Regional Workshop for HIMALICA Pilot Partners - Progress Review and Planning for 2017

Background

Himalica aims to enhance resilience and to support adaptation by vulnerable mountain communities and ecosystems. It is one of three initiatives under ICIMOD’s Regional Programme on Adaptation to Change (RP1), and financed by European Union.

The expected results of Himalica programme are as follows:

1. Enhancing the capacity of national and regional stakeholders in dealing with livelihood development, more sustainable and efficient use of natural resources and the protection of the environment in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
2. reducing poverty among mountain people through increased resilience and by unlocking new livelihood opportunities through the promotion of more equitable approaches.

Himalica programme activities are clustered around five components:

• Develop adapted policies impacting on mountain rural livelihoods, taking socio-economic and climate change into account.
• Raise awareness and disseminate knowledge on the effects of climate and socio-economic change and adaptation responses in the HKH.
• Strengthen collaborative action research in relation to mountain livelihoods and eco-systems, generating evidence-based knowledge on adaptation and mitigation to climate change in the HKH.
• Conduct pilot activities that strengthen the resilience of mountain people in vulnerable areas through delivery of services and products that will improve livelihood opportunities and ensure sustainable management of natural resources.
• Support building capacity to scale up best practices for improved resilience to climate change.

In line with Himalica’s ‘Framework Contract’, pilot projects are designed to capitalize on opportunities offered by the diversity and niche potential of mountain products/services and address vulnerabilities arising out of fragility and marginality. The pilot activities demonstrate ‘tested/proven’ techniques around three broad areas: improved management of natural resources (facilitating community-led micro-plans to ensure sustainable provision of raw materials), income diversification (adding value through upgrading products, processes, linkages, and diversification of products) and institutional strengthening (with focus on gender, social inclusion and governance).

In Himalica, six pilot projects are currently being implemented in five countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Rationale and objective

The aim of the workshop is to build better understanding of on-going interventions related to climate change adaptation and livelihoods in Himalica pilot sites. The workshop provides opportunity to Himalica partners to present their 2016 progress and refine their 2017 action plans with support from the ICIMOD team. Both parties will work to keep these projects in line with the broader objectives of the Himalica programme.

Participating Implementing Partners

• Myanmar Institute for Integrated Development (MIID)
• Bandarban Hill District Council, Bangladesh
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forest/Tsirang Dzongkhag, Bhutan
• Centre for Environmrnt and Agriculture Policy Research, Extension and Development, Udayapur, Nepal
• Environment Conservation and Development Forum, Taplejung, Nepal
• Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, Pakistan