FAO Director-General attends MoU signing ceremony on sustainable mountain development, launch event of the Global Health Security Programme

Kathmandu - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu on Friday attended the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining a five-year collaborative framework between FAO and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to promote sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.

“As we navigate the intricate landscapes of challenges faced by mountain communities and vulnerable populations, FAO stands committed to forging a robust partnership with ICIMOD,” the Director-General said. “Together, we cultivate resilience, sow the seeds of sustainable development, and contribute to agrifood systems transformation.”

The MoU focuses on areas of common interest, such as sustainable and inclusive agriculture, food and nutrition security, climate change adaptation, as well as capacity building for local communities, particularly women, youth, and vulnerable groups. Both parties aim to achieve these goals through joint activities, projects, and knowledge sharing, ultimately improving the livelihoods and well-being of mountain communities in Nepal and Bhutan.

The ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge-sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the HKH region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. The HKH region is a vast area, encompassing mountain ranges stretching from the Hindu Kush range in northern Afghanistan to the Arakan range in Myanmar, with the Himalayan range as its spine, and also includes the Tibetan Plateau. ICIMOD promotes and fosters partnerships amongst the HKH members in an effort to secure a better future for the people and the environment across the region.

The Director-General attended the signing ceremony on the second day of his three-day visit to Nepal, which also saw him pay a visit to the National Agriculture Genetic Resource Centre (NAGRC) and the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL).

The CVL is the national reference centre for the diagnosis of animal diseases in Nepal. FAO, through several projects and initiatives, has been contributing to strengthening the capacity of CVL in the timely detection of priority diseases such as highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, economically important transboundary animal diseases such as Lumpy Skin Disease and African Swine Fever, and neglected zoonotic diseases such as the Glanders and Rabies.

During his visit to the centre, the Director-General attended a launch event of the Global Health Security Programme (Animal Health Component).

Funded by USAID, the Global Health Security Programme (GHSP) aims to strengthen the health systems of Nepal in tackling prioritized zoonotic diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through an inclusive One Health approach. In animal health, the project will support the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and Provincial Livestock Ministries in strengthening veterinary laboratories and epidemiological capacities of the national veterinary services to reduce the threats of prioritized zoonotic diseases and AMR. The project will also support private sector and small and medium-holder commercial farmers in strengthening biosecurity measures and promoting the rational use of antimicrobials.

Under this project, launched in October 2023 and to be implemented until September 2027, FAO is focusing on strengthening animal health systems and promoting evidence-based policies and practices to reduce the risk of disease emergence.