About the meeting  

A delegation of four distinguished scholars in the fields of agriculture sciences from Michigan State University (MSU) and Kathmandu University (KU) colleagues will meet with colleagues from the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to understand the mutual interests, strengths, and needs in capacity development and bridging science-policy-practice for climate resilient agriculture and water-energy-food-ecology nexus in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH). It is part of an exploration of the potential to host a Node in Bhutan and Nepal of the USDA Asia Hub, or to collaborate with the Node.

Objectives

• Build mutual understanding of common interests, strengths, and needs in capacity development and bridging science-policy-practice for climate-resilient agriculture and water-energy-food-ecology nexus in the HKH.
• It is part of an exploration of the potential to host a Node in Bhutan and Nepal of the USDA Asia Hub or to collaborate with that Node.

Participants

USDA Michigan State University

1. Dr Yadu Pokhrel, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
2. Dr Steven Pueppke, Professor and Senior Scientist, Asia Hub
3. Dr Jiaguo Qi, Professor and Director, Asia Hub
4. Titus Awokuse, Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Partnerships, International Studies and Programs

Kathmandu University

1. Professor Dr Bim Prasad Shrestha, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering

Himalayan University Consortium

1. Dr Chi H Truong (Shachi), Secretariat Lead, Ex-officio Steering Committee Member
2. Dr Chubbamenla Jamir, Co-Lead, Thematic Working Group on Mountain Agriculture (virtual participation)
3. Dr Graham (Grady) Walker, University of Reading, Co-Lead, TWG on Mountain Agriculture (virtual participation)
4. Dr Christina Justice, University of Maryland, Understanding Risk Himalayan Climate Data Field Lab, Kathmandu, 13 May - 7 June

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

1. Dr Pema Gyamtsho, Director General, ICIMOD
2. Dr Babar Khan, Action Area Coordinator, Building Institutions for Regional Cooperation and Collaboration
3. Dr Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Senior Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics Specialist, SERVIR, ICIMOD
4. Sravan Shrestha, Senior Associate, SERVIR, ICIMOD

Background

This meeting is a follow-up to a meeting on 14 February 2024, when a delegation of three USDA fellows and other KU colleagues, headed by the Chief of Scientific advisory committee to the Prime Minister of Nepal, visited ICIMOD.

About the organiser

The Himalayan University Consortium (est. 2007) has its mandate to develop an effective, sustainable network of universities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, in collaboration with academic research and knowledge-generating and exchange institutions both within and outside the region.  This network engages top-notch professional women and men capable of undertaking high-quality research, education, teaching, and knowledge dissemination in service of a mountain-specific, sustainable, fair and inclusive development for HKH communities and adjoining mountainous areas. The Consortium’s eleven-member Steering Committee and a Secretariat coordinate with member institutions in network building, partnership enhancing, collaboration promoting, resource sharing and fundraising activities.  The Secretariat is hosted by the ICIMOD and funded through the generous support of ICIMOD’s core donors: the Governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.