April, 201909

Nepal Development Research Institute

Research for Sustainable Development

NDRI Celebration: 15 Years of Excellence

NDRI has completed its 15 splendid years with a vision to become a Center of Excellence for Policy Research, Education and Sustainable Development. To celebrate jubilant years of its establishment, NDRI organized its 15th Annual General Meeting on October 9, 2018 in Kathmandu.

The program was chaired by Prof. Dr. Madhav Prasad Pokharel (President of NDRI) and Er. Ganesh Shah (former Minister of Environment, Science and Technology) was the Chief Guest of the program. NDRI members, staff and other distinguished guests including Dr. Sunil Babu Shrestha (Vice-chancellor of NAST), the first NDRI fellow Mr. Madhukar KC, Mr. Suryaman Sakya (Kathmandu University), Dr. Maheshwar Rupakheti (Scientific Project Leader, IASS) and Ms. Maiya Bisankhe (Oxford Publication) participated in the program. Mr. Madhukar KC and Er. Ganesh Shah shared their experiences and remarks as being associated with NDRI and wished for the better future of the organization.

Annual Report of NDRI for the fiscal year 2074/075 and NDRI Newsletter Issue 8 were released in the program. On behalf of NDRI, Dr. Jaya Kumar Gurung (Executive Director) presented a snapshot of NDRI’s activities during the fiscal year 2074/075. Mr. Krishna Karki was honored in the program for his remarkable and untiring 10 years service as office assistant at NDRI.

Ministry of Communication and Information Technology is about to launch ‘Digital Nepal Framework’ with the concept to unlock Nepal’s growth potential in the near future. The Digital Nepal Framework is a blueprint that provides a roadmap on how digital initiatives can contribute to economic growth, find innovative ways to solve major challenges facing society in a shorter period with fewer resources, and identify opportunities for Nepal to participate in the global economy. The Digital Nepal Framework encompasses One Nation, Eight Sectors (Digital Foundation, Agriculture, Health, Education, Energy, Tourism, Finance and Urban Infrastructure) and 80 Digital Initiatives. NDRI is privileged to work with Ministry of Information and Communication Technology in the process of preparing the ‘Digital Nepal Framework’ which is a revolutionary footstep towards Digital Nepal initiative. NDRI in coordination with Frost and Sullivan, has prepared the Nepali version of the document and submitted to the Ministry. It signifies that NDRI holds wide range of expertise to work in multi-sectoral environment.

In this issue:

à NDRI Celebration: 15 Years of Excellence

à Nepal: Towards Digital Era

à Initiative to Mycotoxin Mitigation in Agricultural Products

à Use of Technology Against Mycotoxin

à Bhardeu as an Opportunity

à Development and Cultural Change Forum, Hiroshima University, Japan

à Ethnicity, Language and Cultural Prosperity of Karnali

à Knowledge Sharing Training on Mycotoxin

à Groundwork for Overall Development of Karnali

à Significance of Scientific Writing in Research

à WASTESAFE Conference 2019, Khulna, Bangladesh

à Congratulations!

à Landslide Study

Biannual Issue

Nepal: Towards Digital Era

NDRI

A stakeholder consultation workshop on mycotoxin mitigation for health, nutrition, agricultural products, and prosperity in South Asia was held at NAST on November 30, 2018. The workshop was organized by USAID, Feed the Future Nutrition Innovation Lab in collaboration with NAST, NDRI, HKI, Tufts University and Kansas State University. Distinguished guests from the Government of Nepal, development partners as well as national and international stakeholders attended the program. The goal of the workshop was to promote multi-sectoral stakeholder’s engagement in mitigation of mycotoxins exposure. Consequently, it has been expected to help bring positive impacts on agriculture, post harvest loss, health and nutrition in South-Asia.

Laboratory set up at NAST for an analysis of mycotoxin in a framework of project entitled “Characterizing Prevalence of Mycotoxins in Value Chain Crops and Livestock Feed in Western Nepal”, was officially inaugurated on the same day.

Core Collaborative representatives from MoHP, NHRC, Post Harvest Loss Innovation Lab, Nutrition Innovation Lab Tufts University, Ministry of Agriculture, NARC, Planning Commission Nepal, Mars, Livestock Systems Innovation Lab, NAST, NDRI, HKI and USAID discussed to develop strategies and action plans to move forward in a round table meeting.

Demonstration cum Training Session of BAU-STR Dryer was co-hosted by NAST, NDRI and HKI with an aid from USAID and Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Post-Harvest Loss Reduction on December 2, 2018, at NAST in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal. BAU STR dryer is an effective alternative method for reducing post-harvest loss of staple crops due to mycotoxin. The demonstration and training were conducted by Prof. Dr. Md Monjurul Alam and Dr. Chayan Kumer Saha from Bangladesh Agricultural University with an objective to build awareness and knowledge on crops drying, to know how to set and operate BAU-STR dryer and to build capacity on repair and maintenance of the dryer. Having thus, demonstrated the BAU-STR Dryer was donated to NARC and HKI.

Representing NDRI, Dr. Manjeshwori Singh attended 117th Study Session of the “Development and Cultural Change” Forum held in Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation (IDEC), Hiroshima University, Japan on October 27-28, 2018, organized by The Open University of Japan and Hiroshima University, Japan. Dr. Singh presented a paper on “Value Chain of Potato in Nepal: Current Practice and Perception of Producers and Traders” during the technical session of the seminar. The seminar was a part of academic exercise under the JSPS research project (15H05253), headed by Dr. Akinobu Kawai, Professor, The Open University of Japan.

NDRI has taken an initiative to make Bhardeu as a smart village and has been involving in preliminary studies of the village. The objective of the ‘Bhardeu Project’ is to graduate Bhardeu as an eco-village by enhancing socio-economic development and promoting local entrepreneurships. With this mission, young researchers from NDRI made a trip to Bhardeu on December 24, 2018 to conduct detailed field survey, which was led by Dr. Nawa Raj Khatiwada. The team comprised researchers working in Agriculture, Health, Education, Information Technology and Media sector.

The overnight stay at the village was arranged for the research team to adjust in the local environment. The unique experience is believed to be very helpful for them to identify the prospects and challenges of launching new programs in Bhardeu. The information collected from respective sectors was very helpful to identify the socio-economic and socio-demographic status of the village, which could be crucial for further research as well.

Development and Cultural Change Forum, Hiroshima University, Japan

Bhardeu as an Opportunity

Use of Technology Against Mycotoxin

Initiative to Mycotoxin Mitigation in Agricultural Products

NDRI, in coordination with Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province carried out a research project on Ethnicity, Language and Cultural Prosperity of Karnali Province in 2018. This project has aimed mainly to explore the current status of various ethnic groups, their mother tongues and cultures of the Karnali Province. Other objectives are: to carry out field study on social, linguistic and cultural status, power, prosperity, limitation and problems of Karnali Province; to mention some potential ways to solve the problems; to provide suggestion for how rapid and sustainable social, linguistic and cultural development is possible in justifiable manner; to mention the social, linguistic and cultural development programs of Karnali and to find ways for implementing those programs.

The project was led by Prof. Dr. Madhav Prasad Pokharel and other team members were Dr. Dipendra Rokaya, Dr. Aparna Pokharel and Ms. Pratigya Regmi. Although the project duration was significantly short (one month), the research team spent 11 days (Nov. 12-22, 2018) in the field and collected primary information on the basis of specified objectives. The final report has been submitted to the Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province. The research report presents the guidelines for social, cultural and linguistic developments of Karnali, which could contribute as the significant stepping step of overall development of the Province. Along with this, the study concludes that it is mandatory to preserve and proper transmission of language, religion, culture and folklore to the new generation.

NDRI in collaboration with NAST organized one day intensive training on mycotoxin at NAST, Khumaltar. The training was held on February 28, 2019, which was lectured by Dr. Jagger Harvey (Director, PHLIL, KSU). The participants of the workshop were young scientists from NDRI, NARC, NAST, faculties and researchers of Tribhuvan University and Purbanchal University. Dr. Jagger presented scope of mycotoxin study in a global perspective; history, purpose and various methods of mycotoxin analysis; major fungi and mycotoxins associated with pre- and post-harvest products; and effect of mycotoxin toxicity in humans and animals in a comprehensive manner.

As the field is new for many young Nepalese scientists, the participants were very curious and eager to hear the lectures. The participants also expressed their satisfaction with the training and showed keen interest to have such trainings in future too, especially in the lab part of sample processing and mycotoxin analysis. At the end of the training, Prof. Dr. Gopal K.C, (IAAS, TU) presented in short about the equipment supplied by FTF-PHLIL project to NAST which were vital for sample processing and mycotoxin analysis.

Karnali Province Planning Commission organized 2 days’ workshop on preparation of foundation paper for overall development of the Province on January 18-19, 2019 at Birendranagar, Surkhet. In the program, altogether 26 discussion papers on some major concerned areas regarding overall economic development strategy such as energy, water resources, tourism, natural and cultural heritages, information and technology, and climate change were presented by the experts. Experts from NDRI together with that of Governmental, Non-Governmental and other Private Sectors including Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Frost and Sullivan and Sanothimi Campus were active participants in the program.

On behalf of NDRI, Prof. Dr. Madhav Prasad Pokharel presented a paper on Cultural Prosperity of Karnali Province. Similarly, a paper on Karnali Province entitled ‘Potentiality and Development of Water, Energy and Mineral Resources’ was presented by Dr. Jaya Kumar Gurung and Dr. Nawa Raj Khatiwada presented a foundation paper of the periodic plan workshop on Rapid Economic Development of Karnali: Physical Infrastructure and Development. Honorable Chief Minister and Chair of Planning Commission of Karnali Province Mr. Mahendra Bahadur Sahi expressed his concluding remarks on earlier development of Karnali and current need of experts and their expertise for overall economic development. Last but not least, respected Minster for Economic Affairs Mr. Prakash Jwala and the Vice-Chair of Planning Commission Prof. Dr. Punya Prasad Regmi put their valuable points on the overall economic development of the Province.

Ethnicity, Language and Cultural Prosperity of Karnali

Knowledge Sharing Training on Mycotoxin

Groundwork for Overall Development of Karnali

Significance of Scientific Writing in Research

With the aim of instilling a notion of capacity building among young researchers, NDRI organized a Scientific Writing Workshop on January 25, 2019 at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka. All in-house NDRI researchers and fellow researchers from NAST, HKI and TU were attendees at the workshop. The main presenter on the workshop was Dr. John Leslie. He is a distinguished University professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS). He is also recognized as one of the experts at the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Reduction of Post-Harvest Loss (PHLIL) and has been working on a mycotoxin-related study in Nepal in collaboration with NDRI. The workshop was focused on various aspects of writing research papers

and getting them published. Following the presentation, group discussion was conducted and the conclusion was presented groupwise among the participants.

During the presentation, he focused on the usual format that comprised of: Introduction, Methodology, Result and Discussion of a scientific paper. He emphasized on the need and ways of communicating in an organized and simplified form of scientific writings in publication, conference proceedings and oral/poster presentations. Communication of scientific writing provides a valuable benchmark to the researcher’s effort. At the end of the workshop, Dr. Gurung extended a vote of thanks to Dr. Leslie for an interesting, productive, and interactive workshop. The workshop was concluded with a felicitation program for Dr. Leslie and closing remarks from Dr. Nawa Raj Khatiwada.

Representing NDRI, Dr. Nawa Raj Khatiwada, Dr. Shankar Shrestha and Ms. Monica Maharjan attended WASTESAFE 2019 (6th International Conference on Integrated Solid Waste and Faecal Sludge Management in South-Asian Countries) held in Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna, Bangladesh from February 23 to 24, 2019. Dr. Khatiwada was one of the key note speakers while Dr. Shrestha and Ms. Maharjan presented two papers during technical sessions. The conference was also marked by the participation of private sector (Nepsemyak Pvt. Ltd.), local government (Dhankuta Municipality) and Kathmandu University from Nepal.

WASTESAFE, a highly-esteemed conference for solid waste management, is held every two years in Bangladesh. There were participants from Germany, Italy, Japan, Zimbabwe, India, Nepal and Bangladesh this year.

NDRI family is delighted to share happiness that Prof. Dr. Punya Prasad Regmi (Founder Member, NDRI) and Dr. Deependra Rokaya (General Member, NDRI) are nominated as a Vice-president and Member of Planning Commission, Karnali Province respectively. NDRI family organized a felicitation program to congratulate Prof. Dr. Regmi and Dr. Rokaya at NDRI on November 23, 2018. NDRI Family wishes for their successful tenure!

With an aim to find the proper mitigation measures for occurrence of landslide at Budhanilkantha-5 on August 28, 2018, NDRI carried out a research project in coordination with Vulnerable Landslide Management Project. The main objective of the project is to conduct ERT, Geological and Engineering survey on the landslide area and prepare detailed estimate of landslide mitigation measures with master plan of the landslide mitigation. The duration of the project is 3 months and currently, the final report preparation is in progress.

WASTESAFE Conference 2019, Khulna, Bangladesh

Congratulations! Landslide Study

Pulchowk, Lalitpur, P.O. Box: 8975, EPC 2201, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977-1-5554975, 5537362 Fax: +977-1-5537362 E-mail: info@ndri.org.np Web: www.ndri.org.np