Key results, experiences, and lessons learnt from the European Union-funded Support to Rural Livelihoods and Climate Change Adaptation in the Himalaya (Himalica) Programme were shared during the meeting. Delegates from ICIMOD shared findings and information with representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservation (MoNREC), the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism, Yezin Agriculture University, development partners, and donor agencies.

David Molden, ICIMOD’s Director General, highlighted the key challenges and opportunities for people in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), including strategies and actions needed to sustain mountains and improve the lives and livelihoods of over one-fifth of the world’s population, which lives in the region.

Johann Hesse, Head of the Cooperation Section of the European Union Delegation to Myanmar, talked about the European Union’s intention to strengthen regional cooperation for sustainable mountain development in the HKH. Hesse appreciated Himalica’s efforts to do so by building the resilience of poor and vulnerable rural mountain communities of the region, including Myanmar.

The participants appreciated the relevance of the Himalica interventions and agreed to replicate some of the successful actions piloted by ICIMOD in upland areas of Myanmar for resilience building.

The meeting was part of a three-day visit of ICIMOD delegates to Myanmar. Over the course of the three days, ICIMOD delegates held meetings with Yezin Agriculture University and Yangon University to talk about the Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) and the need to enhance the capacity of Myanmar-based academic institutions to conduct cross-disciplinary research in sustainable mountain development through collaboration with other higher education institutions in the HKH and beyond.

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