Economic Analysis Division

Large parts of the HKH region continue to remain on the periphery of development, despite relatively more progress in the plains. Livelihoods are precarious and poverty is widespread region. It is now increasingly being realized that the economic relevance and effectiveness of development efforts need to be improved significantly in order to promote sustainable livelihood options and alleviate poverty. In order to better address economic issues and enhance the economic relevance of ICIMOD’s work in regional member countries (RMCs), ICIMOD has created an Economic Analysis Division (EAD). The primary function of the Division is to provide analytical and methodological inputs on economic issues to the three strategic programmes; as such it does not have any major projects of its own. EAD also carries out special studies that address regional economic issues such as the food crisis, water sharing issues and transboundary trade. Put together, the above outputs will enable EAD to develop knowledge products to share with partners across the HKH region and enhance their capacity to utilise economic tools to address relevant economic issues related to mountain development.

Objectives

1. Provide analytical inputs on economic, environmental and development issues to the three strategic programmes
2. Carry out special studies/analyse on relevant topics and issues such as value chains, marketing, policy analysis and developing schemes for payment for environmental services, as well as developing appropriate methodologies, approaches and institutional mechanisms
3. Identify and compile data sets in Regional Member Countries on relevant issues such as poverty, livelihoods, remittances, migration and population, as well topical economic issues related to such  things as transboundary trade, the food crisis, water sharing and tourism
4. Update on international literature on the relevant topics and their applications and work towards tailoring this knowledge for applications in ICIMOD’s existing programme
5. Develop networks of professionals and institutions in the region for carrying out research on specialized economic and environmental subjects that are of high relevance to the mountain areas and also fit within the ICIMOD’s strategy

Activities

• Value chain analysis of high value products such as medicinal and aromatic plants and honey
• Applied research on the payment for environmental services in selected watersheds
• Economic valuation of biodiversity resources
• Community carbon forestry
• Renewable energy options in the rangelands
• Economic estimation of damage due to floods
• Impact of migration and remittances on the socioeconomic and environmental context of the HKH region

Contact Information