Capacity building of graduates and earlier career researchers in environmental field is one of the priorities of areas of SEN. We organize different workshops, seminars, and training targeting university graduates and researchers to equip them with necessary tools and skills in the research field. In addition, we organize national and international conference to bring together scientists, researchers, policymakers and students to share knowledge and learn from each other. Such platforms have not only enhanced the knowledge and skills of researchers but also have bridged scientists and graduates/researchers.
Some of the capacity building projects we have been carrying out in Nepal and the Himalayan regions are as below:
Climate change is severely impacting the socio-economic conditions of the small watershed in south Asia thus leading to increasing poverty and food insecurity. The existing traditional practices are not capable of coping with the rapidly emerging climate change risks in these climate change risk vulnerable areas. Sustainable watershed management practices may enhance the resilience of natural resources to climate change risks (floods/droughts) but lack of knowledge, training, resources, and awareness are the main impediments in changing the local community attitude and behavior towards a positive change. Nevertheless, significant funding has been allocated by the international donors for climate research involving simulation modelling for forecasting and assessments of climate risks and impacts but promoting climate risk reduction/mitigation through adaptation practices on farm were largely overlooked. Therefore, stimulated adoption of climate risk resilient practices are urgently required to cope with the emerging climate risks. Addressing these issues, this project is aimed to pursue sustainable management practices on climate risk vulnerable watersheds of South Asia through capacity building of key stakeholders (professionals, farmers and service provider) and sharing of regional knowledge, innovative practices and strengthening linkages for promoting sustainable management of climate change vulnerable watersheds in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) hosted a ‘Graduate’s Course on Surface Water – Ground Water Interaction: From Watershed Processes to Hyporheic Exchange’ that was organized in Kathmandu from 13 to 19 November 2016. SEN partnered in this capacity building effort together with the Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, University of Calgary, Canada and United States Geological Survey, USA. The course was targeted to the graduate students, young researchers and planers to learn about the basic ideas of surface water, groundwater, and their interactions. Twenty-seven participants representing academic institutions, research organizations, government agencies and recent graduates attended the course.