The Promoting Resilient Agroecological Systems (PRAS) Project marked a significant milestone with the official handover of Agroecological Production Cluster Delineation (APCD), Palika Agroecology Plan (PAP) guidelines and prototypes of three municipalities (Lekbeshi Municipality, Aathbis Municipality and Patarashi Rural Municipality) and Training of Trainers (ToT) Manuals on Agroecology to the Government of Nepal on June 15, 2026.
The PRAS initiative, implemented in Western Nepal and the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK and managed by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funded R-HVAP. The APCD, PAP guidelines and protypes and ToT manuals were developed by Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), reflecting a strong multi-stakeholder effort.
The handover ceremony was jointly organized by ICIMOD and LI-BIRD in the presence of ICIMOD, LI-BIRD, IFAD, and the FCDO. The programme was facilitated by Mr. Kamal Prasad Aryal, Climate Resilient Agriculture Specialist at ICIMOD. The documents were formally handed over to Mr. Gokul Bohara, Joint Secretary and Programme Coordinator of the Resilient High Value Agricultural Programme (RHVIP), Government of Nepal.
The event was attended by representatives from all partner organizations, including IFAD Country Director Mr. Roshan Cooke and Mr. Ugan Manandhar from FCDO, demonstrating strong collaboration and shared commitment toward advancing agroecological practices in Nepal.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Roshan Cooke reflected on the vision behind the PRAS project and acknowledged its successful journey as it reaches closure. He highlighted that the PAP and manuals are “living documents” that will remain relevant and valuable in the long run for initiating and scaling agroecological practices.
Mr. Laxman Khatri, Head of Programmes at LIBIRD, expressed appreciation for all contributors involved in the development of the APCD, PAP and manuals. He emphasized how the project has successfully established linkages with the R-HVAP, aligning with Nepal’s agroecological roadmap. He highlighted that PAP contributes to the localization of agroecology roadmap at local level.
Mr. Ugan Manandhar emphasized that aligning and integrating PRAS initiatives with government flagship programme i. .e R-HVAP, would significantly enhance its value and sustainability. He further highlighted the need to connect ecological practices with economic opportunities for sustainability.
In his remarks, Mr. Gokul Bohara noted that the initiative brought together some of the best expertise and practices to produce a remarkable and comprehensive document. He shared that these resources would support the Government of Nepal in designing more robust and informed plans for the upcoming fiscal year. He further stressed the importance of disseminating the on-farm knowledge captured in the manuals to relevant authorities and stakeholders to maximize impact and outcomes.
Adding a regional perspective, Dr. Abid Hussain, Lead Economist at ICIMOD, emphasized the importance of APCD and PAP in mainstreaming value chains within agroecology. He highlighted that addressing value chain challenges remains a critical area to ensure the sustainability and scalability of agroecological production.
These manuals and guidelines are envisioned as “living documents” that will continue to evolve and adapt over time. They will now be integrated under the Government of Nepal’s agroecology framework, contributing to the advancement of resilient, sustainable, and climate-adaptive agricultural systems across the country.
