The Livestock-Climate Change CRSP Seed Grant Program for Nepal project, “Livestock, Livelihoods, and Climate Change Interaction: A Collaborative Research in the Mountains of Nepal” (LLCCI) was launched last week at LI-BIRD’s headquarters in Pokhara, Nepal.

Reported by Keshab Thapa, Programme Officer, LI-BIRD

With the distinguished guests and professionals from 12 research and development organizations of Nepal and United States, a collaborative research project entitled “Livestock, Livelihoods and Climate Change Interaction: A Collaborative Research in the Mountains of Nepal” was formally launched in LI-BIRD’s headquarters in Pokhara on 08 July 2011. This collaborative action research will be conducted by an interdisciplinary team of scholars and practitioners based in the United States and Nepal. The team is composed of Principal Investigator Prof. Netra Chhetri, a climate change adaptation and food security scholar at Arizona State University (ASU) and two non-governmental organizations in Nepal: Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Research and Development (LI-BIRD) and Nucleus for Empowerment through Skill Transfer (NEST).

The programme was chaired by Dr. Banshi Sharma, Regional Livestock Director, Regional Livestock Services Office, Western Development Region, Kaski, Nepal. The project was launched in a formal inauguration session by Mr. Birendra Bahadur Hamal, Regional Director, Regional Agricultural Directorate, Western Development Region, Kaski, Nepal. Mr. Abishkar Subedi, Programme Director of LI-BIRD welcomed all guests and participants, briefed the objectives of the launching and initiated introduction of the participants.

During the programme, Mr. Sajal Sthapit, Programme Coordinator for Knowledge Management and Capacity Building Programme of LI-BIRD briefly introduced LI-BIRD and its priorities, and achievements to date.

Ms. Joyce Turk, Senior Livestock Development Manager from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shared the objective of Livestock-Climate Change Collaborative Research Support Program (LCC CRSP) of USAID. In her speech, she presented a triangular relationship among environment/climate change, livestock, and human and their interaction for balancing the system with a continuous adaptation and trade off for which the LCC CRSP has been designed. She also stressed an urgent need of knowledge on how livestock and then the livestock keepers’ livelihoods are interacting with climate change and also the health of human, livestock and environment is the most important part to be dealt.

Prof. Shana Gillete, from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of Colorado State University focused on the need of integrating livestock, livelihoods and climate change and develop knowledge product to guide for policy making process.

Prof. Netra Chhetri, of Arizona State University and the Principal Investigator of the project briefly presented the project concept, objectives, and outcomes. According to him, it is a good opportunity for US agencies to collaborate with Nepalese NGOs like LI-BIRD and NEST.

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Three proposals from three different U.S. Universities selected for funding.

The Livestock-Climate Change CRSP (LCC CRSP) has awarded a total of $240,000 to three U.S. universities and their international partners in Nepal to improve the livelihoods of small-scale livestock producers impacted by climate change.

The LCC CRSP selected Nepal as a focus country for several reasons. In Nepal, nearly 70% of households depend on livestock production for a significant part of their income and as a source of meat, dairy products, and eggs. Nepal is considered one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts. Finally, Nepal is one of the 20 Feed the Future countries, due to rampant malnutrition rates and a high degree of food insecurity.

The LCC CRSP released the Nepal Seed Grant Program request for proposals on January 28, 2011; proposals were due on March 7, 2011. The LCC CRSP received a total of 13 proposals. An external review panel of subject matter experts (i.e., veterinary medicine, economics, agronomy, livestock production, and climate science) from U.S. universities and government agencies reviewed the proposals. Final selections were based on panel recommendations, input from the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington D.C., the USAID bilateral mission in Nepal, and expertise of the LCC CRSP management entity.

The Nepal Seed Grant cohort includes three U.S. university partners; one university in Nepal; and a total of seven U.S and international aid, development, and research organizations, and government agencies.

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