Upcoming event: Biotrade and Green Economy Week in Nepal
Capacity Building for Biotrade Biotrade and Green Economy Week in Nepal
Date: 31 May – 4 June 2011
Organized Jointly by: Nepal’s Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MOCS)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB)
in cooperation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Nepal is endowed with abundant biodiversity and natural resources. A major share of national economy and well being of its people heavily depend on sustainability and use of these resources. For example, forests – the depositories of biodiversity and genetic resources – cover some 29% of the total land area and provide livelihoods, food security and climatic stability in addition to exportable products.
A study by UNEP and ICIMOD documented that Nepal’s bioresources in the international trade are mostly wild in origin. There is a need to strengthen this sector both in terms of building its supply side capacities and ensuring sustainability of the resources.
The policymakers, development partners and businesses are increasingly recognizing the vital role that sustainable production and trade of biodiversity resources play in stimulating and sustaining economic development. The Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2010 identifies natural products as amongst the most desirable and rapidly growing exports. For instance, exports of tea and ginger grew by 36.1% and 34.0% respectively between 2004 and 2008. Maintaining and increasing export growth in a ecologically sustainable manner will require close cooperation between stakeholders in both the policy and business communities.
UNEP, with the support of GIZ is providing capacity building support to Nepal under the Capacity Building for Biotrade project. It is part of a bigger project that is also being implemented in Namibia and Peru and in cooperation with UNCTAD. Activities under this project include national studies to identify the potential of biotrade for catalyzing a shift to a green economy, making a business case for investing in biodiversity businesses and supply chains and organizing capacity building and awareness raising events.
Under this project, MOCS, UNEP, GIZ and ANSAB are jointly organizing a Biotrade week in Nepal from 30 May to 4 June 2011. The events during the week will include:
- A national workshop on “Biotrade and Green Economy: A business opportunity with export, poverty reduction and conservation benefits”.
- A workshop for stakeholders from export and trade sector “Biotrade: A Business Perspective.”
- “Role of Biodiversity in Investments, Exports and Poverty Reduction: A debriefing with decision-makers from public and private sector”.
- A consultation meeting with development partners on “Aid for Biotrade and Green Economy: Briefing for Bilateral and Multilateral Development Partners”.
- A Public Forum on the Role of the Media in Promoting Biotrade and Green Economy.