Project Title: Land use Transition and Human Health in the Eastern Himalayas: An Adaptive Ecosystem Approach

General objective : The goal of the project is to reduce the vulnerability of mountain people to human health issues caused by land use change through promoting ecosystem approaches to human health in the Himalayan region

Objectives :

• To verify the main causes for malnutrition amongst shifting cultivators in terms of food intake and to identify food products that could replace diminishing wild food.
• To assess the role of mainly water-borne diseases in the malnutrition status.
• To particularly examine the importance of gender norms and practices in relation to food and water problems mentioned above in order to develop ways to overcome them.

Geographical location: Gorkha district (Thumka, Hiklung and Beltar villages) and     Tanahun districts (Kholagaon and Rasoli villages) of Nepal

Expected outputs:

Duration : Feb. 2008-July  2011

Funding Support: IDRC through ICIMOD

Major Collaborator: Institute of Medicine Kathmandu

Core Project Team Members: Gandhiv Kafle (Project Coordinator), Prakash Limbu (Project Officer), Dr. Bandana Pradhan, Health Expert, Dr. Sushila Malla, Nutrition Expert, Chitrabahadur  Chepang (Motivator), Narmaya  Chepang (Motivator)