Kathmandu.- A "Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Policy Studies" was organized by Development Vision-Nepal (P) Ltd. (DVN) on 6 July 2015 in Jawalakhel, Nepal. DVN is involved in conducting two policy studies for the Ministry of Agricultural Development with the support from International Fund for Agriculture Development and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The studies are: (a) Policy Study on the Capacity of Smallholders and Landless Rural Poor in Nepal to Manage Risk, Uncertainty and Vulnerability Related to the Effects of Climate Change and Natural Disasters (CCND); and (b) Policy Study on the Capacity of Smallholders and Landless Rural Poor in Nepal to Manage Risk, Uncertainty and Vulnerability Associated with Price Volatility, Market Integration and Value Chains (market forces).

The objectives of the workshop were to obtain suggestions and feedback on the priority concerns to be addressed by the smallholder and landless rural poor oriented policy contributing to adapt and mitigate the effects of CCND and market forces.

Specific objectives related to this major objective are to: (a) validate findings on the policy concerns identified from the desk review; (b) gather comments about the practicalities of implementation of policy recommendations identified for addressing the CCND and market forces related issues; and (c) obtain policy suggestions. The Workshop was chaired by Honourable Member of National Planning Commission Dr. Bimala Rai Poudyal and participants were from the Ministry of Agricultural Development, projects, Agro-enterprise Centre, media, FAO and the policy study team members of DVN.