Back to news
22 Apr 2024 | Economies

Regional push to transform agricultural yield and increase food security through renewables launches

1 min Read

70% Complete
Empowering Agriculture with Renewable Energy for Sustainable Irrigation and Inclusive Policies on April 22, 2024 at ICIMOD. Photo: Jitendra Raj Bajracharya/ICIMOD.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (April 23, 2024) – Harnessing renewable energy could revolutionize food security in the mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalayas, according to a conference co-hosted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Rising temperatures are compounding the risks to food security in the mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Traditional irrigation methods and limited access to energy are hindering agricultural productivity in these high-altitude regions.

Clean energy – hydro, solar, biomass and wind – is abundant in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. With rising temperatures compounding the risks to food security  experts argue that it’s crucial agriculture, which provides one fifth of the region’s gross domestic product,  embrace renewables’ potential to transform yields, food security, and to transition away from polluting energy sources.

The upcoming conference, titled “Advancing Productive Uses of Renewable Energy in Agriculture in the Hindu Kush Himalaya,” will explore the potential of renewable energy sources to transform mountain farming. Scheduled for April 23rd, the event will bring together stakeholders to discuss strategies for scaling up these solutions for mountain communities in the HKH.

Key Issues on the Agenda:

 

Statement from experts:

“Renewable energy solutions are key to tackling challenges and enhancing the resilience of mountain agriculture. We have the potential demand of 1300 megawatts of renewal energy for irrigation,”
stated Nawa Raj Dhakal, Executive Director of AEPC, Nepal.

 

“It’s time to harness clean energy to secure food security and sovereignty,”
emphasized Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General of ICIMOD.

 

The conference is expected to pave the way for wider adoption of renewable energy solutions in mountain agriculture, ultimately contributing to a more secure food supply and a sustainable future for these vulnerable communities.


For More Information visit the conference website: https://www.icimod.org/renewable-energy-agriculture/


For media inquiries, please contact:

Neraz Tuladhar (Raz), Media Officer
Email: media@icimod.org

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up
27 Apr 2018 Press releases
Regional collaboration needed for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management in the Koshi basin

Around fifty scientists, decision- makers and practitioners from Nepal and China agreed to establish a knowledge hub to support disaster ...

22 Mar 2025 Press releases
New fact sheets confirm Asia’s double vulnerability to cryosphere change, and its unique position to act.

Kathmandu – A new 13 part guide, ‘Stop The Melt’ sets out the implications of fast vanishing mountain glaciers ...

8 Jun 2022 Press releases
Adaptation solutions portal launched

Kathmandu, 8 June: ICIMOD’s Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS) Initiative is pleased to announce the launch of its

5 Sep 2018 Press releases
Policies in place, but more needs to be done

  In his inaugural address, Rt. Honourable Vice President of Nepal, Nanda Bahadur Pun said that women’s empowerment is key to ...

10 Nov 2023 Press releases
Major new report confirms just 2°C of warming will trigger irreversible global damage from loss of Earth’s ice

State of the Cryosphere Report shows that 2°C of warming will lead to catastrophic loss of Earth’s ice sheets, ...

7 Nov 2025 Press releases
Regional cooperation key to unleashing immense renewable energy potential of the Hindu Kush Himalaya, major report finds

Highlights: A major report finds regional cooperation in trade, infrastructure and technology is crucial for ...

12 Nov 2021 HKH2Glasgow
The time to act is now: There are mountains of opportunity for climate action in the HKH

9 November 2021, Glasgow, Scotland, UK In a high-level event at the ongoing 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP26) of ...

3 Aug 2020 Press releases
HKH post COVID-19 resilient recovery plans must consider mountain realities

As governments around the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region reel from the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic immediate, medium- and ...