Place visited Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta and Khadbari Purpose of visit To participate in Transect walk for Climate Change study in Koshi Belt on behalf of ActionAid Nepal- DIPECHO Project with multidisciplinary team to contributing for preparation of NAPA To support, facilitate, collect information and reporting in climate induced disaster theme
Narrative Summary of the visit
Date Place visited Particulars, remarks and comments
Nov 11 Biratnagar Reached Biratnagar via Yeti Airlines
An orientation program was carried out in the evening introducing each team members, objectives and methodology of the program. The orientation program was facilitated by Dr. Deepak Rijal and Mr. Ajaya Dixit. There were 18 participants in the program Stayed in Hotel Ratna, Biratnagar
Nov 12 Biratnagar Regional level Shared Learning Dialogue
(SLD) Workshop organized in Hotel Ratna Biratnagar. The program was managed by NEWAH and Practical Solution Nepal. There were about 75 participants including journalist, government officials, senior police officer, I/NGO representatives, students, lecturers, indigenous group, and so on. Proceeding of the SLD Workshop o Introduction of each participants o Background of NAPA project o Two presentations (Climate Change Scenario for Nepal and Potential Impacts of Climate change in Agriculture sector) were made by Ajaya Dixit and Deepak Rijal o Open dialogue o Formation of six thematic groups (Forest & Bio-diversity, Food & Agriculture, Water & Energy, Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Health, and Urban Settlement); facilitated by thematic experts and presentation o Wrap up Nov 13 Sunsari and Three different groups formed Jhapa Visited for interaction in the communities Kushaha, Sunsari/Chakraghatti, Sunsari/Lakhanpur Jhapa Stayed Hotel Aagan/Hotel Dreamland in Dharan Nov 14 Dhankuta Interaction with two different communities in Danda Bazar and Danda Bazar 9, Okhre Stayed in Hotel Surabhi, Dhankuta Nov 15 Dhankuta District level Shared Learning Workshop was organized in the Hotel Surabhi, Dhankuta. The workshop was managed by FECOFUN & Practical Solution. There were around 90 participants in the program. Proceeding of the SLD Workshop Introduction of each participants Background of the program-Mr. Ram Prasad Acharya Presentation about Climate Change Scenario in Nepal by Dr. Deepak Rijal Open interaction Six thematic group+ one women group was formed; facilitated by respective thematic experts and presentation Wrap up
In the evening there was a reflection program
among the team Nov 16 Khadbari, On the way Sankhuwasava Stayed in Hotel Arati/Hotel Rajiv/Hotel Sainik in Khadbari Nov 17 Khandbari District level Shared learning Workshop was held in DDC Meeting Hall in Khandbari. The workshop was managed by The East Foundation and Practical Solution. There were about 150 participants including high officials from DDC, DAO, DHO, DADO, DFO, DDWO, Student, Teacher, Lecturer, representation of five major political parties, disaster victim, farmers and so on. Proceeding of the SLD Workshop Introduction of each participants Background and objectives of the program- Mr. Ram Prasad Acharya/Mr. John Lindsey Presentation on Climate Change Scenario by Dr. Deepak Rijal Presentation by each thematic group- Agriculture-Dr RP Thakur, Health-Ms. Sharada Pandey, Disaster-Mr. Ashok Raj Pokharel, Forestry-Mr. Krishna Dhakal, Water & Energy- Mr. Chakra Budha, Women-Ms. Ganga Thapa and Urban-Mr. Ajaya Lal Das Presentation about Climate Change situation in Sankhuwasava by Mr. TF Bhandari Six thematic groups were formed; facilitated by respective thematic experts and presentation Wrap up Formal closing program
Nov 18 Khandbari/ Field visit in Khandbari Ward no 5,
Basantapur Bhangkharka Tole for interaction with community Stayed in Hotel Yak in Basantapur Nov 19 Biratnagar Visited Pakhribas Agriculture Research Center, Dhankuta and interacted with the scientists Visited Chatara Irrigation Project area Stayed in Hotel Ratna Biratnagar Nov 20 Biratnagar Wrap up Workshop was organized in Hotel Ratna (10 AM-1 PM). The team was divided into six thematic groups. All the groups compiled their data and information separately. The program was facilitated by Dr. Deepak Rijal Evening flight by Yeti/Buddha Airlines
Strengths of the Overall Program
Able to influence district level stakeholders, and community people in building awareness about climate change issues, and adaption Presence of climate change expert and thematic experts in the team Thematic issues and suggestions were extracted from group discussion Presence of remarkable number of people in the SLD in districts as well as community Able to perform intended tasks as per the target; Additional visits were also organized getting suggestion from the ground viz: visiting Lakhanpur- 9, Jhapa, Ratuwa Khola Belt; Visiting Pakhribas Agriculture Research Center, and Chatara Irrigation Canal Overall good logistic arrangement
Rooms for improvement
More clear orientation to the team members is needed before leaving Kathmandu Would be better if someone from MOHA and MOE were also included in the team Lacking representation from authorities of DDC, DAO, other Key stakeholders, Child network, Women network, disaster affected peoples, in two district level SLD Daily reflection among team members required
Overall Findings
General Indicators of Climate Change perceived by the communities
1. Monsoon period is getting shorter and going further delayed. Sometime torrent rainfall occurs, and sometime absolutely no rain. 2. Flood, landslide, forest fire, windstorms and hailstorms are increasing in numbers making huge loss of lives and properties each year 3. Birds like vulture, swan, sparrows are very less or almost extinct 4. The water springs have less water, some ponds are drying and ground water level in Terai is decreasing 5. Ten years back there was no use of mosquito net. Now everywhere, in mid and high hills too, mosquito nets are essential in every house. 6. In forest, different types of invasive plant like Kirne jhar, Sutkeri jhar, Banmara etc are killing trees and shrubs. 7. Termite-white ant is growing in Terai region. This is now appeared in home, in dry tree, and even in green tree. It is very unusual. 8. Sunny days are increasing; foggy days and rainy days are decreasing.
Thematic Findings-Disaster Risk Reduction
Terai Mid-hills & High-hills
Issues or Increasing incidents of flood Increasing incidence of
Challenges of inundation, river bank/agri. landslide, and soil DRR land cutting, converting erosion taking lives fertile land into barren and displacing entire People are displaced to village some other vulnerable Increasing incidence of places forest fire River bed siltation, drastic Increasing incidence of change in river course windstorm and Lack of government hailstorms response for compensation Lesser infrastructure to to the disaster affected disaster response like people and their road, ambulance, fire rehabilitation brigade, telephone etc Damage of infrastructures Lack of massive like road, schools, and awareness electricity again push back Majority of people have to development initiatives to dependent on Increasing number of firewood, ultimately diseases converting as leading to epidemics deforestation
Current Few attempts of plantation Increased number of
Activities for in river banks community forests Adaption Formation of limited dykes Provision of fire line in and spurs in support of community forest District Water Induced Some awareness Disaster control office raising activities like Few activities for awareness street drama, raising and capacity building pamphlet, posters and by I/NGOs hoarding boards Few relief activities to post Some activities to disasters control small landslide Building one storey houses, relatively strong after 1989 earthquake (Dhankuta) Rainwater harvesting Gaps Lack of knowledge about Lack of knowledge climate change, hazards and about climate change, risks hazards and risks Lack of hazard assessment Lack of hazard and preparedness plan assessment and Lack of skills, knowledge, preparedness plan resources and commitment Lack of skills, in disaster risk reduction knowledge, resources and commitment in disaster risk reduction Way forward River bank protection Protection of water through low cost Bio-dyke sources model Special initiatives for Massive awareness raising preventing soil erosion activities should reach to the Hazard and Risk local and district level assessment Formation of Disaster Migrate the highly risk management committee in communities in local level and providing suitable places authenticity by the District level disaster government management and Policy, Act, Rules and emergency planning Regulation should be in Massive awareness place with strong raising activities at implementation mechanism local level The platform of the drinking Formation of disaster water tube well should be management raised committee in local level Small scale mitigation works and providing like culvert are needed to authenticity by the construct government Early warning system should Policy, Act, Rules and be established in critical Regulation should be in areas of identified river bank place with strong areas in collaboration with implementation Department of Hydrology mechanism and Metrology Provision of early Media mobilization in warning system awareness, information and Media mobilization in advocacy part awareness, information and advocacy part
Reported by Ashok Raj Pokharel, DIPECHO Project Officer Actionaid Nepal Ashokraj.pokharel@actionaid.org November 23, 2009 Annex List of Team Members
Ajaya Chanda Ashok Raj Chakra Bahadur Deebraj Rai
Lal Pokharel Budha ISET-N Institute of ActionAid Nepal National Planning Engineering Commission Dhruba Shrestha Dr. Deepak Rijal Dr. Jibaraj Dr. Parvati DWIDC UNDP-NAPA Pokhrel Shrestha Project Practical Action NAPA Project Dr. Ram Pukar G.P.Gorkhali Ganga Thapa Krishna Prasad Thakur NIWF Dhakal Agriculture Research Center Laxmi Prasad Lindsey Jones Ram Prasad Ram Prasad Chaudhary NAPA Acharya Mehata WFP Practical Solution NFIWUAN Ramadhar Rebati Bhandari Rijan Tamrakar Roshan Kumar Prasad Yadav DPNet NFA Mandar ADCS, Bara Sharada Pandey Shyam Krishna Thaneswor Ajaya Dixit MOHP Shrestha Bhusal ISET-N Practical Solution National Planning Commission