Himalayan Agroecology Initiative: Pioneering sustainable food systems in India, Bhutan, and Nepal

Agriculture in the Himalayas has received a boost with a multi-stakeholder initiative to fortify the resilience of farmers dealing with climate crisis impacts.

Backed by global think tank World Future Council and IFOAM – Organics International (https://www.ifoam.bio), the Himalayan Agroecology Initiative (HAI) (https://www.ifoam.bio/himalayan-agroecology-initiative-pioneering-sustainable) will enhance biodiversity, favor sustainable agriculture practices, create strong value chains, and strengthen smallholder livelihoods. Targeting farmers in India, Bhutan, and Nepal, the initiative hopes to create a blueprint and act as a “flagship for expansion of sustainable food systems” globally.

Ulaç Demirag, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) director for India, said “Sustainable food systems and natural farming are increasingly at the forefront of India’s national development goals. We welcome this collaborative opportunity to strengthen Himalayan food systems, which play a significant role in overall food security in the region.”

The Himalayan Agroecology Initiative launched in 2024, and includes partners Alliance of Biodiversity International – CIAT, UNDP India, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) in Nepal, and the Tarayana Foundation (https://www.tarayanafoundation.org) in Bhutan.

India: CIAT (https://alliancebioversityciat.org) and UNDP India work have experience in biodiversity, environmental management, and nutritional security.

Nepal: LI-BIRD (https://libird.org) spearheads the initiative on agroecology; it is known for participatory research methodologies and focus on climate adaptation through community resilience building, agrobiodiversity conservation, and sustainable natural resource management.

Bhutan: The Tarayana Foundation, the key partner, is dedicated to grassroots development and improving the lives of marginalized communities.

Source: IFOAM – Organics International

To view source article, visit: https://www.ifoam.bio/himalayan-agroecology-initiative-pioneering-sustainable

Organic & Non-GMO Insights October 2024