Training of trainers on springshed management

Agenda

About the training

Through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) springs project, we successfully organised trainings on springshed management last year with the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD). Given SIRD’s interest to take forward the process of institutionalising springshed management, ICIMOD, in collaboration with our partner Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), and Sikkim state agencies – Rural Development Department (RDD) and Forest Department (FD) – will be initiating the capacity building process.

In regard to this and to identify the knowledge and skill gaps of professionals, we are organising a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) and Training of Trainers (ToT).

Objectives

• Identify the knowledge and skill gaps of the professionals who participated in springshed management trainings in the past
• Conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) based on training needs assessment focusing on the selected steps of the six-step protocol
• Plan a regular training programme on springshed management in Sikkim

Expected output

• Enhanced capacity of cadre of resource persons – they will be able to conduct springshed management trainings on their own with minimal support from ICIMOD
• SIRD together with RDD and FD will be able to plan regular training programmes on springshed management in 2024 and beyond
• SIRD will organise a training for new practitioners in 2024

Background

Springs are socially, economically, culturally, and ecologically foundational to sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Unfortunately, springs are drying up causing water insecurity, making women’s traditional job of fetching water more burdensome and reducing adaptive capacities of vulnerable mountain communities.

Dried out springs can be revived through a systematic approach which combines hydrogeological and social science, sustainable land and water management, collective action, and convergence with government programmes.

We aim to scale GESI-responsive springshed management across ICIMOD’s Regional Member Countries (RMCs). This can be achieved by providing RMCs with the evidence and knowledge to create the policy environment for integrating GESI-responsive spring revival, strengthen institutional capacities to enable delivery of spring revival policies and plans, and foster a functional regional and multi-stakeholder network to support and promote investment in GESI-responsive spring revival.

Institutionalising the capability of RMC institutions across the HKH to deliver and implement for sustainable and inclusive management of springsheds is one of the outcomes of sustainable springshed management intervention. The State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) in Sikkim was identified as one of the mandated institutes for institutionalisation of springshed management training courses. ICIMOD is partnering with SIRD for codeveloping a sustainable capacity building strategy.