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  Issue no. 10 | November 2020  
  Indo-German Biodiversity Programme Newsletter  
Programme newsletter header
  This newsletter shares project updates and thematic news from our programme
A service by IGBP, GIZ
 
 
 
  Dear Reader,

In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Biodiversity Summit on 30 September 2020 resonated with the ‘relationship between people and nature’ and the need for ‘urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development’. One of the key messages from the Summit was the unique opportunity presented by the pandemic for a “green reset”. We saw renewed global commitments to protect biodiversity by engaging all stakeholders and the rising need for green recovery measures to boost economic growth. Countries agreed that ‘Investing in nature means investing in a sustainable future for all’.

Many themes regained focus such as One-Health, green recovery and nature-based solutions. Some of these also find resonance in our IGBP projects in the form of Biodiversity Action Plans for farmers which protect biodiversity on and around the farm; improving the quality and supply of ecosystem services from forests to the communities with enhanced livelihood opportunities; improving the resilience of wetlands with ecosystem-based measures; and mitigating human-wildlife conflict with a holistic approach that supports harmonious coexistence. 2020 also saw the tenth anniversary of the Nagoya Protocol with a focus on 'the ABS we all need'. For us at IGBP, two projects on ‘Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Services’ and ‘Access and Benefit-Sharing’ are drawing to a close this December.

As the year draws to an end we bring to you our tenth and last newsletter for 2020 with stories on project interventions from the north and the south of India. We thank you for your continuous support and welcome your feedback and ideas towards further improving our engagement with you. May the coming year bring us closer to our collective aim of ‘Living in harmony with nature’.

Stay safe and healthy.


Warmly,
Ravindra, Poonam, Geetha and Neha
 
   
 
Updates from the Projects
» Access and Benefit-Sharing
» Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Services
» Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
» Private Business Action for Biodiversity
» Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection
Spotlight
» Zonation for Forest Management in Himachal Pradesh
» Training Community Resource Persons on Access and Benefit-Sharing
Experiences from Partners and Beneficiaries
» Testimony for the HP-FES Project from Ghanduri
» Combating COVID-19: Testimony from Loharlari
Upcoming Events
About the Programme
 
  Updates from the Projects  
 
Access and Benefit-Sharing
 
National Biodiversity Authority launches 'Simply Explained' videos on 17th Foundation Day
Short animations produced by the project on the Biodiversity Act, Biodiversity Management Committees and People’s Biodiversity Registers were released by NBA on 1 October.
 
  Watch teaser »  
 
Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Services
©Hira Lal
 
Training for Communities and Forest Department in Himachal
Training sessions on birding, eco-sensitive tourism, cooking and homestays and solid waste management were jointly organised with the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in 2020.
 
  News »  
 
Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation
 
National Action Plan to Mitigate Human-Wildlife Conflict
An online national-level workshop on developing the HWC-National Action Plan (NAP) and Guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for HWC mitigation in India was organised on 13 October.
 
  News »  
 
Private Business Action for Biodiversity
 
Biodiversity Finance for Healthy Landscapes
The project facilitated a session at the Global Landscape Forum Biodiversity Digital Conference on 28 October 2020. The session highlighted promising trends in sustainable finance.
 
  News »  
 
Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection
©GIZ/Neha Owaisy
 
Virtual training on Wetland Rules
A two-day training on Wetland Rules was organised for wetland managers of Tamil Nadu Forest Department from 19-20 October, jointly with the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority and Wetlands International South Asia.
 
  News »  
 
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  Spotlight  
 
Zonation for Forest Management
A Micro Planning Approach For Ecosystem Services in Himachal Pradesh
Forests provide many ecosystem services such as fuel, fodder, food, timber and drinking water to communities that live nearby. Those living further away still benefit from the forests’ regulation of water flow and also visit the forest for recreation. Usually, there is no clear planning on optimizing these benefits and people settle for minimal outputs from the forest. But what if all users and stakeholders agree to a particular use/s from the forest land allocated? What if there is an alternative approach? We can dedicate sections of land as zones, based on their respective ecosystem service uses, as ‘Ecosystem Service Zones’. Once agreed upon by all stakeholders, an ecosystem service zone-based approach will optimize the flow of ecosystem services.
 
  Keep reading »  
 
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Zone-wise management map of prioritised Forest Ecosystem Services at a demonstration site ©GIZ/Aashima Negi
Training Community Resource Persons on ABS
Capacity Development of Trainers and Panchayats in Tamil Nadu
Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) in India embody the spirit of local self-governance. Currently, there are 2,66,509 BMCs across different states in India. Their main functions include documenting the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) and promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Partnership Project took a systematic approach towards capacity development in 12 block-level pilot BMCs in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu. Beginning with a capacity needs assessment, it developed training modules for BMC members with a unique programme to encourage communities to take charge of their BMCs.
 
  Keep reading »  
 
Image
Participants in a training at Pallaiyur Village Panchayat Office, Nagapattinam district ©Mr. Doulos New Begin
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  Experiences from Partners and Beneficiaries  
 
Testimony for the HP-FES Project from Ghanduri
“No water means no life! We hope that the project activities will lead to an increase in water level at the source in the future.”
Agriculture is the main source of income for communities at Ghanduri, a demonstration site of the HP-FES project, and the nearby hamlets. Read how the project interventions will improve the forest composition and improve the water flow for irrigation security for these communities.
 
  Keep reading »  
 
Image
©GIZ/Aashima Negi
Combating COVID-19: Testimony from Loharlari
"We reached out to the community to provide them with an employment opportunity during the lockdown. Instead they volunteered to prepare the masks for free!”
Loharlari, a demonstration site of the HP-FES project, is home to a proactive women’s Self-Help Group who supported the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in preparing masks for the needy and generating awareness in their community during the lockdown.
 
  Keep reading »  
 
Image
©Ashwani Kumar
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  Upcoming Events  
 
Webinars: Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, 1 Dec 2020 - Jan 2021
»  https://www.cbd.int/article/dsi-webinar-series-2020
World Soil Day, 5 December 2020
»  https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-soil-day
International Mountain Day, 11 December 2020
»  https://www.un.org/en/observances/mountain-day
 
  About the Programme  
 
  IGBP
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, in partnership with GIZ India is implementing the Indo-German Biodiversity Programme (IGBP).

Commissioned in India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the programme addresses the challenges of biodiversity conservation in five projects:

• Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
• Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Services (HPFES)
• Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (HWC)
• Private Business Action for Biodiversity (PBAB)
Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection
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