EVENTS
Our team presented our work in biopesticide testing in collaboration with biotech students of Kantipur Valley College at the Youth and Climate Symposium 2024.
Participation in Exhibition: In Our Hands during Youth and Climate Symposium 2024
Our team member, Bibek Shrestha was invited to 9th United Nations Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) in New York, to advocate for the support of youth-led innovation for sustainable agrifood systems transformation.
During the event, he highlighted the journey and mentorship offered by the Youth Food Lab incubator and provided updates on how this support enabled our team to secure the Youth4Climate grant. Through this we are actively engaged in restoring wetlands and continuing our efforts in environmental conservation.
Panelist for the Side Event “United Nations Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals”
Our team member, Bibek Shrestha was invited to the High-Level Political Forum 2023 on Sustainable Development as a panelist for the Side Event “Empowering Youth for A Better Food Future – Driving Youth-led Agrifood Systems Transformation in a Post-COVID World” hosted by The World Food Forum. He represented Youth Food Lab (YFL) teams including our team Wetlands for Nepal to deliberate on the role of youth-led innovations, partnerships, and local actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – as a case in point, he tried to present our initiative to conserve Nagdaha, an urban wetland in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal with an agri-food innovation. Our panel also touched on the barriers we, the youths are facing at local to global levels and the way forward to empower the youths and enable youth-led innovations for a sustainable and resilient future.
Panelist for the Side Event “Empowering Youth for A Better Food Future – Driving Youth-led Agrifood Systems Transformation in a Post-COVID World”
EXHIBITION OF SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IDEA
Our team member, Anu Rai presented our prototype on biopesticide using invasive species in the event “In Our Hands Showcase” organized by the British Council Nepal in partnership with Kathmandu University, Applied Arts Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, Nepal Art Village, and National Innovation Centre.
WORLD WETLANDS DAY CELEBRATION 2022
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, 2 February 2023, Wetlands for Nepal in collaboration with The Small Earth Nepal (SEN), Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), and Nagdaha United Club (NUC) organized a workshop at Nagdaha to reflect on the past and future activities for its restoration and sustainable management and to highlight its sociocultural and ecological significance. The program was attended by local people, students, environmentalist, conservationist, along with experts in culture, history, tourism amongst others. Altogether 48 people participated in the event. The program included a morning session of birdwatching, which was facilitated by BCN. The formal program encompassed presentations and discussions with various stakeholders and experts and came to an end with a demonstration of biopesticides in a nearby field. Overall the program highlighted the following:
- There is an urgent need to support Nagdaha restoration initiatives especially which are community-based and inclusive.
- Development and enhancement of Nagdaha should consider its cultural, religious, and ecological significance and not compromise the services provided.
- Nagdaha’s connection with the Taudaha and Panauti should be explored and a trail connecting these places – the Naga Raj Trail should be considered for tourism opportunities.
LOCAL STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
We organized a local stakeholders’ workshop together and presented our team, ideas, and the importance of nature-based solutions to the representatives from various women groups, youth clubs, lake-side restaurant owners, NGOs, and local lake preservation committee on 27 August 2022. All the 32 participants were very positive about our project and offered to provide their support when needed. In the discussion, the participants also expressed their opinion on where the pond should be constructed which was very important.
