SUPPORT TO RURAL LIVELIHOODS AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
in
THE HINDU-KUSH-HIMALAYA REGION
EuropeAid
2013-2018
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Proposed cooperation project between the European Union
and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD, based in Kathmandu)
The Hindu-Kush Himalaya Region
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• Highest mountain system in the world and 3,500 km wide
including 112,500 km2 of Glaciers that make the 3rd global
reserve of freshwater after the poles
• 8 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan.
• The origin of 10 major rivers of which: the Amu Darya, the
Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Irrawady, the
Mekong, the Yangtze, the Yellow and the Tarim
• Freshwater supply to 1,4 Billion people, ≈25% of mankind
• Direct livelihoods for 200 Million people
Regional context, the Hindu Kush Himalaya
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Effects attributed to climate change in H-K-H
• increased temperatures in the high altitude areas,
• increased frequency and duration of extreme events, i.e.:
local extreme increases in temperature, and extreme
precipitation events
• receding Himalayan glaciers (concerns 67% of glaciers),
permafrost retreat, higher permanent snowline, snow melt
cycle and river regime changes,
• reduced moisture retention and ground water recharge,
• changes in the forest ecosystems (shift in the latitude of
forest boundaries, upward movement of trees, changes in
species composition and vegetation types),
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Glacier retreat (Imja, Nepal)
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HKH: Features of the livelihood economy
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• “Specificities” of mountain people: harsh living conditions,
isolation, limited access to resources, niche products
• Higher incidence of poverty , explained by relatively higher
levels of fragility, marginality and inaccessibility
• Malnutrition, shortage of safe drinking water, poor health
and education systems
• Primarily subsistence agriculture, with limited opportunities
for development, using post-harvest technology
• Few mineral resources, water as a main economic asset
(power) but there is potential for developing ecosystem
services linked to the protection of the environment
HKH: slope agriculture and small acreage
farming in mountains
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HKH: irrigated agriculture in the plains
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HKH: vulnerable local communities
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Selection of an option for the implementation method
Potential partnerships to be further explored
Definition of priority areas (geographic and thematic)
Selection criteria (final beneficiaries, training beneficiaries)
Complementarity with other EU supported programmes
Innovation requires flexibility
Links with Disaster Risk Reduction programmes
Monitoring system
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Difficulty to balance sustainable management of the environmental
resources with economic growth and equitable social development
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Increased
pressure on
natural
resources
Increased
vulnerability
and poverty
Difficulties in
addressing
problems through
adequate policies
Limited
capacity
Low
awareness
Degradation of
the natural
resources
Uncertainties
due to the
changing
environment
Tensions due to
competition
Disasters
Effects of
Climate
Change
Existing
development
challenges
Objectives
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• The Objectives of the project are to support
the conservation of the Himalayan
ecosystem and livelihoods development in
the context of climate change through
active regional cooperation.
The policy context
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Countries within the HKH region have developed different
strategies and action plans:
1.
National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPA) promoted by
UNEP, prepared by Bangladesh in 2005, Bhutan in 2006,
Afghanistan in 2009 and finally Nepal in 2010
2.
China: Climate Change Strategy (2006)
3.
India: National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008)
4.
Pakistan: approved first draft for a climate change policy in May
2011.
5.
Myanmar has a National Sustainable Development Strategy
(NSDS) since 2006, which encompasses environmental
global challenges including the issue of climate change.
Expected Results
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1)
The capacity of the national and regional stakeholders in
dealing with livelihood development and the protection of the
environment in the Hindu-Kush-Himalaya is enhanced. This will
result in the implementation of adequate policies and practices
related to sustainable development and conservation of the
environment in the context of socioeconomic and climate change.
2)
Income generation and resilience of HKH communities are
improved through capacity building, the unlocking of new livelihood
opportunities and by promoting more equitable approaches in the
institutional set-ups.
3)
Sustained management of Ecosystem assets, including
biodiversity, land and water resources, forests, rangelands, and the
related services, notably by closely involving local communities.
Proposed Activity N.1:
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• Increase the capacity to develop adapted policies related to
human and natural resources management and impacting on
mountain rural livelihoods, through:
o
o
enhancing the knowledge base on Himalayan ecosystem services
allowing an improved capacity to demonstrate its value and to
monitor their evolution;
analyse national (representative) livelihood data to delineate a
system to explore and understand mountain poverty as a basis
for improving understanding of existing and future triggers of
poverty in mountain areas (including key socio-economic
indicators, land and forestry ecosystem availability, accessibility,
climate change, etc);
Proposed Activity N.1 (cont):
o
o
o
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improving the monitoring capacity of the implementation of
the National Adaptation Programmes of Action on Climate
Change (or equivalent) in the HKH region;
giving support in updating the national policies and plans, by
using existing successful experiences and findings that tackle
climate-related issues and address livelihood vulnerabilities.
linking with discussions/mechanisms at a global level on the
Climate Change and Poverty Reduction (e.g. MDGs) agenda in
partnership with the relevant stakeholders notably at
international level, including through the organisation of
annual forums.
Proposed Activity N.2:
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• Raising awareness, communication and dissemination of
information and knowledge on the effects of climate change
to the Himalayas, and needed response, in particular
through civil society (such as NGOs, youth organisations,
academia and others), ensuring that discussions move
beyond the science to the human impacts at the community
and societal level.
Proposed Activity N.3:
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• Strengthening collaborative research in the region in relation
to mountain livelihoods and ecosystem services, to generate
evidence-based knowledge for adaptation and mitigation to
climate change in the HKH region.
Proposed Activity N.4:
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• Addressing mountain poverty by strengthening the resilience
capacity of communities, through pilot activities delivering
services and products that will improve livelihood
opportunities, generate income, and ensure the sustainable
management of natural resources. The following list is not
exhaustive and can be used as examples of activities that
could be supported:
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promote and develop pro-poor value chains of mountain niche
products and services as adaptation strategy, ensuring the sustainable
and equitable management of the natural resources base (this will
include strongly the cooperation with the private sector)
Proposed Activity N.4.bis:
o
o
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promote the diversification of livelihood opportunities by identifying
new and risk reducing income and employment opportunities in
mountain areas (e.g. linking value chain development to investment
and employment generating activities; market-oriented services such
as access to information, financial services and micro-finance;
leverage financial and social remittances from labour migrants)
support the use of ecosystems services like landscape and biodiversity
for recreational activities with direct community involvement and
benefit,
enhance sustainable practices in the management of natural resources
and identification of alternatives at a local level (e.g.: use of fallow or
degraded lands and forests, improved farming and water management
systems, but also improved planning capacity),
Proposed Activity N.5:
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• Capacity building to relevant governmental and nongovernmental institutions across the HKH region to replicate
best practices improving resilience to Climate Change
(agribusiness, forestry, etc).
Indicative costs
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Activity 1 (policy support):
Activity 2 (awareness):
Activity 3 (collaborative research):
Activity 4 (pilot actions):
Activity 5 (capacity building):
Evaluation, Audits:
• Total of:
Of which, EU contribution (80%):
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€2 Million
€0,2 Million
€1.5 Million
€5 Million
€3.5 Million
€0,3 Million
€12,5 Million
€10 Million
CONCLUSIONS
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• Appraisal of the identified activities
• Coordination with other stakeholders and donors
• Elaboration of the Overall Work Plan and Partners for the
Action
• Final stakeholders workshop in February 2012
• EU decision at the end of 2012 (EUR 10 Million commitment)
• Implementation from January 2013 until end 2018