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Project consolidation and future planning workshop

Venue

Thimphu, Bhutan

Date & Time

23 August 2022

About the workshop

The three-year Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS) Initiative in Bhutan, supported by ICIMOD, came to an end in July 2022. Considering all the planned project activities are now either completed or in their final stage of completion, we are organising a project consolidation and planning workshop to reflect on the project’s achievements and lessons learned over the past three years. The workshop, led by the National Center for Organic Agriculture (NCOA), is an interactive session with participants from different government agencies, NGOs, stakeholders, and representatives from ICIMOD.

The project appraisal will help the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) and ICIMOD plan for the next phase of collaboration. The meeting will also be a forum for RGoB and ICIMOD to identify areas for future partnership in line with the plans of RGoB and ICIMOD’s new strategy. Key officials from NCOA, Department of Cottage & Small Industries (DCSI), Bhutan, and ICIMOD will be visiting the Model Organic Village in Haa and the Startup Centre in Thimphu.

 

Objectives

  • Review the RMS project activities (2019-2022) and draw lessons for future collaboration
  • Strategically align the potential future initiatives with RGoB’s five-year plan and ICIMOD’s Medium-Term Action Plan 2023-2026 (MTAP V) based on the lessons drawn from the project
  • Discuss the way forward for more collaborative work under ICIMOD’s new MTAP Strategic Area, ‘Shaping green and resilient mountain economies’

The objectives of the field visits include:

  • Understand the success factors and validate progress made in the Model Organic Village in Haa and how it will be scaled up in Haa and other dzongkhags. Farmers and partners will provide testimonials on the challenges, opportunities, and suggestions for future endeavours.
  • Acquaint with indigenous techniques and methods used in organic production
  • Interact with entrepreneurs and the Startup Centre to learn about their value propositions, achievements, and lesson learned over the past three years
  • Understand the approach and methods used to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem through the Startup Centre to make enterprise green, inclusive and resilient
  • Scope potential areas to scale such approaches and methods in the future by a wide range of stakeholders

 

Agenda

Master of ceremony: NCOA and ICIMOD

Time (in BTT)

Programme

Speakers/resource persons

 

23 August 2022

 

09:00–09:15

Registration and arrival of Chief Guest

Norden Lepcha, Deputy Chief Agriculture Officer, NCOA

 

09:15–09:30

Marchang ceremony

Tirtha Katwal, Programme Director, NCOA

 

09:30–09:40

Welcome remarks

Tirtha Katwal, Programme Director, NCOA

 

09:40–09:50

Highlights and lessons from RMS in Bhutan

Nand Kishor Agrawal, Programme Coordinator, Resilient Mountain Solutions Initiative, ICIMOD

 

09:50–10:00

RMS video screening

NCOA and ICIMOD

 

10:00–10:10

Launching of mentorship guidebook

Tshering Dem, DCSI

 

10:10–10:20

Address by Chief Guest

His Excellency, Minister, MoAF

 

10:20–10:25

Vote of thanks

Tshewang Lhamo, DCSI

 

10:25–10:40

Tea break, group photo session, and product display

 

 

Review of achievements, challenges, adaptation, scaling, and gender equity

 

10:40–10:50

Model Organic Village: Journey from concept to reality

Karchung, Chief Dzongkhag Agriculture Officer, Haa

 

10:50–11:00

Strengthening the green, inclusive, and resilient entrepreneurship ecosystem

Tshewang Lhamo, DCSI and Anu Joshi, ICIMOD

 

11:00–11:10

Yak farming and highland livelihood

Kinley Rinchen, Senior Livestock Officer, Department of Livestock Focal

 

11:10–11:20

Domestication of depleting and highly prized non-wood forest products

Yangchen Lhamo, Senior Forestry Officer, Department of Forests and Park Services Focal

 

11:20–12:00

Discussion

 

 

12:00–12:10

Resilience markers study findings

Tulsi Gurung, Associate Professor, College of Natural Resources, Lobesa, Bhutan 

 

12:10–12:20

Jholmal study findings

Sonam Tashi, Associate Professor, College of Natural Resources, Lobesa, Bhutan 

 

12:20–13:00

Discussion

 

 

13:00–14:00

Lunch

 

 

RMS way forward: Future collaboration and partnership

 

 

14:00–14:15

Model Organic Village: Lessons learnt and way forward

Karma Penjore, RMS Consultant

 

14:15–14:30

Priorities of ICIMOD in MTAP-V: Strategic impact and action areas

Anu Joshi Shrestha, Rural enterprise, and value chain specialist

 

14:30–15:00

Discussion to identify key areas of work based on priorities of the 13th Five Year Plan and ICIMOD’s strategy

Moderated by Kesang Wangchuk, Biodiversity Specialist, ICIMOD  and Barsha Rani Gurung, Knowledge Management and Communications Officer, ICIMOD

 

15:00–15:30

Tea break

 

 

15:30–15:45

Closing remarks                 

Nand Kishor Agrawal, Programme Coordinator, Resilient Mountain Solutions Initiative, ICIMOD

 

15:45–16:00

Vote of thanks by ICIMOD

Sabina Uprety, Programme Officer, Resilient Mountain Solutions Initiative, ICIMOD

 

18:00–22:00

Reception dinner at Le Meridian

Kailash Pradhan, Specialist, NCOA

 

 

 

 

 

21 August 2022 – Field visit to Start-up Center, Thimphu

24 August 2022 – Field visit to Model Organic Village, Haa