMOD to be carried out in the Spring of
cooperation. 2006. Dr. Zhao Shidong was reappointed to the
During the Programme Overview session, Board of Governors for another year as an
Dr. Uppeandra Dhar, Director of the G.B. Pant Independent Board Member, while Dr. Bruno Messerli
Institute of Himalayan Environment and of Switzerland was appointed to a three-year term,
Development, and Dr. Kyrham Nongkynrih of the also as an Independent Board Member.
North Eastern Hill University, highlighted the progress A decision was made to hold two Board meetings
made by ICIMOD and identified potential collabo- in 2006 – a special meeting during June and
rative work in the Indian region of the Himalaya and July in Kathmandu, and the regular annual
in North East India. Dr. Madhav Karki, ICIMOD meeting tentatively scheduled for early November in
Deputy Director General, Programmes, presented Pakistan.
the 2005 Achievement Highlights. An informal walk-
around poster session organised in the afternoon Eklabya Sharma, esharma@icimod.org

30
ICIMOD Programme Advisory Committee Meeting

The ICIMOD Programme Advisory Committee Bangladesh and Pakistan, with a few activities in
(PAC) held its 12th session on 24 November, as part Afghanistan and Myanmar. The PAC emphasised
of the 35th ICIMOD Board of Governors' meetings. the need for ICIMOD to pay attention to
countries with little activities and to form a
Some of the key issues and recommendations
strategy to increase programme activities in these
raised by the PAC include the following.
countries. The PAC recommended that ICIMOD
z On Gender: ICIMOD needs to better integrate set up liaison offices in Afghanistan, Pakistan,
gender mainstreaming in its programmes and and Myanmar.
projects, and a fuller understanding of the
z On Programme Synergy: Related to the ‘spread’
concept is required. Members noted that there is
of programme activities was the issue of numbers
still no real grasp of how gender is integrated
and diversity of programme partners. The PAC
and how it fits in as part of the larger framework
suggested that ICIMOD focus its activities on a
of social inclusion.
given area and encourage programme work in
z On Country Distribution: The PAC noted that these areas with the same partners when
much of ICIMOD's activities are focused on appropriate.
Nepal, India, China, and Bhutan, and less on

The ICIMOD Foundation

Established in December 2002, the ICIMOD Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established in
Switzerland to support ICIMOD's research and development work to develop economically and ecologically sound
ecosystems in the greater Himalayan region and to improve the living conditions of the rural population there.
The funds generated by the ICIMOD Foundation will be used to support:
z projects to help poor mountain women, men, and children;
z research and the demonstration of technologies and knowledge for mountain development;
z development of innovative ideas and technologies suitable for mountains;
z capacity building and training of mountain peoples and institutions; and
z long-term assistance for the promotion of sustainable development in the Himalayan region.

The Foundation has a Board of Governors composed of selected members of the Board of Governors of
ICIMOD and distinguished, reputable individuals in mountain development.
Current members of the ICIMOD Foundation Board of Governors include:
z Dr. Ruth Egger-Tschäppeler, Switzerland - Chair
z Dr. Bruno Messerli, Switzerland
z Dr. Anne Whyte, Mestor Associates, Canada
z Dr. Shoaib Sultan Khan, Rural Support Programmes Network, Pakistan
z Prof. Jamuna Singh, Banaras Hindu University, India
z Dr. James Gabriel Campbell, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal
z Mr. Milan Tuladhar, ICIMOD, serves as Foundation Secretary

Contributing to the ICIMOD Foundation

Individuals, governments, corporations, and trusts may contribute to the ICIMOD Foundation through direct
contributions or endowments. To make a contribution, please contact the ICIMOD Foundation Chair or the
Foundation directly.
The ICIMOD Foundation or Dr. Ruth Egger-Tschäppeler
c/o, ICIMOD, G.P.O Box 3226, Kathmandu Seestrasse 194
Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal CH 8712 Staefa
Phone: 977-1-5525313 Switzerland
Fax: 977-1-552-4509/553-6747 Tel. : 41-43-818 08 58
Email: icimod@icimod.org Fax : 41-43-818 08 57
http://www.icimodfoundation.org Email: eggerpr@freesurf.ch

31
z On Scaling Up and the MDGs: The PAC noted further this, taking into consideration the linkages
how important it is for ICIMOD to demonstrate between M&E cycles and institutional management
the impact it has had on the lives of 150 million cycles. The PAC agreed that ICIMOD would not
people in the greater Himalayan region. One impose its M&E system on its partners.
possible way is for ICIMOD to show how it is
contributing to the achievement of the UN The PAC also discussed the criteria, questions,
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but it and makeup of the upcoming Independent 4th
was unclear how ICIMOD has, directly or Quinquennial Review of ICIMOD. It noted that the
indirectly, contributed to these goals. team undertaking the analysis should include experts
z On ICIMOD's focus/added value/impact: With in social inclusion and gender mainstreaming.
regards to programmes, the PAC suggested that Finally, the PAC emphasised the need for ICIMOD
ICIMOD focus on cross-border and regional to undertake and prioritise a special initiative for
issues and actions that other institutions cannot earthquake relief in Pakistan. To this effect, ICIMOD has
approach. The PAC emphasised that this is already initiated an initiative to contribute to rebuilding
ICIMOD's comparative advantage and the the livelihoods of the people in Pakistan whose lives
Centre should capitalise on this far more. have been affected by the 8 October 2005
In addition, the PAC discussed ICIMOD's earthquake, focusing primarily on livestock and
progress in developing its monitoring and evaluation agriculture rehabilitation.
system and agreed that ICIMOD should continue to Srabrani Roy, sroy@icimod.org

New Independent Board Member: Prof. Bruno Messerli

ICIMOD is pleased Prof. Messerli has served as Chairman of the
to announce that Swiss National UNESCO-MAB Committee; was
Professor Bruno President of the International Geographical Union;
Messerli, Professor Member of the Steering Committee for System for
Emeritus at the Analysis, Research and Training in Global Change
Institute of Geo- Science; Chair of the Board of Trustees of the
graphy, University of International Foundation for Science, Stockholm; and
Berne, Switzerland, was Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the
has recently been Mountain Research Initiative. Prof. Messerli was also
appointed as Inde- one of the coordinators for the UN Highland Lowland
pendent Board Interactive System and contributed substantially to the
Member by the preparation of the Mountain Chapter (13) of Agenda
ICIMOD Board of 21 for the Rio Conference 1992. He was deeply
Governors. Prof. involved in many mountain initiatives such as the
Messerli will serve Mountain Research Initiative, the Global Mountain
Professor Bruno Messerli for three years. Biodiversity Assessment, and Global Environmental
Change Research, and in International Year of
A Swiss national, Prof. Messerli received his Ph.D.
Mountains 2002 activities. He was also involved in
in 1962 and became a full Professor in 1968. He
the International Year of Freshwater 2003 and in the
became the Director of the Geographical Institute in
3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto.
1978, Rector of the University of Berne in 1986, and
Professor Emeritus in 1996. Prof. Messerli was one of those who advocated
for the establishment of ICIMOD and has been
Prof. Messerli's career spans more than four
following the activities and achievements of the
decades. He has carried out pioneering work in
Centre closely. He was a member of the ICIMOD
sustainable mountain development and interdiscipli-
review team in 1990 and was invited as keynote
nary research as well as contributed greatly to
speaker at the ‘21st Anniversary Symposium’ upon
research and development in various mountain
the inauguration of the new ICIMOD Headquarters
regions of the world. He has written and published
in December 2004.
many books and articles in journals of international
repute and has received international awards for his
initiatives and achievements.

32
Workshops, meetings and trainings
Sharing the results of the ‘Glaciers and Glacial Lake Inventory’

In collaboration with the Wadia Institute of Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)-
Himalayan Geology (WIHG), a half-day workshop supported project. 'Inventory of Glaciers and
was organised at WIHG in Dehradun, Uttaranchal Glacial Lakes and the Identification of Potential
on 14 July 2005 to disseminate the outcomes and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) Affected
results of the collaborative study to inventory glaciers by Global Warming in the Mountains of
and glacial lakes in Uttaranchal. Seventy-five Himalayan Region' has been ongoing in India,
participants including 40 scientists and professionals China, and Pakistan since 2002.
from different departments of WIHG and from fifteen
organisations attended the workshop. The Asia- Pradeep Mool, pmool@icimod.org

Workshop launches ICIMOD’s work on minority rights and environmental justice

The processes of globalisation, urbanisation, and role of the media in facilitating access to justice,
and increasing populations have exacerbated the and debated the concept of 'minorities', defined
struggle for natural resources, with an increasingly issues of environmental justice in the South Asian
disproportionate burden being faced by poor and context, and identified strategies for building the
historically margi-
nalised communities
living in the greater
Himalayan region.
Environmental justice
concerns in South
Asia encompass
critical issues such as
basic rights to food,
potable water, hous-
ing material, and sur-
vival. These issues
are often linked to the
loss of collective
property rights and
access to niche habi- ICIMOD file photo

tats – land, forests,

water bodies, and
pastures.

From 22-24 August 2005, the Culture, Equity, capacity of marginalised communities towards
Gender and Governance (CEGG) Programme of enabling greater environmental justice in the region.
ICIMOD held a workshop to launch its work on Building upon this inception workshop, the CEGG
minority rights and environmental justice in the Programme will undertake research and facilitate
extended Himalayan region. Bringing together capacity building to enhance the rights of margin-
people from five of its regional member countries, alised communities to environmental justice over the
the workshop discussed issues of environmental next two years.
justice in the region. The workshop was structured
Radhika Gupta, rgupta@icimod.org
around three panels: litigation, social movements,

33
ICIMOD participates in China-EU Sustainable Development Forum
An ICIMOD team attended the two-day Sustain- The forum shared the latest research findings
able Development Forum in Beijing, China from 5-6 and raised awareness on Chinese policy efforts and
September 2005. More than 500 local and inter- activities on mountain issues. ICIMOD's participation
national participants joined the Forum where approxi- highlights the Centre's role in the sustainable
mately 100 papers on six different themes of sustain- development of China's mountain provinces in the
able development were presented. As a key partner, Tibet Autonomous Region.
ICIMOD presented a paper on 'Sustainable Use and
Golam Rasul, grasul@icimod.org
Management of Natural Resources in the Mountain
Areas of China: Policies, Issues, and the Way Forward.'

Memoranda of Understanding and Agreements Signed

(September - December 2005)
Agreements signed with partners in the greater Himalayan region.
z 8 December 2005: District Road Support Programme (DRSP), Kathmandu, Nepal
Beekeeping training for providing technical knowledge to DRSP participants, Nepal
z 2 December 2005. Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
To upscale beekeeping programme through research and extension in the mountain areas of Himachal Pradesh,
India
z 25 November 2005: Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), Nainital, Uttaranchal, India
To upscale beekeeping programme through research and extension in the mountain areas of Uttaranchal State
of India.
z 22 November 2005: Honey Bee Research Institute (HBRI), Islamabad, Pakistan
To upscale beekeeping programme through partnership and technical backstopping to rural development
organisations in Pakistan
z 8 November 2005: Bangladesh Institute of Apiculture (BIA), Bangladesh
To upscale beekeeping programme through partnership and mobilisation of beekeeper's groups and other
stakeholders in Bangladesh.
z 1 November 2005: Dabur Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Nepal
To identify strategic non-timber forest products for the IFAD-supported Western Uplands Poverty Alleviation
Project (Nepal)
z 6 October 2005: Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development
(CEAPRED), Kathmandu, Nepal
To upscale beekeeping programme through partnership and mobilisation of community-based organisations
(CBOs) in the mountain districts of Nepal.
z 2 October 2005: United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office, Asia and the Pacific
To develop a pilot knowledge hub for mountain ecosystems to contribute to UNEP's Environment Knowledge
Hub (eKH)
z 2 October 2005: United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office, Asia and the Pacific
To prepare the Nepal Biodiversity Year Book 2006
z 27 September 2005: NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan
To upscale beekeeping programme through research and extension in the mountain areas of NWFP, Pakistan
z 23 September 2005: Alital Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd., Dadeldhura, Nepal
To continue partnership in implementing beekeeping activities and collaborative work in Alital VDC, Dadeldhura
district, Nepal
z 23 September 2005: Annapurna Beekeeping and Environment Promotion (BEENPRO) Kaski, Pokhara, Nepal
To continue partnership in implementing the activities of the beekeeping programme in Kaski, Pokhara, Nepal
z September 2005: Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
For cooperation in geo-information capacity building and environment and natural resources management in
southwestern China
z September 2005: International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC),
The Netherlands
To distribute ILWIS GIS/RS software for ICIMOD and its network of collaborating partners in the Hindu-Kush
Himalayan (HKH) Region

34
Regional partnership workshop prepares country plans on benefit sharing of biological resources

ICIMOD's Culture, Equity, Gender and Gover- preparing the project's operational and country-
nance Programme organised a regional planning specific plans. Mr. Armin Hofmann, Principal Advisor
and partnership development workshop from 5-7 and Project Coordinator, GTZ Nepal, addressed the
September on access rights and benefit sharing of workshop, which included 25 participants from India,
biological resources for marginalised people of Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.
the eastern Himalaya. The workshop focused on Krishna Prasad Oli, koli@icimod.org

Community and biodiversity in Kohima, Nagaland disscussed in a workshop

A four-day workshop, on
‘Community and Biodiversity
in Nagaland (India)’ was
jointly organised by the
Nagaland Forest Department,
NEPED, and Kalpavriksh,
sponsored by the Forest
Department, IFACN, the British
High Commission, NEPED, and

Krishna Prasad Oli

ICIMOD. The workshop was
held in Kohima, the capital city of
Nagaland from 24-27 October
and focused on management
systems for biological resources, Participants, Community and Biodiversity workshop in Nagaland, India
associated problems, and access to
genetic resources related issues. Shri Shyamal Datta, His initiatives are carried out through local-level
Excellency the Governor of Nagaland, and Shri I. Kheto institutional mechanisms and arrangements by the
Sema, Honourable Minister for Forest and Chairman of Village Council, students' unions, youth organisations,
the State Biodiversity Board addressed the workshop. and public organisations. The communities themselves
The inaugural session was chaired by Mr. Alemtemshi and observers report that the initiatives have had a
Jamir, the Agriculture Production Commissioner. Over a positive impact on biodiversity conservation in Kohima.
hundred participants including community leaders, Major recommendations were made for the future of
NGO representatives, and senior government officials, biodiversity resources management. There is a wealth
participated. of traditional knowledge to be shared in medicinal and
aromatic plants, techniques for tree pollarding, and
Nagaland has a growing number of community-
complex shifting cultivation systems which should be
led conservation initiatives. These include declared
useful to neighbouring states within India and for other
wildlife and forest reserves, seasonal or permanent
countries of the eastern Himalayan region.
bans on hunting, the harvest of medicinal plants, and
regulations against destructive fishing. Conservation Krishna Prasad Oli, koli@icimod.org

GTZ and NORAD missions review ICIMOD Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation System
The Norwegian and German governments are important members of ICIMOD's International Support Group. The
Norwegian team, composed of Dr. Stein W. Bie and Ms. Marte Qvenild, The University of Life Sciences, Ås,
Norway, visited Kathmandu from 2-8 October. Similarly, a GTZ team, made up of Dr. Manfred Gellert and Dr.
Christoph Reichert, visited ICIMOD from 15-20 August, 2005.
The Norwegian team carried out a comprehensive evaluation of ICIMOD's Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
(PM&E) system and provided recommendations on improving the system. The GTZ consultants provided an
overview of the PM&E system and suggested a milestone for strengthening the system within the MTAP period.
Both the missions met with ICIMOD Programme Managers and professional staff to observe and discuss PM&E
practices within the Centre's Programmes and co-financed projects.
At the end of their visit, both teams presented and shared their findings with ICIMOD management and professional
staff. The mission reports provide initial inputs for the Quinquennial Review of ICIMOD scheduled in May 2006.
Farid Ahmad, faahmad@icimod.org

35
Training in Decision Support Systems demonstrates its use in natural resources monitoring

A three-day training in Decision

Support Systems (DSS) organised at
ICIMOD in late October 2005 by The
World Conservation Union-Nepal
(IUCN) demonstrated a prototype DSS
based on the Sagarmatha National Park
scenario. The prototype was developed
by the project, Institutional Consoli-
dation for the Coordinated and
Integrated Monitoring of Natural
Resources Towards Sustainable
Development and Environment Conser-
vation in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-

Narendra Bajracharya
Himalaya Mountain (DSS-HKKH). It illus-
trates the use of DSS in monitoring the
changing conditions of natural resources.
Birendra Bajracharya,
bbajracharya@icimod.org

Training communities in beekeeping

As part of the capacity building component of the

beekeeping project, ICIMOD in collaboration with its
partner organisation, Annapurna Environment and
Beekeeping Promotion (BEENPRO), trained 45 farmers
(37 women and 8 men) in beekeeping management in
October 2005. Two training courses were organised: a
week long course from 18-25 October for the Kau
Danda Beekeepers Group, where 25 (2 men + 23
women) received training; another week long course
was organised from 25-31 October for Pragatishil Ama
Samuha of Lekhnath VDC of Kaski district where 6 men
and 14 women were trained. The courses enhanced the
capacity of rural beekeepers to manage bees in
movable frame hives. This will help them harvest more
and better quality honey from the indigenous Apis
cerana, free from dead bees, bee parts, larvae, and
Farooq Ahmad

hive debris. The training also promoted movable frame

hive beekeeping in Kaski district.
Farooq Ahmad, fahmad@icimod.org

Representatives of Austrian Development Agency

(ADA) briefed
Mr. Robert Zeiner and Mr. Gerhard Pulfer of the Austrian Development
Agency visited ICIMOD on 17 October 2005. While at ICIMOD they met with
ICIMOD management and the beekeeping project team. They also visited the
apiary at the ICIMOD Testing and Demonstration Centre, Godavari, where Dr.
Farooq Ahmad, Coordinator of the Beekeeping Project gave a
presentation on the goal, objectives, and achievements of the bee project.
Farooq Ahmad, fahmad@icimod.org

36
International Workshop discusses ways to manage flash floods in the region
The ‘International Workshop on Flash
Flood Management and Sustainable
Development in the Himalayan Region’
was held in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region,
(PRC) from 23-28 October 2005. The work-
shop was organised by ICIMOD, the China
Meteorological Administration (CMA), and
the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO), with support from the Government
of Norway and the USAID Office of US
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

ICIMOD file photo

The objective of the workshop was to
collect information on the status of flash
flood management in the eight member
countries of ICIMOD – Afghanistan, Sediment-filled flood wave in a Himalayan river bed
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – and to discuss the sions and recommendations and the ways to improve
preparedness, mitigation, and management of flash the management of flash floods and related natural
floods in the context of sustainable development. In hazards in the Himalayan region. The declaration
a comprehensive exercise, the workshop participants highlights an outreach process as the way forward
agreed upon a document now called, 'The Lhasa towards improved flash flood management.
Declaration', which outlines the workshop's conclu- Mats Eriksson, meriksson@icimod.org

Training trainers in bio-briquette making

ICIMOD's Godavari Demonstration and

Training Centre organised and hosted two
training of trainers (ToT) sessions in bio-
briquette making in November 2005. This was
conducted in joint collaboration with the
Success Development Centre (SDC-Nepal), a
local NGO based in Butwal, Rupendehi district,
and the Poor Water Users Association of Kavre
and Kathmandu districts. Training was
supported by the Japan Fund for Poverty
Samden Lama Sherpa

Reduction through the Department of Irrigation.

Five participants from SDC-Nepal (one
representative from each region), and ten from
the Poor Water Users Association participated.
Making bio-briquettes
The training aimed at building the capacity of
NGO staff and the Poor Water Users Association mixture into a honeycomb-
members to provide training themselves to forest user shaped mould for sun
groups in their working areas and to members of the drying into finished bio-bri-
Poor Water Users Association and other farmers. quettes. In the feedback
session, participants said
Participants first collected 'banmara' weeds they found the hands-on sessions useful. The skills
(Eupatorium adenophorum), pine needles (pinus spp.) and knowledge they acquired would be used to train
and 'musure katus' leaves (Castanopsis tribuloides). users in their own groups. Bio-briquettes are useful for
These were then made into charcoal using the cooking and heating, while selling the briquettes
charring drum and pit method. Participants were would be a good means to earn income.
taught how to make the charcoal into powder, mix the
charcoal powder with bentonite clay, and press the Samden Lama Sherpa, ssherpa@icimod.org

37
 ICIMOD provides regional perspective at Bhutan's 'First National Workshop on Rangeland Management
Policy and Strategies'

The 'tsamdro' or rangeland in Bhutan is a valu- the Department of Livestock, the European Union, and
able resource in a mountain country where only 8% ICIMOD, conducted its ‘First National Workshop on
of the land is suitable for agriculture. Over 400 ha of Rangeland Management Policy and Strategies’.
registered tsamdro provide pasture to more than ICIMOD provided the regional perspective in this
350,000 heads of cattle, yak, buffalo, and other workshop, analysing rangeland issues in Bhutan and
diverse species, that in turn provide food and sharing the issues and experiences in other countries
livelihoods (such as dairy farming and wool of the region. Some experiences shared include
production) for the Bhutanese people. Rangelands practical issues in rangeland privatisation in the Tibet
also serve valuable watershed functions and provide Autonomous Region of China, and options that have
biologically diverse resources. A national rangeland worked such as indigenous rangeland practices in
policy is thus important to the economy of Bhutan Chitral, Northern Areas of Pakistan; sustainable
and to other mountain regions of the Himalaya. farming systems through watershed management in
India, China, Nepal, and Pakistan through ICIMOD's
In early November, Bhutan's National Feed and
PARDYP Project; and Sikkim's ecotourism policy. The
Fodder Development Programme, with support from
need to consider rangelands along with
other land uses was also recognised.
The workshop comes at a time when
Bhutan is revising its Land Act. The
discussions and recommendations,
particularly on land use and manage-
ment regimes, hope to influence the
provisions of the revised Act. ICIMOD
and the Himalayan region – half of
which consists of rangelands – will also
benefit from a national rangeland
development policy and strategies that
Bhutan is developing. Bhutan's Livestock
RNRC Bhutan

Department looks up to ICIMOD for

regional perspective and its expertise in
mountain development to help them
Observing rangeland issues 'on the ground'. One day of the workshop was spent
visiting a registered rangeland in Dhur, Bumthang, which includes a one-acre pasture craft this policy.
trial field of the Renewable Natural Resources Research Centre experimenting with Joyce M. Mendez,
various types of fodder. In this field trip, participants interacted with the community and
some herders and observed rangeland problems and issues on the ground.
jmendez@icimod.org

ICIMOD and Mountain Forum participates in ‘The World Summit on the Information Society’ in Tunis
A four-person delegation from
ICIMOD and the Mountain Forum (MF)
organised a stand at the exhibition,
'ICT4All' from 15-19 November 2005
and participated in related discussions,
workshops, and presentations.
ICIMOD/MF's exhibition stand repre-
sented the countries of the Himalayan
region and the Mountain Forum. There
were no other stands from the region
Zibgniew Mikolajuk

except for India and China, so the

ICIMOD/MF presence was noticed and
the stand was useful in promoting
ICIMOD's work in the ICT sector. The
Summit had over 20,000 registered The ICIMOD/MF stand at ‘ICT4AII’ attracts queries and interest in the region

38
participants, thousands of visitors, and over 300 ICIMOD's ICT activities. Ministers and members of
exhibitors. It is considered a milestone event in high-level delegations from Afghanistan, Bhutan,
promoting the role of ICT in poverty eradication and Nepal visited the stand and there were discus-
programmes as related to Millennium Development sions on further collaboration between ICIMOD and
Goals. Over 200 people visited the stand and the respective governments.
visitors collected information materials about
Zbigniew Mikolajuk, zmikolajuk@icimod.org

System of Rice Intensification highlighted on Farmers' Day

PARDYP-Nepal celebrated Farmers' Day on 3
December 2005 in Salpani, Jhikhu Khola. Mukti Nath
Ghimire chaired the programme, while Dandipani
Khanal, District Agriculture Development Officer,
chief guest, distributed certificates to farmers
and resource persons involved in a training of
trainers programme on the system of rice
intensification (SRI) option. Over half of the 150

Keshar Man Sthapit

participants were women. Representatives from vari-
ous government agencies such the Nepal Agricultural
Research Council (NARC), the Department of Soil
Conservation and Watershed Management
(DSCWM), the Spices Crop Development Centre
(SCDC), as well as non-government organisations
also participated. Farmers’ Day, Salpani,
Jhikhu Khola and a woman
The system of rice intensification (SRI) is an receiving a traning of trainers
certificate
agronomic practice of growing rice by transplanting
two-leaf seedlings at 8-12 days old at a wider spacing planting, and the field does not need continuous flood-
than usual (generally 25 cm x 25 cm, or even wider). ing except during the flowering stage. When the land
Unlike conventional methods, only a small amount of starts to dry and crack, light irrigation is applied to
water is applied while preparing the field for trans- moisten the soil. An alternately dry and moist soil

Collaboration on Ladakh
Three distinguished scholars, Prof. Janki Andharia, Prof. Vidya Rao, and Mr. Shahaji Narwade from the Tata Institute of
Social Sciences (TISS), visited ICIMOD for a week in early September. Their mission was to identify areas where
ICIMOD could help in the development of a curriculum for a diploma programme on sustainable development in the
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). The team visited the facilities at the ICIMOD Headquarters
and the Demonstration and Training Centre, Godavari, and exchanged views with ICIMOD on how the two organisations
might collaborate on the proposed capacity building plan for LAHDC. The visit emphasised the importance of
maintaining synergies and complementarities between TISS and ICIMOD. Possible opportunities for cooperation include
eco-tourism, water and hazard management, GIS/RS technologies, as well as rangelands and pasture management.
Collaboration with Bhutan Sustainable Development Board (SDB)
A high-level delegation from Bhutan comprising seven members from the Sustainable Development Board (SDB) led
by Dasho Meghraj Gurung visited ICIMOD from 4-11 September 2005. The objective of the visit was to explore areas
of cooperation in rural development programmes. Meetings and discussions were held with ICIMOD programme staff
on areas of mutual interest. For insights into the work of ICIMOD and its partners, the team visited the Demonstration
and Training Centre at Godavari, the PARDYP site in Jhikhu Khola, the Dabur Nursery in Banepa, the Balaju Yantra
Shala Workshop, SNV Nepal Office, the Poverty Alleviation Fund's Office/HMG Nepal, and the Federation of
Community Forest Users, Nepal (FECOFUN). Among the possible areas for joint collaboration the delegation identi-
fied replication of land use practices, income generating schemes, rural technologies, rehabilitation of degraded lands,
biodiversity conservation and access, medicinal and aromatic plants, sustainable agricultural, tourism development, as
well as information exchange and capacity building.
Pema Gyamtsho, pgyamtsho@icimod.org

39
condition improves aeration and helps the plants to On Farmers' Day, all groups from the farmers field
grow more vigorously. SRI is considered an improved schools presented the implementation procedures and
way of growing a greater amount of rice using less results of their activities using flip charts and photograph
water. displays, songs, reports, and poems. The results were
In testing and promoting SRI as an agronomic encouraging.
option, PARDYP-Nepal supported a Training of In the Jhikhu Khola watershed, the rice yield
Trainers programme using the farmer field school increased by 50% on average. First weeding is more
approach. PARDYP-Nepal provided training to 15 lead labour intensive than in the traditional practice.
farmers from the watershed who then ran farmers' field Managing irrigation is the difficult part of the system
schools in 15 villages, training about 100 farmers. In for the areas where irrigation facilities are uncertain.
each field school, the group of farmers implement, Also on the flat land, where water logging during the
observe, study, and draw conclusions about growing monsoon is likely, draining excess water can be a
rice through SRI and compare the practice with constraint.
traditional methods. Roger White, rwhite@icimod.org

Training workshop shows 'Geo-informatics for Rangeland Resources Management'

The MENRIS and NRM Programmes of ICIMOD Pakistan, Ms. Tehmina Bibi, that participants could
organised a workshop on the application of geo- already use or apply to their particular rangeland
informatics for rangeland resources conditions on their return. In order to build on
management from 5-16 December 2005. The ICIMOD's previous capacity building efforts in
workshop provided rangeland managers with hands- rangeland management, 17 participants from six
on training on the use of GIS/RS technologies for countries namely Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India,
mapping rangeland resources, how to plan their use, Nepal, and Pakistan, took part in the workshop. They
and monitor changes in rangeland conditions. also visited the ICIMOD Demonstration and Training
Designed according to the requirements of partners in Centre in Godavari, where they took an interest in
rangeland management and biodiversity conservation technologies applicable to mountain farming systems
programmes, the workshop used training materials demonstrated at the Centre.
produced with inputs from a visiting scientist from Muhammad Ismail, mismail@icimod.org

Stakeholders consulted on Sacred Himalayan Landscape Strategic Plan

The first participatory primary stakeholders' con- extends beyond Nepal and includes the
sultation on the ‘Sacred Himalayan Landscape Kanchenjunga region of India and Toorsa Strict
Strategic Plan (SHLSP)’ was held in Charikot, Reserve in Bhutan. WWF-Nepal, TMI, and ICIMOD
Dolakha, from 8-11 December, under the initiative lead the initiative to develop a strategic plan for
of WWF-Nepal. The Sacred Himalayan Landscape Nepal. ICIMOD will be taking the initiative further to
Initiative is a strategy for landscape-level India and Bhutan to expand its regional context and
conservation and participatory development and is reach. The first consultation focused on identifying
taking place under the direction of the Ministry of the major conservation and development issues
Forest and Soil Conservation, Nepal, with support particular to Dolakha, Ramechap, Kavre, and
from ICIMOD, WWF-Nepal, The Mountain Institute Sindupalchowk districts and on developing a ground
(TMI), and IUCN. The boundary of the Initiative strategy from the stakeholders' perspectives. Major

Exchange Scientists, MENRIS, September - December 2005

z Tehmina Bibi, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan, 3 October to mid-December 2005
z A.H.M. Tajul Islam, Institute of Water Modelling, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17 October to 25 November 2005
z Md. Shaheen Ferdous, Institute of Water Modelling, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 17 October to 25 November 2005
z U Ngwe, U Tint Swe, Forest Department, Myanmar, 27 November to 23 December 2005
z Daw Khin Htar Shwe, Forest Department, Myanmar, 27 November to 23 December 2005
z U Phone Htut, Forest Department, Myanmar, 27 November to 23 December 2005

40
issues identified were geographical vulnerability and please contact Dr. Sabita Thapa, Coordinator,
associated calamities, poor land use and resource WWF-Nepal, sabita.thapa@wwfnepal.org and
management, and lack of organisational coordina- Dr. Nakul Chettri, ICIMOD, nchettri@icimod.org
tion and public awareness. For further information, Bandana Shakya, bshakya@icimod.org
Niraj Kakati, nkakati@icimod.org
GIS capacity building and networking in 2005

GIS technology has many uses, such as in the Feedback from Training
management of natural resources, in agricultural Participants provided useful feedback about the
land use planning, in water resources management, national training in Pakistan. Some of their state-
disaster management, environmental planning, and ments are as follows:
many more. Realising the important role that GIS
plays in sustainable mountain development, ICIMOD, “have…ourreceived)
team from Afghanistan is very happy (to
the training. Everyone briefed their
through its GIS Capacity Building and Networking supervisors and provided information about the
activity under MENRIS, has been promoting the use of training and the trainers. Thank you very much for
GIS and remote sensing technology and their appli- organising the training. It was really interesting
cations in various mountain-related issues in the and useful and we now have…good knowledge
region through training sessions and workshops. in spatial analysis and GIS.
Regional and national training organised in Pakistan,
”
Shahzad Aryobee, Afghanistan Information
China, and Myanmar Management Services (AIMS), Afghanistan
Under the GIS capacity building framework,
MENRIS organised and conducted four
“was…Ireally
miss the days we had there at Peshawar, it
great and I must thank your for all your
patience with us while teaching.
regional/national-level training courses during 2005
on GIS and remote sensing for different applications, ”
Mohsin Naqvi, Ajad Jammu Kashmir University
from which 119 professionals from various (AJK) University, Pakistan
institutions in the region participated. Sushil Pradhan, suspradhan@icimod.org

Title of training Date Venue

Regional Training
z Transboundary Landscape Management 18-29 July 2005 ICIMOD in collaboration with NRM programme
and Application of Geo-informatics in of ICIMOD
the HKH
National Training
z Geo-informatics for Rangeland Resources 4- 16 July 2005 National Centre of Excellence in Geology,
Management University of Peshawar, Pakistan
z Geo-informatics for Natural Resources 19-30 September Sichuan University in joint collaboration with its
and Environmental Management 2005 Department of Environment and Architecture,
Chengdu, People’s Republic of China
z Geo-informatics for Water Resources 17-28 October Institute of Water Conservancy Planning and
Management 2005 Design in collaboration with Bureau of Water
Conservancy,TAAAS, Bureau of Meteorology,
TAR, People’s Republic China
z Geo-informatics for Natural Resources 5-18 November Department of Forest, Ministry of Forest,
Management 2005 Myanmar

ICIMOD shares tools, technologies, and best practices in Myanmar

A one-day awareness workshop on 'Technology, mark International Geography Day 2005. The work-
Tools, and Best Practices for Sustainable shop discussed, shared and disseminated knowledge
Mountain Development' was organised by ICIMOD and information about tools, technologies, and best
in collaboration with the Forest Department, Ministry practices. More than 200 participants from various
of Forestry, in Yangon, Myanmar on 11 November to government organisations and universities attended.

41
 The occasion was graced by the Honourable Minister
of Mynmar’s Ministry of Forest who inaugurated the
workshop. Also present was ICIMOD’s Deputy
Director General Programmes, Dr. Madhav Karki,
who gave an orientation on ICIMOD's different
programmes. ICIMOD gave presentations on various
themes including a GIS showcase to demonstrate
various activities in GIS and remote
sensing applications in natural resources
ICIMOD file photo

management. There was also an

exhibition of ICIMOD publications.
Basanta Shrestha
Sharing ideas and technologies on sustainable bshrestha@icimod.org
mountain development

Research Updates and Project News

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme in Asia (MAPPA)

The Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Programme in the potential to benefit the rural poor and indigenous
Asia (MAPPA) was initiated in 1998 and builds on communities by making favourable impacts on
previous research results and on the network fragile livelihoods and degraded environments. The
partnerships of the International Development programme has the scope to influence policy making
Research Centre's (IDRC) Medicinal Plants Network. in biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods,
MAPPA employs a comprehensive and regional and improved primary health using the MAP sub-
approach to the sectoral development of medicinal sector as a model. MAPPA works with national
and aromatic plants (MAPs) in South Asia. ICIMOD governments and has facilitated policy and
began hosting MAPPA from August 2005. The Centre institutional reforms and evolutions targeted at MAPs.
was selected following an open, competitive process
of devolution. As a regional network of researchers, research
institutions, and funding agencies, MAPPA connects
MAPPA is a programme of strategic research, government and non-government organisations,
collaboration, and networking on MAPs. It develops, universities, research institutions, and the private sector
provides, and promotes appropriate options, under a multi-donor initiative. It also acts as a
methods, strategies, and technologies and other knowledge broker providing leadership in strategic
sustainable solutions to benefit the poor and to help research, coordination, and support for livelihood-
conserve medicinal plant-related biodiversity for use focused research and sustainable conservation activities
by future generations. on MAPS.
MAPPA emphasises process-based research, The MAPPA network under ICIMOD will be
incorporating gender and social analysis, which has developed as 'networks without boundaries'. Three
ICIMOD regional
member countries,
Afghanistan,
Myanmar, and China
will be added to the
network under the
Dyutiman Choudhary

devolved programme
Dyutiman Choudhary

to bring in new
knowledge, national
networks, and poten-
tial partners.
Ensuring quality organic products Awareness through information management

42
 MAPPA has
stressed supply chain
management of
MAPs as imperative
for developing the
MAP sector to meet

Dyutiman Choudhary
the objectives of Madhav Karki
conservation and
quality production,
and to access
regional and facili- Creating market linkages Women self-help groups in primary processing.
tate access to interna-
tional markets. Community-based enterprises and effi- technologies, supply chains, marketing strategies,
cient supply chains will be developed, keeping in mind information and communication tools, networks and
the current operating nature and structure of the sec- linkages, and policies. Continuing to focus on
tor. Knowledge of the institutional capacities, modes of organic production of medicinal, aromatic, and dye
operation, and internal linkages in the domestic and plants, MAPPA will work towards harmonising
regional MAP sectors is needed. Understanding the regional standards and protocols to improve quality,
constraints to growth will enable the development of conserve the resource base, and curb the use of fake
sustainable and needs-based solutions. MAPPA/ICI- products and substitutes in trade. This will strengthen
MOD will follow a knowledge-based approach in the marketing and bargaining powers of community-
developing integrated and transparent supply chain managed micro-enterprises and will provide viable
arrangements through the following means. and sustainable income generating options.
i) A livelihood-focused and pro-poor approach – to MAPPA has incorporated strategies as
ensure that supply chain arrangements support poor recommended by its programming experience into
producers and lead to pro-poor, sustainable growth the management of its MAP supply chain to address
that benefits poor women and men. The approach will gaps in the regional context. There is a felt need in the
be rooted in the livelihood strategies of the collectors MAP sector to identify, develop, and promote
and producers and will enable poor women and men multi-stakeholder approaches where the possible
to have the right of access MAP-based economic needs of all are satisfied and trust and ethics in the
opportunities and participation in markets on an business is generated. Targeting the supply chains of
equitable basis. MAPs could meet the expectations of major stake-
holders, allowing sectoral growth and development
ii) A business-based approach – to gain a better
with increased investment.
understanding of constraints on productivity,
competitiveness, business expansion, and investment in ICIMOD's networks provide a comparative
the MAP sector. Interventions will target the needs of the advantage for facilitating regional and national
sector, while businesses and stakeholders will be judged initiatives to address rural poverty, MAP resource
on their financial and business sense, and on the conservation, and markets and policy imperatives. Its
sustainability of results. integrated programmes will facilitate the creation of
income and employment in remote regions and will
iii) A governance approach – to understand the
provide national governments with opportunities,
institutional, policy, structural, and systemic
expertise, and strategies to develop MAPs as a lead-
constraints that impact the growth of the MAP sector
ing sector for national growth and development.
in the three countries. Understanding the institutional
ICIMOD will promote models of good practice in
and policy environment will be ensured when
niche-based transformation and in the development
designing forward and backward linkages and
of poor communities to improve livelihoods and
networks so that community-based enterprises and
reduce poverty in remote areas of the HKH.
supply chain arrangements can have a sustainable
impact on poverty alleviation and resource
Raghu Bir Singh Rawat, rrawat@icimod.org
conservation.
Dyutiman Choudhary, dchoudhary@icimod.org
Under the supply chain management initiative,
MAPPA will test, develop, and promote appropriate

43
 On Nyima's farm
It is crisp and cold on the floodplain of the Lhasa River as Nyima Tashi takes visitors on a tour of his life's work: rows
and rows of greenhouses up to 100 metres long. Inside, Nyima's spectacles steam up as he shows us cherry toma-
toes, miniature cucumbers and yellow watermelons.

It is clear as he caresses the vegetables that this is a labour of love for the Nepal-trained agronomist who has single-
handedly made Lhasa self-sufficient in vegetables. The growing season lasts only four months in the cold and arid
plateau. The rest of the year, Tibetans have usually relied on dried and pickled vegetables or imported them from Nepal.

On a stint in mountain farming systems with ICIMOD in Kathmandu, Nyima

dreamt one day of growing vegetables on the plateau. Within five years, his
Tibetan Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry outside Lhasa is a
much talked-about success story. It is testimony to one man's vision and
also turns the myth that only the private sector can show initiative on its
head.

"Tibet is cold but our winters are sunny," expains Nyima, "so we perfect-
ed this greenhouse design that is covered with a blanket at night to keep
the trapped daytime heat in." Indeed, the temperature inside stays at 18
degrees at night even when it is below zero outside.

Nyima has a strong marketing team that analyses demand and plans cropping cycles to get the best prices.
Encouraged by his success with organic vegetables, the farm is now branching out into exotic fruits, tissue culture,
Tibetan medicinal plants and high-value ornamental flowers. Nyima shows us potted poinsettias and cacti that are
being readied for the holiday season (pictured). The farm now sells 2.5 million yuan worth of vegetables and flowers
and ploughs the profit into expansion. The Academy is sharing this knowledge with other mountain regions of the
world and has set up an information exchange data base. Says Nyima: "I was inspired to do this in Nepal, and I'd now
like to give back what we have learnt here to farmers in similar climatic regions like Manang, Mustang or Ladakh."
Kunda Dixit, Nepali Times, 6-12 January 2006, Reprinted with permission.
Source: http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue280/nepali_society.htm

Five RMCs share regional flood data in ‘real time’

The Regional Cooperation for Flood Forecasting Bhutan, China, Nepal, and Pakistan – shared
and Information Exchange Project in the HKH region, hydrometeorological data in near real-time from
which seeks to reduce vulnerability to floods and selected stations through the project website
minimise loss of life, conducted its demonstration (www.southasianfloods.org) during this phase, with
and testing phase from June to September 2005. India participating as an observer. ICIMOD
facilitated the sharing of flood data through one or
The objective of the demonstration phase was to
more of these options: a web interface, file transfer
test the technical feasibility of sharing near real-time
protocol, and e-mail. During the demonstration
data. Five regional member countries – Bangladesh,
phase, data on water level, stream discharge, and
rainfall from more than ten stations were shared
daily. The design of the flood information system was
upgraded based on the initial feedback from users of
the system. The experiences from the demonstration
phase indicate that the Flood Information System
should, in the future, be automated to enable timely
submission of data. This phase has successfully
demonstrated the project's technical feasibility as well
as the willingness of countries to share information
Mandira Shrestha

beneficial to all.
For more information, on this initiative, please
visit the project website, www.southasianfloods.org
Demonstrating the flood information system. Mandira Shrestha, mshrestha@icimod.org

44
 Instrumentation tower to study atmospheric 'brown cloud'

The Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) carried of Asia. Two consecutive droughts were registered in
out in February 1999 on the islands of the Maldives 1999 and 2000 in Pakistan and the northwestern parts
revealed a 3 km thick toxic umbrella, or 'brown of India, with increased flooding in the high rainfall areas
cloud', hovering over the entire length covering of Bangladesh, Nepal, and the northeastern states of
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, India.
Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – among the most
Realising the intensity of the problem, and at the
densely populated places in the world. The findings
initiation of UNEP and coordinated by ICIMOD, Nobel
come from observations gathered by more than 200
Laureate Paul Crutzen and Prof. V. Ramanathan visited
scientists supplemented by satellite readings and
Kathmandu in March 2001. The visit was followed by
computer modelling.
a pilot study. The year-long study was informative; how-
The haze, which is 80% the result of human ever, a long-term study is needed to find out the exact
activity, is composed of a grimy cocktail of toxic ash, reasons for the haze. A permanent observatory known
black carbon, sulfate, nitrates, acids, and aerosols – as the Nepal Climate Observatory (NCO) was set up
tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the at the ICIMOD Headquarters, equipped with instru-
atmosphere. The haze can extend far beyond the ments to measure solar radiation, rainfall, wind veloci-
Indian subcontinent. ty and direction, among others.
Although follow-up studies are needed to unravel the Radiation instruments
precise role of the brown cloud, preliminary results z Diffused pyranometer (measures 305-2800nm)
suggest serious regional and global implications. z Pyrgeometer ( 4.5 μm - 42 μm, observations of
The blanket of pollution is reducing the amount of solar far-infrared radiation)
energy hitting the Earth's surface by as much as 15%. z Pyrheliometer (200 nm to 4000 nm, direct solar
This has a direct effect on agriculture by infringing on the radiation measurement)
important process of photosynthesis in plants. Heat is z Global pyranometer (measures 305 nm - 2800 nm)
trapped in the lower atmosphere, cooling the Earth's sur- z Biospherical instrument (BSI) (400 nm - 700 nm,
face while heating the atmosphere. This measures photosynthetically available radiation) -
combination of surface cooling and lower atmosphere used mainly for crops
heating appears to alter the winter monsoon, leading to
Meteorological instruments
a sharp decrease in rainfall over northwestern parts of
z Air temperature / relative humidity
Asia, and an increase in rainfall along the eastern coast
z Pressure z Wind direction
z Wind velocity z Rainfall

The observatory is expected to allow the collection

of information on the origins or source of the atmos-
pheric brown cloud.

4
Bidya Pradhan Banmali
bbanmali@icimod.org

1 2

5 1. Nepal Climate Observatory (NCO) at

ICIMOD
2. Sun tracker (diffused and direct
3 pyranometers)
3 Biospherical instrument/global pyra-
nometer
4. Instruments to measure wind speed
6 and velocity
Narendra Bajracharya

5. Rain gauge
6. Temperature and relative humidity
instruments

45
New cycle for beekeeping project approved

The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) development, capacity building, awareness raising,
approved Euro 517,000 for the new cycle of the bee- networking, Apis cerana selection and management,
keeping project, 'Honeybees of the Himalayas: pollination and eco-services of wild bees, marketing
Promoting Partnerships with Rural Development and enterprise development, gender mainstreaming,
Organi-sations and Networks in the Hindu and baseline and impact assessment, which it will
Kush-Himalayas'. ADA and ICIMOD signed an promote through strengthened partnerships with rural
agreement in this respect on 12 July 2005. The main development organisations. Under the project,
purpose of the project is 'to contribute to increasing activities will be implemented in six countries of the
the income of marginalised, rural populations by region: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
promoting conservation and sustainable manage- Nepal, and Pakistan, through rural development
ment of indigenous honeybees. The project has organisations and technical institutions.
identified nine areas including partnership
Farooq Ahmad, fahmad@icimod.org

Project activities in beekeeping begin in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan

The project, 'Honeybees of the Himalayas: Environment Promotion (BEENPRO), Kaski; and with
Promoting Partnerships with Rural Development the Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Policy
Organisations and Networks in the Hindu Kush- Research and Development (CEAPRED) in
Himalayas' commenced activities from October Kathmandu. In Pakistan, letters of agreement were
2005 in collaboration with partner institutions in signed with the Honeybee Research Institute (HBRI),
regional member countries of Bangladesh, Nepal, Islamabad; and with Agricultural University (AUP) in
and Pakistan. Peshawar. The project staff is working to develop
partnership arrangements with institutions in
As a first step, the project developed partnership
Afghanistan, Bhutan, and India to begin activities in
arrangements and signed letters of agreement with
these countries. The project intends to identify more
various organisations. In Bangladesh, an agreement
organisations in Bangladesh and Pakistan to further
was signed with the Bangladesh Institute of
expand the scope of beekeeping work.
Apiculture (BIA). In Nepal, an agreement was signed
with Alital Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd, Alital,
Farooq Ahmad, fahmad@icimod.org
Dadeldhura; with the Annapurna Beekeeping and

Catching up with Mr. A.D. Moddie

The Director General was pleased to have met up with one of ICIMOD's esteemed founding fathers, Mr. A.D. Moddie,
earlier this year in Mussoorie, India, at a Himalayan Environment and Tourism Meet. Mr. Moddie remains active in the
field of mountain ecosystem conservation, and has published a book on the establishment of ICIMOD, from which the
following quotations are taken.

"Between the first walk in the Buddha Jayanti Gardens and the
inauguration of ICIMOD ten years down the road in
Kathmandu, hope, disappointment, and frustration were our
companions. The great encouragement was to find mountain
scientists and men of concern all over the world, who became
friends and implementers of the idea."
"… and the search has led to more than an international
institute known as ICIMOD: it has led to this new conscious-
ness of the holiest of earth's mountain ranges. It is a Himalayan
challenge the 20th century has bequeathed to the 21st century
in Asia. The Shangrila of a romantic imagination, the long-time
Abode of the Gods, has become a high ground of turbulence;
earlier geological, now also environmental and technological,
political and military."

‘Voices in the Wind', Mountain Environments: The Pursuit of an Idea, 1993

Centre for Development Studies, U.P. Academy of Administration, Nainital, India

46
Outreach Activities
ICIMOD takes part in DNPWC Silver Jubilee

ICIMOD took part in a two-day exhibition

from 31 August to 1 September 2005 at the
Royal Nepal Academy, Kathmandu on the
occasion of the 25th anniversary of the
Department of National Parks and Wildlife

ICIMOD file photo

Conservation (DNPWC)/Ministry of Forests
and Soil Conservation, His Majesty's
Government of Nepal.
1 2
Highlighted during the exhibition were
(1) HRH Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev presents ICIMOD,
ICIMOD’s ongoing work in Sagarmatha represented by Dr. Madhav Karki, with a certificate of appreciation
National Park (SNP) on the Decision Support (2) Visitors look at some of ICIMOD’s work
System (DSS), the Transboundary Corridor On behalf of ICIMOD, Dr. Madhav Karki,
concept, Watersheds in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Deputy Director General-Programmes, received a
region. Also on display were ICIMOD publications, certificate of appreciation from DNPWC/Ministry of
and video films on ICIMOD and partners’ Forests and Soil Conservation, HMG/N for
community activities as well as a running virtual GIS ICIMOD's efforts in biodiversity conservation and in
demonstration on Sagarmatha National Park. the socioeconomic development of buffer zone
HRH Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev communities in and around Nepal's protected areas.
inaugurated the exhibition. HRH Crown Prince spent The exhibition was open to the public. Staff
some time at the ICIMOD stall, taking interest in from various organisations, universities, colleges,
ICIMOD’s work on the east Nepal Corridor to Bhutan, and schools visited the ICIMOD stall, which was
watershed management activities, spatial data on another opportunity to promote awareness of
Nepal, the database of mammals and birds, the ICIMOD’s work.
socioeconomic census report 2001, and the virtual Govinda Joshi, gjoshi@icimod.org
GIS Demonstration of Sagarmatha National Park. Nira Gurung, ngurung@icimod.org

ICIMOD celebrates 22nd year with book/CD and film launch

ICIMOD marked its 22nd anniversary on The books and CDs were released by Dr. Ram
5 December 2005 with a launch of Women, Energy Prasad Chaudhary, member and previous
and Water in the Himalayas, a set of three books Chairperson of the ICIMOD Board of Governors and
with accompanying CD-ROM versions, and a CD and Honourable Member of the National Planning
film on ICIMOD's Demonstration and Training Commission/HMG Nepal; and by Mr. Jochen
Centre at Godavari. Staff, donors, partners
including government officials of Nepal, consultants,
and the media attended. Dr. Kamal Banskota summed
up the contents and significance of the publications
and the project on which the experiences, policy
guidelines, and the training manual were based.
Dr. Eklabya Sharma described the Godavari Training
Centre in the context of ICIMOD's work, particularly in
NRM and watershed management. Dr. A. Beatrice
Narendra Bajracharya

Murray introduced the other publications produced

during the year and ‘the other pathways’ through
which ICIMOD disseminates and shares its work.
Putting the publications in context, Dr. Campbell
highlighted the statistics on women and their often
uncounted contribution to the labour force. The release of ‘Women, Energy and Water in the Himalayas’

47
 The three books, 'Policy Guidelines', Project Learning' and the 'Training of Trainers Manual', as well as the film
on 'Women, Energy and Water in the Himalayas' capture the experiences and lessons from a joint UNEP-ICIMOD
project on incorporating the needs and roles of women in water and energy management in the rural areas of Bhutan,
India, and Nepal. The project was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
and focused on building the capability of women in the project areas to organise themselves in groups, to identify
their own water and energy needs, and to adopt appropriate technologies from a 'basket' of simple and practical
possibilities designed to reduce the need for fuel, provide alternative sources of energy, and increase available water
close to their homes for drinking and for irrigation.

The project made an impact on the lives of the women in the project areas. They developed their own solutions to
their most pressing energy and water needs. Many have used the time they saved to start income generating
activities. They also became active members of their communities. The project demonstrated that the issue is not
merely which technologies best serve the needs of women, but also how best to enable them to choose from among
options those that meet their needs and improve their livelihoods. The Royal Society for Protection of Nature
(RSPN) in Bhutan, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India, and the Centre for Rural Technology
(CRT/N) in Nepal were project partners.

The CD-R ROM and film on ICIMOD’s Demonstration and Training Centre at Godavari (which can now be viewed
on the ICIMOD website) share ICIMOD’s knowledge and findings from more than a decade of work on sustainable
mountain farming. The Centre was set up on the southern slopes of the Kathmandu Valley in 1993 and, from the
heavily degraded slope it once was, has been transformed into a combination of forest, crop-bearing terraces with
contour hedgerows, and orchards of citrus and other fruit trees. A wide range of agricultural technologies and income
generating activities are demonstrated at the site, together with water harvesting techniques and renewable energy
technologies in collaboration with Practical Action (ITDG)/Nepal, the Centre for Energy and Environment, the Centre
for Rural Technology/Nepal, and others. The Centre also has off-site demonstration and training activities in local
villages in collaboration with Educate the Children/Nepal. The site's activities reflect the integrated nature of
mountain farming, where the growing of cereals and other crops is combined with animal husbandry and forestry in
a single self-sustaining system.

The interactive CD provides descriptions and summaries of the activities at the site and thus an overview of the
different components of integrated farming in the mid hill areas of the Himalayan region, and of feasible and effective
possibilities for improved mountain farming. It is richly illustrated with photos and video clips, a slide show, and an inter-
active map. The film provides a walk-through of the site, with illustrations and discussions of many different activities.

Kenneweg, Chairperson of the ICIMOD Support work on what has been done and what lies ahead"
Group and Head of Division 203 of the German and underscored their usefulness and relevance in
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and the South Asian mountain region context. ICIMOD
Development (BMZ). Dr. Chaudhary congratulated hosted lunch for staff and guests to cap the
ICIMOD and UNEP for the joint initiative and anniversary celebration.
thanked SIDA for the financial support.
Mr. Kenneweg saw the books as "important pieces of Joyce M. Mendez, jmendez@icimod.org

ICIMOD's long-term response to the South Asian earthquake in Pakistan

In December 2005, with the full support of the issues. The team visited earthquake-affected areas in
Board of Governors, ICIMOD fielded a team to assist both the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and
the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Kashmir to gain first-hand insights into the challenges
(MinFAL), Government of Pakistan, to draw up a facing the earthquake-affected communities as well as
project proposal on rebuilding the livelihood assets of to make an assessment of the potential contributions
the people living in the earthquake-affected areas. that ICIMOD could make. During the visit, the team
The worst affected areas lie in the mountainous region met relevant officials from the government, donor
of the country and the Board considered it agencies, and non-government organisations in
appropriate for ICIMOD to contribute to the Islamabad, Peshawar, Muzzafarabad, and affected
rebuilding process, given the Centre's experience in communities in Mansehra (NWFP) and Bagh districts
addressing mountain livelihood and environmental (Kashmir).

48
 At the end of the visit, the ICIMOD team formu- proven to be socially acceptable and economically
lated a draft project proposal entitled 'REAL-B B3: more efficient than traditional practices. These
Rebuilding Earthquake Affected Livelihoods - include ways and means of substantially increasing
Building Back Better.' The document drew farm income, reducing pressure on natural
extensively on the assessment of losses and damage resources, and making more efficient use of water.
in the agriculture and livestock sectors carried out by
The project is proposed to be implemented
FAO/MinFAL, and the strategic framework for reha-
through the establishment of four nodal sites (adopting
bilitation outlined therein. While identifying potential
the Hilkot model) serving as testing, demonstration,
interventions, the team analysed the fit between
and training centres, from where proven technologies
ICIMOD's competence and the priorities identified by
and best practices could be taken up to scale in the
the affected communities, and the policy and strate-
larger project area. If fully funded, the project can
gic guidance given by the MinFAL and the
benefit 80,000 earthquake-affected farm households
governments of NWFP and Kashmir. Based on this
in the districts of Mansehra and Battagram in NWFP
analysis, the following interventions were proposed:
and Bagh and Muzaffarabad in Kashmir.
z Livestock production (feed and fodder
development, shelter, and backyard farms) On 26 December, the Director General of ICI-
z Crop production (improved seeds, agronomic MOD joined the team and had further meetings with
practices, integrated pest and nutrient management) the Secretary of MinFAL, the government

Narendra Bajracharya
The Director General confers with earthquake victims in Hilkot, Sample of a tent donated through the efforts of ICIMOD, the
Pakistan Mountain Forum and The Mountain Institute

z Income diversification (orchard management, representatives of NWFP and Kashmir, as well as

beekeeping, medicinal plants) some donor agencies. On 29 December the team
z Land rehabilitation (bio-engineering, terrace repairs) presented its preliminary report to MinFAL and repre-
z Forest management (community forestry, sentatives of other agencies at a debriefing meeting
agro-forestry) chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture. Based on
z Water management (water harvesting, water use feedback from this meeting, ICIMOD is now revising
efficiency) the project proposal and is planning to launch pre-
z Renewable energy (bio-briquettes, biogas, and project activities in the coming months while working
solar) to identify donor partners.
z Farmer support services (farm mechanisation,
In addition, the MENRIS Programme of ICIMOD
input supply)
is working with the National Centre of Excellence for
z Institution building (community-based organisa-
Geology (NCEG), the University of Peshawar, to
tions, cooperatives and groups, women's
provide technical inputs for the earthquake
participation, capacity building of partners)
vulnerability and hazard mapping of the earthquake-
The proposal will provide an opportunity for affected areas. From 2-9 January 2006, a team from
ICIMOD to scale up over nine years of action MENRIS visited Peshawar and Islamabad, where
research work carried out under the PARDYP Project meetings were held with partner agencies (MINFAL,
in Hilkot Watershed, which was also hit by the the Pakistan and the National Agricultural Research
earthquake. Many of the interventions proposed Councils [PARC and NARC], the Water Resources
above have already been tested there and have Research Institute, the University of Peshawar, the

49
 followed by a one-day policy workshop and poster
exhibition. From a longer term capacity building
perspective, a concept proposal is being developed to
contribute to Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen partner
institutions, to utilise modern planning and decision
support tools, and to identify approaches useful in
rehabilitation and reconstruction.
J. Gabriel Campbell

An earthquake portal containing geospatial

information knowledge resources has been created
on the ICIMOD homepage:
<http://www.icimodgis.net/Pak%20 earthquake/index.htm>
Tent communities rise over the earthquake-affected areas. Rehabilitating mountain livelihoods after the
Ministry of Environment, and the Rural Support earthquake will need to look beyond returning to the
Programme Network) and with donors, JICA, ADB, status quo; it should seek to address the root causes
and EU. The team conducted field assessments with of mountain people’s vulnerability and help build their
NCEG, WRRI, and the NARC staff in the earthquake- ability to seize opportunities and cope with future
affected areas. The visit focused on how innovative threats. Adopting this approach requires understand-
approaches and geospatial tools such as GIS, RS, ing the diversity of mountain peoples and communi-
and GPS, could be utilised in rehabilitation and ties, especially in relation to their livelihoods.
reconstruction. Initial discussions were held with ICIMOD's rehabilitation plan is based on a vision
national partners and a three-week training course is that moves mountain people beyond the problems of the
being put together by NCEG and ICIMOD in March past. The Centre believes that rehabilitation is not
for institutions involved in the rehabilitation. The merely about giving people jobs; it must address funda-
course will tackle earthquake vulnerability and mental social, economic, and environmental reforms.
multi-hazard risk assessment using space technology
and geospatial application tools. This will be Pema Gyamtsho, pgyamtsho@icimod.org

Recruitment Announcement: Director General

The Board of Governors of ICIMOD is seeking highly qualified candidates for the position of Director General in
2007 following the completion of the current Director General's second term.
ICIMOD is the leading international institute for sustainable mountain development and expertise on the
Himalayan region. ICIMOD was established in 1983 and has its headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is an inter-
nationally funded, not-for-profit organisation.
The Director General reports directly to the Board and leads a strong interdisciplinary and multinational staff. The
position requires a highly experienced professional who has:
z an established reputation and experience in senior management including managing scientific research and
development programmes
z a broad understanding of the biological, environmental and social sciences underlying sustainable mountain
development
z a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience
z working experience in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region
z an in-depth knowledge of the main development and policy issues in the region
z demonstrated success in raising international funds

The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills in written and spoken English and will be able
to communicate his/her vision to a wide range of stakeholders.
The anticipated date of joining is January 2007. ICIMOD offers an internationally competitive compensation pack-
age. It is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. For further informat-
ion on ICIMOD and a full job description visit www.icimod.org
Send a full CV in confidence with a covering letter and the contact information for three or more professional ref-
erees by e-mail to Bourrier International Consultants Inc: bici@sympatico.ca by 15 April 2006.

50
 THE MOUNTAIN FORUM SECRETARIAT
Renewing partnerships
The Mountain Forum Secretariat has renewed collaboration with its closest partner organisation, the Mountain
Partnership. The Mountain Forum will support the Mountain Partnership through specific activities such as e-conferences,
the development of a resource kit on information and communication technology (ICT) for Mountain Partnership
members, among other areas.
The Mountain Forum Secretariat also strengthened its ties with the Mountain Research and Development (MRD)
Journal by planning a joint agenda for 2006. A joint publication similar to the Mountain Agenda series produced in
preparation for the celebrations of the International Year of Mountains in 2002 is being planned in view of the upcoming
IYM+5 in 2007. In addition, MFS, in collaboration with the regional nodes, will facilitate contributions to MRD's Journal
from Mountain Forum members, and subsidised subscriptions to the Journal.
E-consultations
Under the overall moderation of Dr. Pralad Yonzon, Chair of the Resources Himalaya Foundation, MFS conducted a
six-week regional e-consultation (22 August-2 September) on Biodiversity in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) for the
members of Mountain Partnership's HKH Initiative and other interested organisations.
A second e-consultation was conducted for the Mountain Partnership in collaboration with Mountain Forum's
regional nodes from 17-21 October. This e-consultation - moderated by Dr. Peter Trutmann, Coordinator of the Global
Mountain Programme – was provided to members of the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain
(SARD-M) thematic initiative of the Mountain Partnership as a follow-up to their activities.
Node Manager for the African
Mountain Forum
Mr. Moses Musinguzi has joined MF as the
node manager of the African Mountain Forum
(AMF). Moses is from Uganda, and is currently
completing his Ph.D. studies at Uppsala University
in Sweden with a focus on Spatial Data
Infrastructures in GIS. With Moses on board,
Mountain Forum looks forward to AMF taking its
rightful place as a strong and active community
working towards sustainable mountain develop-

Mountain Forum Group

ment in Africa.
Information services
New MF website
We have recently revamped our website
<www.mtnforum.org>. It now features an
MF and ICIMOD staff at the World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis
updated visual design, better site navigation,
and enhanced security features. The site is more accessible for users with limited internet access. Images have been kept
to a minimum, but if users still find it difficult to download, the website <http://www.loband.org> allows browsing of a
text-only version of the MF (or any other) website.
Restructuring the online library
To provide world-class services to members, the Mountain Forum Online Library is in the final stages of
redevelopment. The new library will be keyword-searchable and will feature standard formatting for all documents,
bibliographic information for every entry, searchable annotated bibliographies, and well-organised web resources. The
online library is expected to go public in January 2006.
Important changes to MF membership
As of January 2006, some MF services, including discussion lists, the online library, and the membership directory,
will be accessible to members only. Membership will remain free, of course. The reason for these changes is that until
now, discussion list subscribers have been 'hidden' participants who have not enjoyed the same benefits as members, even
though many have contributed a great deal. We have also been unable to accurately tell our funders about who is using
MF, and from where. As members, you will help MF to report more accurate statistics to current and future funders, who
will help us secure the long-term stability of MF for everyone. In return, members benefit in various ways. To find out
more, please visit our website <http://www.mtnforum.org> or write to us at secretariat@mtnforum.org.
Only registered members will continue to be subscribed to MF discussion lists. If you are currently subscribed to one or
more list(s), you are kindly requested to complete one of the membership forms (individual and/or organisational) available
on the left sidebar on the page found at the following address: <http://www.mtnforum.org/rs/mem.cfm>. If you have any
questions or need clarification on the re-registration process, please contact us at membership@mtnforum.org.
Mountain Forum Secretariat, c/o ICIMOD, Khumaltar, GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal

51
Recent ICIMOD Publications
Major documents published between September and December 2005 are shown below. The three
prices quoted are applicable to developed countries, developing countries, and ICIMOD's regional
member countries respectively, and include post and packing (p&p). Publications are available without
p&p at the Centre itself. Publications can be provided free of charge to institutions actively involved in
sustainable development of the greater Himalayan region. Order on-line (see below) or from the
Distribution Unit <distri@icimod.org>.

Women, Energy and Water in the Himalayas the technologies and solutions described in the other
z Project Learning 113p publications. A striking discovery was that a few simple
z Integration of Women in Planning and Management technologies in the water and energy sectors had a sub-
- Policy Guidelines 64p stantial impact on the lives of the women even within
z Training Manual 107p the short time frame of the project. A women-centric
z Women, Energy and Water in the Himalayas (DVD approach focusing on the expressed needs of women in
Film, 18 mins.) energy and water can make a difference in reducing
Price: Each separately: US$ 15, 10, 7.50 poverty and meeting the Millennium Development
Three volumes with DVD: US$ 45, 30, 22.50 Goals. It is a powerful entry point for engendering
Three volumes only: US$ 34, 22, 16 development and empowering women.
The three publications and The publications will be useful to policy makers,
DVD film on Women, Energy planners, and development specialists in national insti-
and Water in the Himalayas - tutions, NGOs, and donor agencies engaged in engen-
Policy Guidelines, Project dering development and empowering women, especial-
Learning, and Training of Trainers ly in mountain areas. Policy makers and rural develop-
Manual encapsulate the experi- ment practitioners can pick from these experiences
ences and lessons from a recent those that are useful or suitable to their particular needs
project on 'Incorporating the for replication and scalingup.
Needs and Roles of Women in ICIMOD Demonstration and Training Centre,
Water and Energy Management in Godavari, CD-ROM & DVD Film (16 mins.)
Rural Areas in South Asia'. The Price: Each separately, US$ 10, 7, 5
UNEP and ICIMOD Project was support-
ed by the Swedish International Development The ICIMOD Demonstration and
Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and was carried out by local Training Centre at Godavari was
partners in selected sites in Bhutan, India, and Nepal. The set up in March 1993 on 30 ha
project focused on building women's capacity to organise of land provided by His Majesty's
themselves, to identify and prioritise their water and ener- Government of Nepal. It is used to
gy needs, to introduce technologies to reduce the time test, select, and demonstrate technologies and practices
and effort involved in water and energy management, and for sustainable development; to train farmers and those
to use the time saved in income generating activities. who work with them; and as a repository for plant
Project Learning summarises the project rationale germplasm resources and floral and faunal biodiversity.
and approach used, the implementation process, and The film and interactive CD share more than a decade
the impacts in the project areas. Policy Guidelines of knowledge, findings, and activities from the Centre.
highlights the importance of bringing the gender per- The CD describes the activities at the site grouped
spective to water and energy policy analysis and design, under thematic areas including vegetation, soil and
and describes a conceptual framework for developing water management, income generation, livestock and
gender sensitive water and energy policies. The ToT fish farming, biodiversity, renewable energy technolo-
Manual provides learning tools for carrying out gender gies, community outreach, scientific research, training
analysis, mobilising communities, identifying prioritised and visitors, and publications. It is richly illustrated with
needs and solutions, and designing and using gender photos and video clips, a slide show, and an interactive
sensitive participatory action planning in water and map. This is complemented by the film which walks the
energy and other related fields. The film tells the story of viewer through the Centre, with illustrations of the many
the project and brings to life the problems outlined, and activities taking place there. Brief interviews underline

ICIMOD publications on-line – order direct at

http://www.icimod.org/publications/pubmenu.htm
http://www.panaseanemall.org/shop/icimod.htm
http://www.earthprint.com/icimod

52
30
the importance of these techniques for farmers, and clips Other publications by ICIMOD staff
filmed outside the site illustrate how methodologies have (September to December 2005)
been adapted and adopted by local people. Together
Chalise, S.R.; Shrestha, M.L.; Budhathoki, K.P.; Shrestha,
the publications provide a view of the ICIMOD site, but
M.S. (2005) 'Glacio-hydrological Aspects of Climate Change
also an overview of the components of integrated farm- in the Himalayas: Mitigation of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods
ing in the mid hill areas of the Himalayan region, and in Nepal.' In, Regional Hydrological Impacts of Climate
feasible and effective possibilities for improvements. Change - Impact Assessment and Decision Making, pp 309-
316. IAHS Publ. 295. Wallingford, UK: IAHS Press
White, R.; Bhuchar, S.K. (eds) (2005)
Resource Constraints and Mana- Chettri, N.; Deb, D.C.; Sharma, E.; Jackson, R. (2005) 'The
Relationship Between Bird Communities and Habitat: A
gement Options in Mountain
Study Along a Trekking Corridor in the Sikkim Himalaya.' In,
Watersheds of the Himalayas. Mountain Research and Development. 25(3):
204p. ISBN:92-9115-143-2. 235-243
Price: $ 20, 15, 10
Immerzeel, W.W.; Quiroz, R.A.; De Jong, S.M. (2005)
ICIMOD's People and Resource 'Understanding Precipitation Patterns and Land Use
Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds Interaction in Tibet Using Harmonic Analysis of SPOT VGT-
of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas Project (PARDYP), funded S10 NDVI Time Series.' In, International Journal of Remote
Sensing, 26(11): 2281-2296
by SDC, IDRC, and ICIMOD, has been carrying out
research in middle mountain watersheds since 1996, Jodha, N.S. (2005) 'Adaptation Strategies Against Growing
focusing on natural resource degradation and commu- Environmental and Social Vulnerabilities in Mountain Areas.'
nity-based options to rehabilitate degraded lands and In, Himalayan Journal of Sciences, 3(5): 33-42
increase on-farm productivity. This is a compilation of Jodha, N.S. (2005) 'Economic Globalisation and its
papers presented at a wrap-up workshop for Phase 2 of Repercussions for Fragile Mountains and Communities in the
the Project in December 2003. It assembles three years Himalayas'. In, Huber, U.M.; Bugmann, H.K.M.; Reasoner, M.A.
of research in the five benchmark watersheds by the (eds) Global Change And Mountain Regions: An Overview of
Current Knowledge, pp 583-592. London: Springer
country teams in China, India, Pakistan, and Nepal,
together with the innovative work by others. The papers Kerkhoff, E.; Erni, C. (eds) (2005) 'Shifting Cultivation and
identify common watershed issues, especially land use Wildlife Conservation: A Debate'. In, Indigenous Affairs, 2:
22-29. Copenhagen: International Work Group for
intensification and soil nutrient deficiencies, drinking
Indigenous Affairs
and irrigation water shortages, and water quality prob-
lems. Soil erosion and forest degradation were found to Rasul, G. (2005) State Policies and Land Use in the
be less significant than previously thought. Although Chittagong Hill Tracks of Bangladesh. In IIED Gatekeeper,
119. 22. London: International Institute for Environment and
agricultural productivity remains a significant issue,
Development.
opportunities were shown for increasing farm produc-
tivity using a proper mix of simple technologies and Reid, R.S.; Xu, Jianchu; Geist, H. (2005) 'Linking Land-
Use/Cover Change Science and Policy.' In, IHDP
institutional linkages. The proceedings should be a
[International Human Dimensions Programme on Global
valuable resource for researchers, development work-
Environmental Change] Newsletter 3/2005
ers, policy makers, and students of natural resource
management working in the Himalayan region. Sherchan, U. (2005) 'Mountain Forum: Network of Networks.'
In, Information for Development [i4D]. 3(8):18
General Publications <http://www.i4donline.net/aug05/mountain.asp>
1. Newsletter No. 48: Sharma, E.; Chettri, N. (2005) 'ICIMOD's Transboundary
Diversifying and Biodiversity Management Initiative in the Hindu Kush-
Enhancing Livelihood Himalayas.' In, Mountain Research and Development.
Options in the 25(3):278-281
Himalayan Region Shrestha, M.S.; Chhophel, K. (2005) 'Landslide Dambursts
2. Asia Pacific Mountain in the Himalaya: A Case Study of Tsatichhu Lake in Bhutan'.
Network (APMN) Bulletin, In, Proceedings of the International Symposium on
Autumn 2005 Landslide Hazard in Orogeneic Zone from the Himalaya to
3. Year Planner 2006 Island Arc in Asia, 25-26 September, Kathmandu,
4. ICIMOD Calendar 2006 pp 139-149. Kathmandu: Nepal Landslide Society

ICIMOD E-news
http://www.icimod.org/enews/index.htm
z Eighth issue: October/November 2005 z Ninth issue: December 2005/January 2006

53
30
New Staff Members
ICIMOD attracts competent professionals in their respective fields from around the region and the
world. During the period the following new staff joined ICIMOD.

Mats Eriksson, Senior Water Specialist, WHEM

Dr. Mats Eriksson holds a Ph.D. in Geography and a Ph.Lic. in Physical Geography from
Stockholm Univer-sity, Sweden. For a number of years he worked as a glaciologist on
glacier mass balance studies and ice depth measurements at the Tarfala Research station in
the Kebnekaise Mountains, northern Sweden. After 'getting his feet a bit cold' he changed
the glacial environment for the semi-arid savannahs of East Africa where he worked on soil
erosion, landscape development, the palaeoclimate, and environmental change.
In 1998, he took up the position of Programme Officer at the Water Division, in the
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in Stockholm. In this position he worked with
water resources management in a regional and transboundary context in southern Africa and was responsible
for the Swedish support to basin-wide projects in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and Water
Governance, in particular the Zambezi (running through eight riparian states), the Okavango (coveing three
riparian states), and the Pungwe Rivers (two riparian states).
Dr. Eriksson has carried out research in Scandinavia, East Africa, Australia, the Himalaya, Spitsbergen, and
the Patagonian Andes, and has published some 25 scientific papers. More recent research in Australia
covered fluvial history and changes in river behaviour in relation to land use and climate change.

Michael Kollmair, Programme Manager, CEGG

Dr. Michael Kollmair joined ICIMOD in November 2005 as a Programme Manager for
the Culture, Equity, Gender and Governance (CEGG) Division.
Dr. Kollmair has a Ph.D. in Geography from Giessen University in Germany, and was a
Lecturer and Senior Researcher at the Human Geography Division of the Department of
Geography in Zurich, Switzerland before joining ICIMOD. As a Project Coordinator for the
SDC-supported National Centre of Competency in Research (NCCR) North-South
development research project, he worked mainly in South and Central Asia. He has also
been associated with ICIMOD's PARDYP project since 2003 as a Scientific Advisor.
Working for more than 15 years in the region, especially in Nepal, Dr. Kollmair has experience in a broad
area of development studies and in the application of qualitative and quantitative methods with interdisciplinary
and intercultural teams. His main research activities are in the social implications of nature conservation projects
including questions of equity, participation, marginalisation, and issues of international labour migration.

Manjari Mehta, Associate Scientist, CEGG

Dr. Manjari Mehta recently joined ICIMOD in the capacity of Gender Specialist with the
Culture, Equity, Gender and Governance (CEGG) Programme. She has a Ph.D. in Social
Anthropology from Boston University, and taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
for seven years before returning to India in 2004. She has conducted research on changing
patterns of agriculture (Garhwal, Uttaranchal), traditional systems of water management
(Himachal Pradesh), and the revival of trans-Himalayan trade and weaving traditions
(Kumaon, Uttaranchal) with a persistent focus on gender. At ICIMOD she will be working on
addressing and integrating gender concerns into a variety of programmes an project.

Staff Departures
Anil Shrestha, Consultant, PARDYP, 4 November - 31 December 2005
Che Tao, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Lanzhau, P.R. China, 15 August to 14 September 2005
Huang Jie, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, TAR, P.R. China, 15 - 30 July 2005
Jacob F. Ferdinand, Consultant, WHEM, 6 June - 5 December 2005
Sanjay Kumar Madnani, Information and Communication Specialist, 20 December 2002 - 19 December 2005

54
30
 ICIMOD Staff Members
As of December 2005
Directorate Ms. Nira Gurung, Communications Officer
Dr. J. Gabriel Campbell, Director General Support Staff: Mr. Saisab Pradhan, Mr. Bishwanath (Sudas) Sharma,
Dr. Madhav Bahadur Karki, Deputy Director General - Programmes Mr. Asha Kaji Thaku, Mr. Dharma Ratna Maharjan, Ms. Punam Pradhan,
Mr. Milan Raj Tuladhar, Director, Administration & Finance Mr. Deependra Tandukar, Ms. Shanti Prabha Bajracharya,
Support Staff: Ms. Tika Laxmi Gurung, Ms. Anjeli Shrestha, Mr. Ram Sharan Thapa, Mr. Anil Jha, Mr. Shiva Hari Khatri
Ms. Prerna Thapa Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN):
Natural Resource Management (NRM) Ms. Sugam Nepal, Node Manager, APMN
Dr. Eklabya Sharma, Senior Agricultural Specialist/Programme Manager Mountain Environment and Natural Resources Information Systems
Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Agriculture Resources Policy Specialist (MENRIS)/IKM
Ms. Elisabeth E. Kerkhoff, Agroforestry Specialist Mr. Basanta Shrestha, Division Head
Dr. Nakul Chettri, Transboundary & Biodiversity Specialist Mr. Pradeep Mool, Remote Sensing Analyst
Dr. Yan Zhaoli, Rangelands Specialist Mr. Cung Chin Thang, Associate Expert - GIS/NR
Mr. Muhammad Ismail, Assistant Research Officer-RRP II Mr. Sushil Man Pradhan, GIS Analyst
Mr. Samden Lama Sherpa, Godavari Centre Manager Mr. Birendra Bajracharya, GIS Analyst
Ms. Ramkumari Shrestha, Garden Consultant Mr. Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya, Geomorphologist/GIS Analyst
Mr. Roger John White, Regional Programme Coordinator, PARDYP Ms. Bidya Pradhan Banmali, Environment/Air Pollution Officer
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Bhuchar, Assistant Programme Coordinator, PARDYP Support Staff: Mr. Govinda Joshi, Ms. Monica Moktan,
Mr. Keshar Man Sthapit, Country Coordinator, PARDYP Ms. Mandakini Bhatta, Mr. Lokap Rajbhandari, Mr. Gauri Shankar
Mr. Anil Shrestha, Consultant, PARDYP Dongol, Mr. Rajan Man Bajracharya
Support Staff : Ms. Sami Joshi, Ms. Neetu Ghale, Ms. Bandana Shakya,
Global Mountain Forum Secretariat (Hosted by ICIMOD)
Mr. Pradeep Man Dangol, Mr. Madhav Prasad Dhakal,
Dr. Ana Maria Ponce, Executive Secretary
Mr. Bhawani Shankar Dangol, Ms. Samma Shakya, Mr. Giri Bahadur
Mr. Prashant Sharma, Deputy Executive Secretary
Shrestha, Mr. Jiwan Tamang
Mr. Celine Curi, Programme Development Officer
Agriculture and Rural Income Diversification (ARID) Mr. Sani Malam Karami, Information Technologies Officer
Dr. Kamal Banskota, Senior Environment Resource Mr. Ujol Sherchan, Programme Officer, Information Services & Content
Economist/Programme Manager Development
Dr. Narpat Singh Jodha, Senior Associate Scientist/Policy Analyst Support Staff: Ms. Anju Rana
Mr. Bikash Sharma, Energy Specialist
Administration and Finance
Mr. Dyutiman Choudhary, Enterprise Development Specialist
Budget & Finance Section
Dr. Ester van der Blonk, Eco-tourism Expert
Mr. Rajendra Prakash Mali, Budget & Finance Officer
Dr. John Hummel, Visiting Scientist
Mr. Kiran Man Shrestha, Ms. Prabha Raj Shrestha,
Dr. Farooq Ahmad, Project Coordinator, Beekeeping Project
Dr. Uma Partap, Research Officer/Pollination Specialist, Beekeeping Mr. Nabindra Raj Shrestha, Ms. Pramila Shrestha, Mr. Akil Nepal
Dr. Surendra Raj Joshi, Action Research Officer, Beekeeping Store Unit: Ms. Jenny Vaidya, Mr. Rabindra Ranjit
Mr. Min Bahadur Gurung, Institutional Development Officer, Beekeeping Personnel Section
Support Staff: Mr. Anirudha Nath Shukla, Mr. Satananda Upadhaya, Mr. Chandra Bir Singh Kansakar, Personnel Officer
Mr. Rajendra Shah, Ms. Shova Bhandari, Ms. Prativa Chhetri Ms. Shree Mani Amatya, Ms. Nani Keshari Bajracharya
Communications Unit
Water, Hazards, & Environmental Management (WHEM)
Ms. Ayushma R. L. Basnyat, Mr. Pashupati Sadasankar
Dr. Xu Jianchu, Ethno-ecologist/Programme Manager
Security and Maintenance Unit
Mr. Mats Eriksson, Senior Environment Economist for Water Resources
Mr. Prem Dhoj Malla, Mr. Krishna Tamang,
Ms. Mandira Shrestha, Water Resources Specialist
Mr. Ram Bahadur K.C., Mr. Ram Singh Rai, Mr. Birkha Jirel,
Mr. Jacob Fritz Ferdinand, Consultant
Mr. Kishore Maharjan, Mr. Babukaji Thapa, Mr. Shambhu Thapa
Support Staff: Mr. Rajendra Lal Shilpakar, Ms. Sarita Joshi,
Mr. Vijay Ratan Khadgi Procurement and Equipment Maintenance Support
Mr. Niranjan Khanal, Procurement & Equipment Maintenance Officer
Culture, Equity, Gender and Governance (CEGG)
Mr. Narendra Bajracharya, Electrical Overseer
Mr. Michael Kollmair, Programme Manager, Senior Social Scientist
Photocopy Unit: Mr. Shyam Shrestha, Mr. Ganga Rana
Dr. Nani Ram Subedi, Coordinator, Decentralised & Local Governance
Travel & Hospitality Section
Ms. Radhika Gupta, Coordinator, Equity and Rights
Mr. Rajen Upreti, Travel Officer
Mr. Krishna Prasad Oli, Regional Coordinator, Strengthening ABSIBIO-EH
Mr. Rishi Ram K.C.
Mr. Joy Dasgupta, Assistant Coordinator, ABSBIO-EH
Motorpool Unit
Dr. Mark Turin, Visiting Scientist
Mr. Mohan Krishna Shrestha, Mr. Kishore Shrestha, Mr. Ram Lal
Dr. Manjari Mehta, Associate Scientist
Maharjan, Mr. Bishnu Magar, Mr. Krishna Maharjan, Mr. Pancha Narayan
Policy & Partnership Development (PPD) Maharjan Mr. Jai Bahadur Subedi, Mr. Sabak Singh, Mr. Dhurba K.C.,
Ms. Srabani Roy, Programme & Project Development Specialist Mr. Sudama K.C., Mr. Chinikaji Maharjan, Mr. Ram Maharjan
Mr. Prem Krishna Manandhar, Programme Officer
Dr. Golam Rasul, Policy Development Specialist New Associates, Consultants, and Interns
Mr. Farid Ahmad, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Dr. Nirmal K. Bhattari, Consultant, ARID; Ms. J. Mijin Cha, Consultant,
Mr. C.N. Anil, Assistant Coordinator CEGG; Mr. Bijay Kumar Singh, Consultant, PPD
Support Staff: Ms. Samjhana Thapa, Ms. Mamata Shrestha Mr. Sagar Ratna Bajracharya, Consultant, MENRIS
Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Mr. Rajesh Thapa, Consultant, MENRIS
Dr. Zbigniew Mikolajuk, Senior Knowledge Management Specialist/ Ms. Anupa Lamichhane, Consultant, MENRIS
Programme Manager Mr. Anil Shrestha, PARDYP; Mr. Prabhat Kumar, MENRIS,
Information Management, Communications, and Outreach Mr. Jay Karmacharya, Intern-MENRIS; Ms. Prajna Regmi, Intern-MENRIS;
(IMCO)/IKM Ms. Srijana Limbu, Intern-MENRIS,
Dr. A. Beatrice Murray, Senior Editor Ms. Dipit Thapa, Intern-NRM; Mr. Niraj Kakati, Intern-NRM,
Ms. Joyce M. Mendez, Publications Editor Mr. Bastian Flury, Intern-PARDYP-NRM; Ms. Alina Tamrakar, Intern, ARID
Mr. Sushil Raj Pandey, Systems’ Officer Ms. Prabina Dahal, Intern-Personnel;
Mr. Sanjay Madnani, Information & Communication Specialist
Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, Intern-Mountain Forum
55
 Life Goes on in Kathmandu...
Some staff members speak of how they coped living in 'extraordinary' times.
Recently Nepal was in the headlines around the world as the country lay in the grip of strikes and
curfews prior to local government elections. Media coverage painted a rather grim impression; the
reality for most people may have been different. In general for many life went on. This does not
mean it was easy for all; many daily wage labourers suffered, and there was and continues to be
an underlying fear. Here’s how some ICIMOD employees coped during those times.

“ It is not so bad. There are problems of trans-

port, children not going to school, and shops are
closed. So I have collected vegetables, rice, and
dahl. I had to work a little more to cope with these
things, otherwise we're alright.
” - Uma Partap
Pollination Specialist, Beekeeping, ARID

“ This is not a long-term situation. Somehow life

is still normal; I get my daily supply of vegetables
and other needs for my family. A bandh of one to
two weeks will have no effect. People in KTM do
Narendra Bajracharya

not want violence, they are peace loving and

prefer to close shop and honour the bandh rather
Ram Humagai

than risk violence.

” - Narendra Bajracharya
Equipment and Maintenance

Except for one time when we were stopped along the

“ I look at things differently. While there is some unease,
on the other hand it has given me a more relaxed time. I “
main road and had to walk th e rest of the way, thank God
bike to work and live a more environmentally-friendly we're okay. As long as the shuttle comes we go to work.
Although of course, it's a little scary.
lifestyle. I am also able to think and focus more on my
work. I do a lot of writing from home. ” - Angeli Shrestha
”
- Xu Jianchu, Programme Manager, WHEM Senior Administrative Assistant, Directorate

“ I am a little disturbed because my family is worried and “ It's okay, life goes on. We've stocked up on food. It can
be a little irritating, but what to do? It's part of life.
I have to call to reassure them (Sani is from the Republic
of Niger), I just work and work - the home-office-home
”
- Joy Dasgupta, Associate Coordinator, CEGG

routine. On a positive note, in my area I am able to walk

freely and play basketball, the air is less polluted so in “ Where we live - right along the Ring Road - activities
are banned on Bandh and curfew days. It's been a way for
some ways it is good for the health…
”
- Sani Malam Karami
me to explore the backstreets and observe daily life in KTM.
I've stumbled upon some interesting discoveries: cheap fruit
Information Services, Mountain Forum and vegetable stalls, a dress repair shop, small corner
stores - handy to know when you run out of goods or need
“ There is some kind of fear, but we are facing whatever
is happening. We take precautions, avoiding crowds and
something repaired and the major stores are closed.
People are friendly and curious and mainly striving to eke
evening outings and public gatherings. As long as the out a living regardless of the political weather. It's business
shuttle comes we come to work, we have to work!
”
- Neetu Ghale, Administrative Assistant, NRM
as usual in KTM's inner streets. There life goes on.
”
- Joyce M. Mendez, Publications Editor, IKM

www.icimod.org
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development www.southasianfloods.org
Khumaltar, Lalitpur, G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal www.mtnforum.org/apmn
www.mountainwomen.net
Telephone: (977 1) 5525313 www.hkh-friend.net
Fax: (977 1) 5524509, 5536747, Cable ICIMOD, Nepal www.icimod-gis.net
email: icimod@icimod.org www.mtnforum.org
3 www.pardyp.org