I enjoyed my childhood just because I was a boy. My father worked very hard to enrol me in school whereas my elder sister understood that schools were opened only for boys and not for girls. When I entered higher secondary school, out of 40 students in my class, there was only one girl. After completing my schooling I joined the only agricultural college in the country where, again, there was not a single girl student. I graduated in 1985 and I started my first job as an outreach agronomist in the Eastern hills of Nepal where I was heavily involved in so- called on-farm participatory research on cereal crops.

The participatory research lasted five years and during this period I did not have a chance to meet women farmers because it was not the prime concern of the research programme. The institution and society at large understood that agricultural research is the domain of male farmers even though women are heavily involved in agricultural activities; for example, seed selection, planting, weeding, processing, and storage of farm products. Most of the improved rice varieties recommended by the programme were rejected by women farmers because of taste, grain size, quality of straw, and the height of the plants–which are very important for feeding animals. It was the first time I realised the important role of women in agricultural research. All these incidences encouraged me to become more gender-sensitive in formal programmes. I also started to be more aware of gender roles in my household and I started sharing in household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and looking after children. In 2000, I joined the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) where only a few staff members were assigned to work on gender. I perceived working on gender issues as the responsibility of a few persons only. There was also strong resistance about the issue within the organisation as most professionals trained in technical fields considered that looking at gender roles had no relevance to their field of intervention.

Changes are happening in a positive direction these days as many of us within ICIMOD are ready to accept and acknowledge the differences in role and responsibility of women in mountain development. Despite the changes at the individual level, however, our traditional norms, values, and social structures still operate as barriers to gender equality: men, traditionally, are privileged and provided with the legitimacy to control women’s labour, incomes, and rights; and to prevent women from exercising their potential and accessing full human rights. To transform this situation we, men, have to transform ourselves first by supporting the women who share our lives. We should systematise the integration of gender dimensions in our fields of work in order to promote equitable and sustainable development in the mountains. I am confident that we can achieve gender equality if all of us think this is critically important for our future.

A visit to the ICIMOD Training and Demonstration site, Godavari, was organised on 26 June, 2010, by ICIMOD for the schools participating in an ongoing event ‘Promoting Herbal Gardens in Schools’. Three students and a teacher from each of 11 out of 15 participating schools, including a team of experts from ICIMOD, took part in the visit.

The main purpose of the visit was to provide the students with a clear idea and understanding of herbs available and also to give them tips about different ways of improving their individual school gardens. Moreover, the visit also gave the students and teachers an opportunity to improve their knowledge about herbs.

The programme started with a brief presentation by Mr. Samden Lama Sherpa, Godavari Centre Manager. In his presentation he introduced ICIMOD and, more importantly, he highlighted the importance, usefulness, and significance of herbal plants. He also stressed the importance of disseminating information about herbs to others. The visit was perceived as very useful by the schools participating.

A Project Management Unit (PMU), an office within the premises of the Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio-resources (ANSAB), was opened in Kathmandu on July 16th to coordinate and manage the project for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation(REDD)in community forests. It was inaugurated by Mr. Berend de Groot, Director of Programme Operations, ICIMOD. This is a four-year project (2009-2013) funded by NORAD’s Forest and Climate Initiative.

Dr. Eklabya Sharma, ECES Programme Manager, ICIMOD, spoke on the occasion about the PMU as a means of disseminating knowledge about REDD+. Mr. Eak Rana, PMU Coordinator, outlined the PMU’s intended role as a focal point for promoting REDD among partners and civil societies. Mr. Keshav Khanal, REDD Cell representative, informed the gathering about REDD+ initiatives in Nepal. Dr. Bhaskar Karky, Resource Economist, ICIMOD, discussed the PMU’s role in enhancing CSO’s capacities for involvement in REDD+.

The Executive Director, ANSAB, Dr. Bhisma Subedi, and the Chairperson, FECOFUN, Ms. Apsara Chapagain, shared their project experiences. Awareness about REDD among forest users is crucial so that they realise the other benefits of the forest besides fodder and fuelwood.

The first, two-day monitoring visit of the herbal gardens established in 15 participating schools by the National trust for Nature Conservation(NTNC) and ICIMOD’s ‘Promoting Herbal Gardens in Schools’ competition took place on the 15th and 16th of July 2010. The visit was organised six weeks after their establishment. Three monitoring visits are planned, one each month until September 2010. The winners of the competition will receive their awards on National Conservation Day, 23 September 2010, at ICIMOD’s Training and Demonstration Centre in Godavari.

The team of judges for the competition from ICIMOD includes Dr. Nirmal Bhattarai, Conservation & Research Specialist, MAPs, Ms. Ram Kumari Shrestha, Landscape Consultant, and Ms. Bandana Shakya, Research Associate. There will be two judges from NTNC, Mr. Ratna Timilsina and Mr. Manij Upadhyay.

ICIMOD and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) have been collaborating on the Sentinel Asia System (SAS) initiative for supporting disaster management activities in the region by using space and information communication technologies. SAS-2 is being developed to improve data accessibility for users (e.g., ICIMOD and its Regional Member Countries) by using WINDS (Wideband Internetworking Engineering Test and Demonstration Satellite) which enables the delivery of large-sized earth observation satellite data by installing local terminals known as regional server / client terminals.

A three-day workshop was held from 14-16 July in Kathmandu. The purpose of the workshop was to carry out an on-site survey at ICIMOD as a preliminary to installing equipment for WINDS SA-VSAT. Five Japanese experts from JAXA carried out the site survey at ICIMOD. Issues related to sharing the work (between ICIMOD and JAXA); the procedure for licensing the radio station; import/customs’ clearance; and the installation of equipment were discussed and finalised.

Opportunities and challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region in terms of dealing with its water problems in the years ahead were discussed during an expert meeting organised at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, on June 6. The meeting was convened to celebrate ICIMOD’s membership in the Asia-Pacific regional network of water research centres in the Asia-Pacific Water Forum: the purpose of the Forum is to increase knowledge networking for water security in the 21st century. ICIMOD’s entry to the network of highly-reputed water research centres was seen as an important milestone in covering the knowledge gap on mountain issues. It was stated that Asia has enough knowledge and solutions to solve the water problems it is facing but, to put this reservoir of solutions and knowledge to work, collaboration among the water hubs is essential to ensure effective use of limited water resources. The current 17 partner hubs in the APWF all have their own specific water issues and sharing solutions and undertaking joint research activities will contribute to improved water management across the region.

• Integrated Water and Hazard Management: http://www.icimod.org/?page=20
• Conservation portal: http://www.icimod.org/hkhconservationportal/
• Disaster preparedness platform: http://disasterpreparedness.icimod.org/
• Geoportal: http://geoportal.icimod.org/
• Knowledge hub: http://www.apwf-knowledgehubs.net/index.php

A workshop/expert consultation on ‘Climate and Environment Change Impact on the Cryosphere of the Indus Basin and Its Implications on the Future Water Scenario’ was held in Kathmandu 2 to 4 July 2010. The 71 participants at the workshop were international and regional researchers and experts. Representatives of countries sharing the basin and representatives of several donor and international development agencies were also present at the workshop.

During the deliberations the impact of climate change on the cryospheric components of the basin and resulting impacts on water supplies were emphasised. It was also stressed that alterations in water supplies could have profound impacts on the use of water downstream, thus affecting the livelihoods of a large population. The need to understand the impacts and prepare for adaptation was highlighted. Lack of adequate data, failure to share existing data, and limited knowledge of critical natural processes were highlighted as major impediments to planning better adaptation strategies. The discussions highlighted key scientific questions related to the basin and priority interventions were suggested. The consultation/workshop recommended that a long-term Indus Basin Programme be prepared through strong coordination and cooperation between regional and international stakeholders.

ICIMOD has become a regional partner of FAO and IFAD for an 18-month training programme, ‘Knowledge Sharing in Asia’. This programme will provide the staff of IFAD projects in the region with the skills and tools required to ensure that the knowledge, experiences, and lessons learned from their projects are captured and disseminated properly.

Project employees acquire practical knowledge and experiences in the field – what works, what does not, and lessons learned – valuable for consolidating and improving development processes and interventions. Such knowledge is not often captured and shared adequately and is lost when the projects end. Through this project, staff will be trained to observe, document, and write about those experiences and will be given knowledge-sharing techniques and tools to do this effectively. The project comes in three parts: the first two will be held at ICIMOD in early October 2010. The last component will take place in 2011 and will be held in the field in countries like Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam and will involve participatory approaches and techniques to sharing knowledge based on field experiences.

The SERVIR (‘To Serve’) mission team visited ICIMOD from 28 June to 2 July to discuss the SERVIR Himalaya node. Jason Kessler and Gwendolyn Artis from George Marshall Space Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA, discussed issues related to its implementation with the MENRIS-ICIMOD core team of SERVIR.

The SERVIR system is web-based (www.servir.net) and makes earth observation data, decision-support tools for interpreting them, and online mapping capabilities accessible. SERVIR can be used to address issues related to climate change, biodiversity, disasters, ecosystems, health, water, and weather.

The overarching purpose of the SERVIR-Himalaya initiative is to improve environmental decision-making in the HKH region through dissemination and analyses of earth observation information. Stakeholders in SERVIR range from regional decision-makers addressing transboundary issues to national governments, scientists, students, the general public, USAID, and other donors and development practitioners.

SERVIR Himalaya will be used for regional monitoring and visualisation of key environment and natural resource processes and will be linked through established networks of national partners and stakeholders in regional member countries and beyond. The beneficiaries will participate in its implementation through mutual dialogue and consultative workshops, thus fostering South-South collaboration.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) organised an inception meeting on ‘Establishment of a Regional Flood Information System in the Hindu Kush- Himalayan Region (HKH-HYCOS)’ from 23rd – 25th June 2010 in Kathmandu. The aim of HKH-HYCOS is to establish a regional flood information system to improve flood forecasting and disaster preparedness and promote regional cooperation in flood risk reduction, contributing to reducing loss of lives and livelihoods.

Addressing the meeting, Dr. Andreas Schild, Director General, ICIMOD, noted how climate change and increasing floods in the region had heightened awareness of the need for such a system. Wolfgang Grabs, Chief Hydrological Forecasting and Water Resources Division, WMO, emphasised the system’s importance in facilitating better informed decisions on floods and in informing downstream communities well in advance of their occurrence. Mr. Kari Leppanen, Representative, Government of Finland, urged the participants to convince politicians of the importance of sharing information about floods and of coordination amongst countries in the region.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Cold and Arid Regions’ Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), for sharing research and data about snow and glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region

The exchange took place on the 8th June during the visit of Mr. Basanta Shrestha, Division Head of MENRIS, and Mr. Samjwal Bajracharya, Remote Sensing Specialist, in CAREERI, Lanzhou, and was signed by Dr. Andreas Schild, Director General of ICIMOD and Prof. Ding Yongjian, Vice Director of CAREERI. The MoU outlines a broad framework of cooperation for developing a regional database on snow and glaciers and sharing it to study climate and hydrology in the region.

ICIMOD and CAREERI will work together to map snow, glaciers, and glacial lakes, in order to build a regional database, and they will promote a common methodology which conforms to international standards for mapping and monitoring snow, glaciers, and glacial lakes.

An International Conference on Ophiocordyceps sinensis (the insect fungus, popularly known as ‘Yarsa Gumba’) was held in Xining, Qinghai Province, China from 8 -10 June 2010. Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), China, and co-sponsored by the Centre of Grassland Monitoring and Management ((COGMAM), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of China, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),the conference had 35 technical papers presented and discussed. Dr. Nirmal Bhattarai represented ICIMOD and gave a paper entitled ‘Ophiocordyceps sinensis: Resource, Environment and Management in the Region’ about the status of the fungus in four producer countries of the HKH region; viz., Bhutan, China, India and Nepal.

A special issue on Ophiocordyceps sinensis of the Chinese Journal of Grassland was also released on the occasion. The issue was sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). It has 26 papers, among which are those of Dr. Bhattarai and Dr. Giridhar Kinhal of ICIMOD, the latter being ‘Status of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis) in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Countries”.

An International Centre for Ophiocordyceps sinensis Research and Information was approved by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture on the occasion: it will establish three international sub-centres in Bhutan, India, and Nepal.

MENRIS held a national workshop cum training on ‘Use of Geo-informatics for Mapping and Modelling Forest Carbon Stocks in Nepal’ from 24 May to 4 June, 2010. ICIMOD’s Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services (ECES) programme and ITC’s Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, The Netherlands, were partners in the process and Dr. Yousif Ali Hussan and Ms. Louise van Leeuwen from ITC the Netherlands were the main resource persons and the workshop was held under the REDD pilot project. There were seventeen national institutional participants.

Linkages between environment and forest degradation and deforestation were highlighted and basic and advanced applications of forest mapping and modelling using passive and active remote sensing were introduced as well as vegetation models. Spatial and non-spatial models (CO2 Fix, AGB, BGB, and SOC) for carbon estimation and measurements were demonstrated to the participants and satellite imaging techniques were introduced. A field visit to a forest area to correlate field measurements and high resolution imagery was arranged. The participants prepared case studies based on processing high-resolution data and incorporating them into spatial models for carbon estimation.

A national workshop on ‘National Workshop on Development & Harmonisation of Land-cover Classification and District-wise Forest Cover Assessment of Pakistan’ was held in Islamabad from 31 May to 4 June 2010. This workshop cum training was jointly organised by the Mountain Environment and Natural Resources’ Information System (MENRIS) Division of ICIMOD and the GIS Laboratory of WWF, Pakistan.

The objectives of the workshop included upgrading the general legend with inputs derived from local knowledge and the host country’s perspective; preparing a national legend which is harmonised at the regional level; preparing a framework and work plan for carrying out national forest- cover assessment; and training the national representatives on the use of classification software.

In total, 25 professionals from the Ministry of Environment, the Provincial Planning & Development departments, Provincial Forest Departments, Planning Commission, the National Space Applications Agency, and NGOs participated in the training.

A knowledge sharing workshop on ‘Application of Satellite Rainfall Estimates (SRE) in the HKH region - Phase II’ was held from the 19th -21st May, in Thimphu, Bhutan. The workshop was hosted by the Hydromet Services’ Division, Department of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Royal Government of Bhutan and organised by ICIMOD with support from the United States Agency for International Development/ Office for US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). Twenty-four regional participants and two representatives of USAID/OFDA as well as three technical experts from NOAA/USGS took part in the workshop.

Participants’ discussions included how to address gaps in the Phase II SRE project and capacities in the state of the art technology in satellite rainfall estimation and application were augmented among partner countries. Inclusion of a snow and glacial melt component in the Geospatial Streamflow Model (GeoSFM) and inter-comparison of various satellite-based rainfall products for application in the region were recommended. Through effective interaction and knowledge sharing methods, the SRE workshop yielded an optimal set of lessons learned on the project and a road map was prepared for future activities.

The Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), is a formal network of community-based forest management groups established in 1995: it represents 8.5 million forest users in Nepal. Approximately 13,500 (out of 14,572) community forestry user groups (CFUGs) and other community-based forest management groups are affiliated with FECOFUN.

FECOFUN became a partner of the four-year pilot project on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation(REDD) in community forests funded by NORAD’s Forest and Climate Initiative in 2009, along with the Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio-resources (ANSAB) and ICIMOD.

Under this project, FECOFUN is working directly with 104 community forests in three watersheds in Chitwan, Dolakha, and Gorkha. A result of our joint efforts is a methodology through which local communities can measure the carbon sequestered in their forests.

Things we have learned from the REDD project in year one are highlighted below.

• Collaboration between organisations of different skills, strengths, and expertise yields increased synergy in project outcomes: a unique partnership with REDD.
• Awareness among local forest users about REDD is vital to their realising that forest benefits are not limited to fodder and fuelwood. As a result, local users are raising issues about carbon rights.
• Mobilising an institution of local group representatives is an efficient and effective working method. The watershed REDD network is an example.
• Working on new themes needs the engagement of many stakeholders: REDD+ has both challenges and opportunities.

FECOFUN plans to scale up more community forest areas under carbon financing so that communities which conserve and manage forests will be able to receive economic incentives for their efforts.

8 – 13 August 2010
Writeshop on Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate Induced Water Stress and Hazards in the Greater Himalayan Region Dhulikhel, Nepal
Contact: Vijay Khadgi

ICIMOD and its national and international partners aim to strengthen strategies for adaptation to droughts and floods in mountain catchments. As part of its project on ‘Documenting Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate-Induced Water Stress and Hazards in the HKH Region’, ICIMOD and its partners documented local adaptations to climate change and presented them at COP 15 in Copenhagen in 2009. As a follow up, ICIMOD has identified four key themes from its studies which are instrumental in adaptation to climate change and is carrying out thematic studies in collaboration with its partners on these topics: adaptation to local water governance (led by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme [AKRSP]); agricultural diversification and intensification (led by Kunming Institute of Botany [KIB] and the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry [ICRAF]); flood mitigation infrastructure (led by Aaranyak); and livelihood diversification, including migration (led by ICIMOD). The studies look at the policy aspects of local adaptation to climate change also.

A writeshop will be held from 8th – 13th August 2010 to synthesise the findings of the thematic teams and the policy team and integrate the essence of the different studies and develop different information products; and these will include a synthesis report and a series of information leaflets to help policy and decision makers understand local adaptation strategies, their relevance, their limitations, and the factors that determine them. It is expected that the information products will be presented at COP 16.

13 – 21 August 2010
DESER II Regional Training of Trainers (ToT)
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Muhamamad Ismail

13 – 31 August 2010
Rock Glacier Monitoring - Technology Transfer between the Eastern Alps and Eastern Himalayas
Graz, Austria
Contact: Samjwal Bajracharya

23 August – 4 September 2010
Final Evaluation Mission-IFAD TAG-773
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Yi Shaoliang

26-27 August 2010
HUC Librarians Meeting
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Daan Boom

30 – 31 August 2010
Workshop on ICIMOD’s New Initiative on Rangelands’ Programme
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Yi Shaoliang

4 – 6 September 2010
Second Regional Workshop of the Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation Initiative
Juzhaigou, Sichuan, China
Contact: Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli

21 – 23 September 2010
International Consultative Meeting for the Mountain Alliance Initiative
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Dr. Madhav Karki

26 September – 6 October 2010
Multi- Hazard Risk Assessment with ITC- Netherlands & KU
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Amarnath Giriraj

26 September – 30 September 2010
Perth Conference on Global Change and the World's Mountains
Perth, Scotland
Contact: Eklabya Sharma

27 – 29 September 2010
National Meeting on Curriculum Development
India
Contact: Uma Pratap

2 – 3 October 2010
Pre-symposium Workshop on ‘Space-based Information for Disaster Preparedness and Risk Management’
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Amarnath Giriraj

4 – 5 October 2010
Ministerial Level Meeting for the Mountain Alliance Initiative
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Dr. Madhav Karki

4 – 6 October 2010
International symposium on ‘Benefiting from Earth Observation: Bridging the Data Gap for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region’
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: MENRIS, ICIMOD symposium2010@icimod.org

4-7 October 2010
IFAD Knowledge Sharing Training Workshop
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Daan Boom

7 October 2010
SERVIR – Himalaya Inception Workshop
Kathmandu, Nepal
Contact: Birendra Bajracharya

• Integrated Value Chain Development as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation: An analytical and strategic framework (2010)
• Labour Migration for Development in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas: Understanding a livelihood strategy in the context of socioeconomic and environmental change (2010)
• Climate Change Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayas – Synthesis Report
• Climate Change in the Eastern Himalayas: Observed Trends and Model Projections – Technical Report 1
• Biodiversity in the Eastern Himalayas: Status, Trends and Vulnerability to Climate Change – Technical Report 2
• Functions and Services of Wetlands in the Eastern Himalayas: Impacts of Climate Change – Technical Report 3
• Modelling Climate Change Impact on the Hydrology of the Eastern Himalayas – Technical Report 4

• Gender Perspectives in Mountain Development : New challenges and innovative approaches, Summer 57 (2010)

• ICIMOD: partner in the Asia-Pacific Water Forum

• Climate Change Impacts on Hazards in the Eastern Himalayas: Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability in the Eastern Himalayas - Technical Report 5 (2010)
• Potential Threats from Climate Change to Human Wellbeing in the Eastern Himalayan Region – Technical Report 6
• Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation Initiative: Target Area Delineation Report (2010)
• Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation Initiative: First Regional Workshop (2010)

• Sharma, E; Zomer, R; Shield, A (2010) ‘Trans-Himalayan transects: An approach for long-term ecological research and environmental monitoring to enhance climate change adaptation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 26-28. Montreal: SCBD
• Chettri, N; Shakya, B (2010) ‘Conservation connectivity in transboundary landscapes: An approach for climate change adaptation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 42-44. Montreal: SCBD
• Desai, BH; Oli, KP (2010) ‘Analysis of implementation of the convention on biological diversity in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) countries.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 80-81. Montreal: SCBD
• Chaudhary, S; Bushley, B; Pokhrel, B (2010) ‘Payment for environmental services as an approach for biodiversity conservation and economic development in the context of climate change: An overview of issues from Nepal.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 114 – 115 Montreal: SCBD
• Oli, KP (2010) ‘General legal process for access and benefit sharing: From genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in the context of climate change.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 135-137. Montreal: SCBD
• Zomer, R; Sharma, E; Oli, KP; Chettri, N (2010) ‘Linking biodiversity conservation and climate change perspectives in bio-culturally rich transboundary areas in the Kailash sacred landscape region of China, India, and Nepal.’ In Biodiversity and climate change: Achieving the 2020 targets, pp 142-144. Montreal: SCBD