Multi-scale integrated river basin management in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

The course for the year 2023 is designed for managers and decision makers involved in river basin planning.

Participants will be exposed to both biophysical and socio-economical aspects of IRBM, which will enable them to understand the complex issues, impacts, and responses to water management throughout the diverse HKH river basins. This will enable them to lead the team and make informed decisions. The course will include the following modules:

Module 1: Conceptual understanding of river basin drivers and their implications for IRBM

Module 2: Tools and approaches for understanding the biophysical drivers of change

Module 3: Gendered vulnerabilities and the socioeconomic drivers of change

Module 4: Leadership, Governance, policy, and institutional framework

Module 5: Water diplomacy and transboundary cooperation

Module 6: Operational aspects of water resource management

Module 7: Learning from the field: Linking IRBM theory to practice

Module 8: Knowledge management and communication

Leadership and GESI focus

Leadership and Gender Equality, and Social Inclusion (GESI) will be the overarching content of all the modules and the range of case studies. The GESI modules and case studies will strengthen the participants’ capacity to understand the role of women and marginalised groups in RBM/governance at different levels and recognise the specific socio-cultural contexts for, and their identification of, the intersections of the forms of social exclusion that impact people’s capacity to manage, withstand, and adapt both within their organisations and the broader community, with respect to IRBM. Additionally, the training will equip participants with the skills and knowledge to mainstream GESI in policies, procedures, and institutional mechanisms related to IRBM.

Training delivery

The training will take place from 6–15 September 2023 at the ICIMOD Headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The course will include a range of in-person and on-line sessions, electronic learning resources, and a field visit to the Koshi Basin. The sessions will involve group learning and individual work-based coaching to help participants apply the lessons learned and provide a way of building a network of IRBM-committed professionals from across the HKH.

Expected outcomes

Following this training, the participants will be able to:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of IRBM principles and strategies to effectively guide and oversee IRBM activities within their organisations
• Gain insights to navigate complex water governance, foster regional cooperation, and address socio-economic considerations, including GESI, for informed decision-making in water resource management
• Enhanced capacity in IRBM, aligning it with organisational goals, fostering collaboration, and implementing innovative approaches for sustainable water management.

Selection criteria

The training is targeted to the members of government and non-government organisations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, preferably female participants working in the field of IRBM. Participants with demonstrated capability to promote the knowledge and use of IRBM in their respective work roles across the HKH will be given preference. The participants will be selected based on the criteria presented below:

Age and language: Applicants must be between 35–55 years old, in a managerial position, and fluent in English.

Experience in IRBM: Applicants must have an academic degree(s) in either water resource management, environmental science, hydrology, ecology, geography or civil engineering and five years of work experience in IWRM/IRBM, or over 10 years of working experience in IWRM/IRBM. Contributions to professional and/or academic literature in IWRM/IRBM is an added advantage.

Potential to influence IRBM approach: Preference will be given to applicants with decision-making roles related to IRBM; proven ability to influence science, policy, and institutional orientation to IRBM; and/or have made significant contributions to the literature on water resources.

Institutional affiliation and commitment: Applicants must be employed by their applying institution for a minimum of three years before the application date. Affiliation with a national, regional, or international institution, or an academic institution with considerable influence in or contribution to water management is desirable. Applicants must submit a letter from their employer institution committing to maintain and support their IRBM roles/responsibilities.

GESI: GESI principles strongly encourage the inclusion of women, people with different abilities, indigenous people, and ethnic minorities. Applicants with experience addressing GESI in their work (project design/planning/implementation and outcomes, publications, or other evidence) can also apply.

Participants’ commitment:

• Attend the entire training in Nepal. The organisers will not change the travel plan (tickets) once selected for the training.

• Submit the institutional commitment from their organisation to attend the training
• Apply the new concepts obtained from the training in their own IRBM work
• Learning sessions beyond the training and participate in the tracer survey

Application process

Shortlisted candidates will be informed by 10 August 2023.

If you have any difficulties submitting the form, please write to Ashmita Shakya (Ashmita.Shakya@icimod.org) or Nisha Wagle (Nisha.Wagle@icimod.org).

If you need any further information about the training, please write to Neera Shrestha Pradhan (Neera.Pradhan@icimod.org).

We request you to pass this information along to interested colleagues and peers.

Start Time: 13:30 (NPT)

Venue: Kanchenjunga Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters

Resource persons:

Arun B Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, ICIMOD

Nisha Wagle, Research Associate – Water Resource Management, ICIMOD

Ganesh Pangare (External)

Ramesh A Vaidya (External)

Rapporteur: Serena Amatya, Consultant, ICIMOD

Start Time: 9:30 (NPT)

Venue: Kanchenjunga Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters

Resource persons:

Faisal Mueen Qamer, Remote Sensing Specialist, ICIMOD

Arun B Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, ICIMOD

Bikram Shakya, Geospatial Application Development Analyst, ICIMOD

Kabir Uddin, GIS/RS Specialist, ICIMOD

Manish Shrestha, Hydrologist, ICIMOD

Nisha Wagle, Research Associate – Water Resource Management, ICIMOD

Pradeep Dangol, Senior Hydrology Research Associate, ICIMOD

Rongkun Liu, Analyst Indus Koshi China Focal Point, ICIMOD

Sudip Pradhan, Geospatial Application Development Specialist, ICIMOD

Girish Lamsal, Associate Researcher, NDRI (External)

Rapporteur: Sravan Shrestha, Remote Sensing & Geoinformation Associate, ICIMOD

Start Time: 9:30 (NPT)

Venue: Kanchenjunga Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters

Resource persons:

Aditya Bastola, GESI Consultant (External)

Kosar Bano, Gender and Adaptation Specialist, ICIMOD

Shiba Satyal Banskota, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Lead, ICIMOD

Reena Chaudhary, Environmental Inspector, NDRRMA (External)

Rapporteur:

Serena Amatya, Consultant, ICIMOD

Vuyasi Rajbhandari, Consultant, ICIMOD

Start Time: 9:30 (NPT)

Venue: Skyline Hall, Hotel Himalaya

Resource persons:

Medha Bisht, Associate Professor, South Asian University (External)

Avash Pandey, Assessment Analyst, ICIMOD

Frederik Bouckaert (External)

Kapil Gnawali, SDE, WECS (External)

Rapporteur: Silian Pan, YIPP, ICIMOD

Start Time: 13:30 (NPT)

Venue: Skyline Hall, Hotel Himalaya

Resource persons:

Arun B Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, ICIMOD

Avash Pandey, Assessment Analyst, ICIMOD

Nisha Wagle, Research Associate – Water Resource Management, ICIMOD

Rapporteur: Silian Pan, YIPP, ICIMOD

Start Time: 10:00 (NPT)

Venue: Manaslu Hall, Living Mountain Lab, Godavari

Resource persons:

Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Action Area Coordinator, ICIMOD

Bandana Shakya, Action Area Coordinator, ICIMOD

Chimi Seldon, Communication Officer, ICIMOD

Karishma Khadka, Springshed Management Associate, ICIMOD

Kosar Bano, Gender and Adaptation Specialist, ICIMOD

Nisha Wagle, Research Associate – Water Resource Management, ICIMOD

Pradeep Dangol, Senior Hydrology Research Associate, ICIMOD

Rongkun Liu, Analyst Indus Koshi China Focal Point, ICIMOD

Shailendra Shakya, CBFEWS Consultant, ICIMOD

Sharad Joshi, Cryosphere Analyst, ICIMOD

Vijay Khadgi, Flood Preparedness and Early Warning Analyst, ICIMOD

Aditya Bastola, GESI Consultant (External)

Rapporteur:

Silian Pan, YIPP, ICIMOD

Vuyasi Rajbhandari, Consultant, ICIMOD

Resource person:

Vijay Khadgi, Flood Preparedness and Early Warning Analyst, ICIMOD

Aneel Piryani, Program Officer, ICIMOD

Arun B Shrestha, Strategic Group Lead, ICIMOD

Chimi Seldon, Communication Officer, ICIMOD

Karishma Khadka, Springshed Management Associate, ICIMOD

Neera Shrestha Pradhan, Action Area Coordinator, ICIMOD

Nisha Wagle, Research Associate Water Resource Management, ICIMOD

Shailendra Shakya, CBFEWS Consultant, ICIMOD

Aditya Bastola, GESI Consultant (External)

Shrijana Shrestha, Undersecretary, President Chure Terai- Madhesh Conservation Development Board (External)

Date: 12 September

Date: 13 September 2023

Date: 14 September 2023

Date: 15 September

Start Time: 9:30 (NPT)
Venue: Kailash Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters
Resource persons:
Chimi Seldon, Communication Officer, ICIMOD
Annie Dare, Head of Communications, ICIMOD
Anshu Pandey, Media Associate, ICIMOD
Neraz Tuladhar, Media Officer, ICIMOD

Rapporteur: Vuyasi Rajbhandari, Consultant, ICIMOD

Start Time: 12:00 (NPT)

Venue: Kailash Hall, ICIMOD Headquarters

In the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, climate change is causing significant changes in hydrological patterns, leading to less predictability of water availability and increased occurrence of extreme events. These changes are adversely affecting communities, their livelihoods, and investments across the region. Furthermore, water resource management in the region is based on sectoral and siloed approach with limited coordination and cooperation at various levels. To address this challenge, there is an urgent need for integrated, effective, and equitable management of water resources that considers the needs of all stakeholders and sectors.

IRBM offers a comprehensive approach that encompasses the sustainable use of water and land resources, environmental impacts, livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction while involving stakeholders in decision-making processes. With its strong base on the interconnected nature of water bodies across landscape and river corridors, IRBM offers an approach to address the challenges of HKH’s sectoral and siloed water resource management.