Letter of Intent (LoI) Signing Ceremony – HI-CAS 12 August 2026 | ICIMOD Headquarters, Lalitpur, Nepal

About the event

The Integrated Climate Adaptation Solutions for the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region (HI-CAS) is a multi-country project designed to enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable communities, particularly women, girls, Indigenous Peoples and marginalised communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.

Supported by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) with implementing partners Arannayk Foundation, Bangladesh, Tarayana Foundation, Bhutan, and Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED), Nepal. The project aims to promote gender-responsive, inclusive, and nature-positive climate adaptation solutions to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities, livelihoods, ecosystems, and agrobiodiversity.

HI-CAS was launched in Nepal in March 2026 and is being implemented in Roshi Rural Municipality, central Nepal and Dhankuta Municipality, eastern Nepal. The project integrates gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) with springshed management, renewable energy, and agrobiodiversity conservation to address locally identified climate risks. This project seeks to improve the livelihoods of approximately 40,000 Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) and reduce their vulnerability to climate change. The project directly supports communities, especially women and vulnerable groups, in enhancing their knowledge, skills, and assets to adapt to the growing challenges of climate change and advance sustainable development.

The Letter of Intent (LoI) signing between Roshi Rural Municipality, Dhankuta Municipality, CEAPRED and ICIMOD marks an important milestone in formalising collaboration and shared commitments for effective project implementation. It will also promote coordination and convergence with municipal plans, programmes, and priorities to support local ownership, sustainability, and scaling of successful climate adaptation approaches.

Objectives

The overall objective of the LoI signing ceremony is to formally establish and strengthen collaboration among Roshi Rural Municipality, Dhankuta Municipality, CEAPRED and ICIMOD for effective implementation of the HI-CAS project in Nepal.

Specific objectives are to:

1.  Formalise the partnership and shared commitment of ICIMOD, CEAPRED, Roshi Rural Municipality, and Dhankuta Municipality towards the implementation of HI-CAS activities in Nepal.
2. Clarify roles and responsibilities of the respective partners to support coordinated, accountable, and effective project implementation.
3.  Promote convergence and integration of HI-CAS interventions with existing municipal plans, programmes, priorities, and budgets to enhance sustainability and institutional ownership.
4. Strengthen collaboration and coordination among project partners and local stakeholders in advancing gender-responsive, inclusive, and nature-positive climate adaptation solutions.
5.  Reaffirm the commitment to locally led adaptation through integrated interventions on GESI, springshed management, renewable energy, and agrobiodiversity conservation.
6. Provide a foundation for knowledge sharing and learning from project implementation in Roshi and Dhankuta, with the potential to inform scaling and replication of effective climate adaptation approaches.