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KOSHI TRANSECT WALK FIELD VISIT REPORT

Date(s) of visit November 11-20, 2009


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

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