Ulaanbaatar: Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Mishra, has highlighted the necessity of international partnerships, technical cooperation, and innovative financial mechanisms to mitigate the risks posed by land degradation, desertification, drought, and climate change.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Secretary Mishra, representing Nepal at COP-17 under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Mongolia, emphasized the severe impacts of increasing land degradation in the Himalayan and mountain regions on ecosystems, biodiversity, and local communities’ livelihoods. He stressed the critical role of international cooperation in addressing these issues.
Nepal has set an ambitious target to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, with land conservation, restoration, and sustainable management being integrated into national development plans. Secretary Mishra noted that various programs targeting land conservation and sustainable development are underway, supported by all three levels of government.
Community participation has been central to Nepal’s restoration efforts, with community forests playing a significant role in conserving biodiversity, restoring degraded lands, mitigating climate change, and enhancing local livelihoods. However, Dr. Mishra pointed out that climate change introduces new challenges, such as changing rainfall patterns, sudden floods, soil erosion, landslides, droughts, and forest fires, which threaten the progress made in land restoration.
Acknowledging Nepal’s limited technical and financial resources to manage land degradation risks, Dr. Mishra called for increased international support and cooperation. He underscored the need for deeper partnerships, technical cooperation, innovative financial mechanisms, and private sector involvement to address the challenges effectively.
Secretary Mishra also highlighted that the ecological benefits from Nepal’s mountainous and hilly areas extend beyond national borders, reinforcing the need for international collaboration to prevent land degradation. He stressed the importance of ensuring easy access to financial resources and technology for local communities.
Dr. Mishra concluded by urging for evidence-based knowledge, affordable technology, and effective partnerships involving governments, communities, indigenous groups, youth, women, scientists, development partners, and the private sector. He emphasized that international funds and technology should reach communities engaged in landscape restoration and livelihood improvement.
In his address, Secretary Mishra expressed gratitude to the Mongolian government and people for hosting COP-17 and appreciated the UNCCD Secretariat for its leadership in land degradation, desertification, drought, and sustainable land management.