Experts discuss food security

New Delhi, India: Underscoring the urgent need for a strong regional collaboration to ensure food security in the face of climate change, delegates from the four countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal said the impact of climate change in the Eastern Himalayas cannot be undermined.

In a two-day expert group meeting held in New Delhi, India, the participants agreed that a clear policy on food security and climate change must be introduced and implemented in the region.

The delegates said that despite the rich biodiversity and diverse traditional communities, the four countries remain extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of the fragile ecology of the region.

Therefore, the experts agreed that there is an urgent need for the exchange of information and technology among the four countries. They said ensuring food security should continue to remain the top priority of the four governments.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

IHowever, the major threats to food security in the region include increasing population, increasing development activities, declining arable lands, and degradation of natural resources.

The meeting, therefore, is expected to identify the issues of common interests and formulate a regional action plan on food security. The meeting will also look into and suggest institutional mechanisms for implementation of the regional action plan and agree on a set of recommendations to be included in the Climate Summit declaration in November 2011.

In his opening remarks, the deputy director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr. A.K. Singh, said the participants must focus primarily on exchange of relevant material like germplasm, technology transfer, integrated farming systems for sustainable production, rainwater harvesting structures, agricultural mechanization, and the establishment of institutional mechanisms.

The executive secretary of the Climate Summit Secretariat, Tashi Jamtsho, said the meeting will result in a regional framework of action on food security, and will discuss and agree on proposed declaration points.

The leaders of delegation presented papers on the current situation analysis in relation to food security in their respective countries. They noted that there were many common challenges facing the farmers of the four countries that called for common solutions. The delegates discussed food policy environment in the four countries, the existing capacity and knowledge, and technology and research focus. They also identified common points to be included in the regional food road map.

The two-day expert group meeting on “Building Climate Resilience for Food Security and Rural Livelihoods” is part of the build-up to the Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas – Bhutan 2011. It is jointly organized by the environment and forests ministry and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research of the agriculture ministry of the government of India.

The meeting is one of four regional expert group meetings before the actual Summit on 19 November 2011. The expert group meeting on ‘Water’ was organized by Bangladesh on 2 & 3 July 2011 in Dhaka. Similarly, the expert group meeting on ‘Biodiversity’ was held in Thimphu, Bhutan, on 12 and 13 July 2011; and the expert group meeting on ‘Energy’ will be organized by Nepal on 28 and 29 July 2011.

Source: http://www.bhutanclimatesummit.org.bt

Top candidates found in Bhutan, The Gambia, Nepal, Rwanda, Switzerland and the USA

New York / Montreal / Hamburg / Rome, 5 July 2011 – Policies from six countries are now shortlisted for the 2011 Future Policy Award. Bhutan, The Gambia, Nepal, Rwanda, Switzerland and the USA are still in the running for the most inspiring, innovative and influential forest policies worldwide. The Future Policy Award is granted by the World Future Council, an international policy research organization that provides decision makers with effective policy solutions. The three winning policies which contribute best to the conservation and sustainable development of forests for the benefit of current and future generations will be announced on 21 September 2011 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The announcement will be followed by an awards ceremony hosted by the World Future Council, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat, the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Wildlife Conservation Society. These partners look forward to the participation of government representatives, high level officials of international organizations and non-governmental organizations, as well as media and civil society.

The Future Policy Award celebrates the world’s most exemplary national policies that create better living conditions for current and future generations and that produce practical and tangible results. The award’s theme, in which policy progress is particularly urgent, is chosen on an annual basis. This year’s focus is forests as 2011 has been declared the International Year of Forests by the United Nations, with the central theme “Forests for People”, to raise awareness of the multiple values of forests and highlight success stories and challenges faced by many of the world’s forests and the people who depend on them.

Alexandra Wandel, Director of the World Future Council, says, “With the Future Policy Award we want to cast a spotlight on policies that lead by example. The aim of the World Future Council is to raise global awareness of visionary policies and speed up policy action in the interests of present and future generations.”

“Recognizing innovative forest policies is a vital component of raising awareness of the role forests play in delivering essential benefits and services for people everywhere,” says Jan McAlpine, Director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat. “This year’s Future Policy Award is particularly timely given its links to the first ever International Year of Forests 2011 and its message “Forests for People”. Since the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, forests have been viewed largely through the lens of environmental concerns; it is time that we also focus on the other tangible values forests provide, from economic benefits, including livelihoods for 1.6 billion of the poorest of the poor, to social and cultural values.”

Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Honorary Councillor of the WFC comments “These six shortlisted candidates all demonstrate leadership towards the achievement of the 2020 Biodiversity targets: halving deforestation, restoring forests worldwide and ensuring that all forests are managed sustainably. Through the implementation of these policies, we can achieve the 2050 vision, which is a future of life in harmony with nature.” 

Eduardo Rojas Briales, Assistant Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, says “The Future Policy Award presents an excellent opportunity to emphasize the important role of national policies in restoring and preserving the vital functions of forests for people and to shed some light on the world’s best practices in governing forest resources. FAO would like to encourage countries and organizations to take action on forests during the International Year of Forests and share knowledge and successful experience in forest governance.”

Factsheet of Shortlisted Policies

Bhutan: The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, especially Article 5 (Environment) (2008) and forest related policies

Article 5 of Bhutan’s Constitution states, “Every Bhutanese is a trustee of the Kingdom’s natural resources and environment for the benefit of present and future generations.” Bhutan has adopted a constitutional provision stipulating that a minimum of sixty percent of the country’s land is to be maintained under forest cover at all times and that ecologically balanced sustainable development shall be secured. With its national goal of living in harmony with nature, Bhutan has the highest proportion of forest cover (69%) and protected areas and biological corridors (51.44%) of any Asian nation, allowing indigenous people to live freely in these areas. Bhutan has shown great foresight by including provisions on forests in its constitution.

The Gambia: Community Forest Policy, initiated in 1995

The Gambian model of community forest management is an innovative success. It aims to achieve sustainable forest management and poverty alleviation by handing control of forests to the communities that use them. Despite being one of the world’s poorest countries with a rapidly growing population, Gambia has managed to buck a strong deforestation trend in the Western and Central African region by showing a net increase in forest cover of 8.5% over the last two decades. Using a phased approach, the policy includes a far reaching tenure transition of forest land from state ownership to permanent ownership by communities (which currently stands at 12% of forest lands). The policy has also achieved a reduction in illegal logging and the incidence of forest fires in community forest areas as well as contributing to the development of new markets for branch wood and other forest products which benefit women and rural populations economically.

USA: The Lacey Act with its amendment of 2008

Illegal logging and the international trade in illegal timber has been recognised as a major global problem causing environmental damage, costing producer countries billions of dollars in lost revenue, promoting corruption, undermining the rule of law and good governance and funding armed conflict. The United States have become the first country in the world to place an outright, criminally enforceable ban on the import of illegally harvested timber. The issue is addressed both nationally and internationally from the demand side by requiring that importers of wood products and subsequent handlers in the supply chain exercise due care to ensure that wood in their possession is of legal origin. The Lacey Act amendments have forced importers to take responsibility for their wood products and have already produced positive results in increasing due diligence assessments and demand for certified wood products. The Act also has the potential to significantly reduce illegal logging by withdrawing the huge rewards received by illegal loggers from the international market.

Nepal: Community Forestry Programme, initiated in 1993

Nepal’s community forestry programme has evolved towards a broad-based strategy for sustainable forest use that empowers local communities to manage forests for livelihoods while also improving forest conservation. While the government still owns the forests, decisions about income-generating activities, methods of wildlife protection and rules about forest use are made by community forest user groups which are autonomous, self-governing local institutions comprised of village residents using common forests. The forestry programme has produced a range of positive impacts, improving forest coverage and conditions in community managed areas, nurturing democracy at the grassroots level, improving employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for forest-dependent people and providing promising examples of biodiversity protection. By 2009 about 1.6 million households or 32% of the country’s population took part in the Community Forestry Programme, directly managing more than 25% of the country’s forest area and providing significant income streams to rural communities.

Rwanda: National Forest Policy, initiated in 2004 and Law N° 57/2008 relating to the prohibition of the manufacture, import, use and sale of polythene bags in Rwanda

Rwanda’s environment suffered tremendous pressure after the genocide and breakdown of law and order in 1994 due to sky-rocketing demand for wood to reconstruct the country. But despite continuing population and land pressures, Rwanda is one of only three countries in Central and Western Africa to achieve a major reversal in the trend of declining forest cover. A new National Forest Policy, aiming to make forestry one of the bedrocks of the economy and of the national ecological balance, was implemented in 2004 and Law N° 57/2008 introduced a ban on plastic bags. Massive reforestation and planting activities that promoted indigenous species and involved the local population were undertaken, and new measures such as agro-forestry and education about forest management were implemented with a variety of ecological, social and economic benefits. As a result Rwanda is on course to reach its goal of increasing forest cover to 30% of total land area by 2020.

Switzerland: Federal Act on Forests (1991) and Swiss National Forest Programme 2004-2015

The objectives of the Swiss forest policy are to promote the multi-functionality of all types of forests, guarantee sustainable forest management and by conserving forests ensure that they continue to provide benefits and services to society well into the future. The law integrates a wide-ranging set of political instruments and prohibitions, including a ban on deforestation and clear-cutting, environmentally hazardous products and the genetic modification of trees. The civil society is closely involved in forest planning and conflict resolution at different levels. Since the late 19th century the forest area has grown by about 45% and continues to expand (by 5% from 1985 to 2006) with total forest cover at 30% (56% of which is certified). There have also been beneficial impacts on green jobs, with 4.3% of those employed by the primary sector working in forestry. Through the programme the Swiss government also provides financial incentives for defence against natural hazards and the enhancement of protective forests and forest biodiversity.

Background information on the Future Policy Award

20 forest policies from 16 countries were nominated for the Future Policy Award. International organizations, including the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) members such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as others including the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) submitted the nominations.

The jury is composed of experts on sustainability and forests from all five continents and include Jan McAlpine, Director, United Nations Forum on Forests, Professor Marie Claire Cordonier Segger, Director, Center for International Sustainable Development Law, Jakob von Uexkull, Chair, World Future Council and Right Livelihood Award, Tewolde Berhan Egziabher, Director General, Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopia, Simone Lovera, Managing Co-ordinator, Global Forest Coalition and Pauline Tangiora, Maori elder from the Rongomaiwahine tribe. In the International Year on Biodiversity the Future Policy Award 2010 went to Costa Rica’s Biodiversity Law of 1998.

Bhutan’s forestry policy has been short-listed, with six others, for the Future Policy Award, which celebrates the most inspiring, innovative and influential forest policies worldwide.

The award is granted by the World Future Council, an international policy research organisation that provides decision makers with policy solutions.

Bhutan’s forestry policy is based on article 5 on environment in the Constitution of Bhutan, which states that Bhutan must maintain a forest coverage of a minimum of 60 percent for all times to come.

Bhutan is in the running with policies from Gambia, Rwanda, Nepal, Switzerland and the USA. The three winning policies, which effectively contribute to the conservation and sustainable development of forests for the benefit of current and future generations, will be announced on September 21 this year at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

This year’s theme is “Forests for People”, to raise awareness of the multiple value of forests, and highlight success stories and challenges faced by many of the world’s forests and the people, who depend on them.

The announcement will be followed by an awards ceremony hosted by the World Future

Council, the United Nations forum on forests secretariat, UN convention on biological diversity, the food and agricultural organization, and the wildlife conservation society.

“With the award, we want to cast a spotlight on policies that lead by example,” says World Future Council director, Alexandra Wandel. “The aim is to raise global awareness of visionary policies and speed up policy action in the interest of present and future generations.”

Twenty forest policies from 16 countries were nominated for the future policy awards. The jury is composed of experts on sustainability and forests from all five continents. In 2010, the international year on biodiversity, the award went to Costa Rica’s biodiversity law of 1998.

Source: Kuensel Newspaper

RELATED RESOURCES

• Press Release from World Future Council

Designation: Cleaner

1. Maintain cleanliness in Office premises.

a. Sweep and vacuum clean the floors every day.

b. Clean the tables, window glasses and office furniture fixture.

c. Mope floors once a week.

d. Dispose the garbage appropriately in time.

e. Office toilets should be kept clean at all times.

f. Dustbins of every chamber are emptied every morning.

g. Clean the tables of each chamber every day.

h. Ensure that the kitchen are kept clean at all times and dispose kitchen waste at proper place.

i. Ensure that the form is duly signed as soon as the task is done.

j. Submit the form to Adm/Finance Unit for records at the end of every month.

Designation: Care taker

1. Ensure the safety and security of the office premises at all times:

a. Ensure the safety and security of the office building and organizational assets within the office premises during non-working hours, weekends, and holidays by ensuring proper :

i.  locking of doors and windows

ii. Switching off electrical lights and appliances after use.

iii. Drawing of window curtains

iv. Switching on office verandah and surrounding lights during night and putting off in the morning.

b. Keep custody of office keys to main entrance , each floor and will be liable for any loss of Organization’s assets during the period of his/her duty.

c. Ensure gate to office premise remain closed after office hours, holidays and open during working hours.

d. Keep custody of Office whole day and night during government holidays, weekends and night during working days from 5 p.m to 9 a.m.

e. Inspect and make sure that the office surroundings are kept clean and no trashes are seen around the Office.

2. Maintenance f Register:
Maintain record of staff’s name in the register during non-working hours and holiday. Working days from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
3. Flower gardening and cleaning of office surroundings Grass cutting in office surroundings. He is responsible to the Administration/Human Resource Officer Shifting Timing:

4. Since there is two caretaker the shifting timing is as follows:

9 am to 5 p.m

5 p.m to 9 am

5. Ensure that the caretaker is around office premises at all times.

Designation: Office Assistant/Helper

Reporting Line: Adm./Human Resource Officer and Executive Director

Primary Responsibilities:

• Attend to incoming telephone calls and direct these calls to the appropriate person with due courtesy and manner.
• Assist in making outgoing calls when requested by other employees within the organization
• Provide information when requested by a outside caller
• Monitor the use of telephone for official or private purposes
• Respond to any defect of the operating system and ensure timely rectifications.
• Facilitate telephone connections to all employees within an organization
• Maintain call register and record basic for facilitating verification of calls for payment purpose.
• Update extension numbers of the employees and maintain telephone numbers of those employees and organization, who are reasonably important by virtue of their position and functions.

Assist the office works during the office hours:

• Provide tea/ coffee or refreshments for guests/ visitors to the Executive Director’s office as appropriate.
• Perform general office administrative duties as required, including: photocopying, distribute faxes received to staff members, and etc. Distribute office correspondence from reception to every staff members
• Carry out any other tasks assigned

Position:  Research Program Coordinator

I. Contract period: 3 years with possibility for extension (based on performance)

II. Probation period: 4 months

III. Reporting line: Program Manager; Executive Director

IV. Duty station: Thimphu, Bhutan

V.  Primary responsibility: To develop and coordinate RSPN’s research program in support of RSPN’s goal of enhancing and increasing the knowledge on the Bhutanese environment and sustainable livelihood.

The need for a full-fledged research program was in principle approved by the board. This approval was further strengthened by RSPN’s third strategic plan which The prioritized research. Till then, research was integrated with communications unit. The overall goal of the research unit is to enhance and increase knowledge on the Bhutanese environment and sustainable livelihoods with the following objectives:

• To contribute to the environmental and sustainable livelihood knowledge base
• To strengthen other RSPN programmes by providing research services
• To support RSPN’s advocacy programmes

Key responsibilities

1. Establishment of research unit

2. Fundraising

3. Planning

4. Implementation

5. Reporting

6. Management

Knowledge and experience

• Hold a minimum Masters degree in environmental science, natural resource management
• Has at least 5 year experience in research, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, wildlife, forest
• Has strong leadership and fund raising capability
• Exhibit analytical, technical, good writing skills through evidence of publications
• Possess negotiation, conflict management, and networking
• Computer skills and Knowledge of relevant software;

Key performance indicators

I. Position:  Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods Program Coordinator

II. Contract period: 3 years with possibility for extension (based on performance)

III. Probation period: 4 months

IV. Reporting line:  Program Manager; Executive Director

V. Duty station: Thimphu, Bhutan

VI. Primary responsibility: To coordinate development and implementation of conservation and sustainable livelihoods projects and activities in support of RSPN’s goals and objectives

VII. Key duties and responsibilities

VIII. Specific duties and responsibilities

1. Planning

2. Project management

3. Reporting

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

5. Networking and Partnership Building 

6. Management

Knowledge and experience

• Hold a minimum Masters degree or equivalent in environmental science, natural resource management
• Has at least 5 year experience in research, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, wildlife, forest
• Has strong leadership and fund raising capability
• Good writing skills
• Possess negotiation, conflict management, and networking capabilities
• Computer skills

Key performance indicators

White-bellied Heron chick in its flight pen house. Picture taken on July 2, 2011 when it was 52 days old.

Juy 7, 2011 – Today it is sixty-days old. It hatched on May 7th, 2011. It is now being fed with live fishes as well with dead fish. It stands and moves in its artificial nest in its flight pen house. It also stretches its wings and practices flapping.

Donald J. Sterner and Debra Keiko Marlow of the San Diego Zoo Safari ParkJuly 7, 2011 – For more than 30 years, Donald J. Sterner and Debra Keiko Marlow of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park have worked around the world to help save endangered birds. With an estimated global population of only about 200, the critically endangered White-bellied Herons need a lot of help to survive.

In April 2011, Don and Debbie arrived to Bhutan to help RSPN with the world’s first captive rearing of a White-bellied Heron.  All of the known White-bellied Heron eggs and chicks in Bhutan were lost last year because of predators and natural disasters, one of the reasons that RSPN decided to undertake the captive-rearing project.

The White-bellied Heron nests are very high off the ground at the end of narrow branches, making the first step in the captive rearing project — lifting the egg from the nest — a very difficult one. With teamwork and the skillful climbing of a local helper, an egg was successfully taken from the nest. With around-the-clock observation to make sure the egg was kept at the exact necessary temperature, the first-ever captive born White-bellied Heron chick hatched on 7 May 2011.

Preparing to lift egg from White-bellied Heron’s nest

Don said that watching the chick hatch, grow and thrive were the highlights of his time here. “Working with RSPN was a great experience. Working with such dedicated people who were eager to learn and try to save this bird made the experience that much more worthwhile.”

YOU Can Help Save the White-bellied Heron

Don, Debbie, and RSPN encourage you to help save the White-bellied Heron. With your efforts, we can help this critically endangered species recover. Here is what you can to do help:

• Support research on the bird in whatever way you can.
• Educate yourself, your family and your friends about the bird.
• Help keep the rivers where the birds live litter-free.
• Do not disturb the areas where the White-bellied Heron live – try to minimize your activities along the Phochu and Mochu.
• Big trees are prime nesting sites, so please leave these gentle giants standing.

Reported by: Rachel Sayre, Intern, RSPN