In line with the increasing interest in payment for environmental services (PES) for natural resources management, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Southeast Asia Regional Program organized a training on Rapid Hydrological Appraisal (RHA) and Rapid Carbon Stock Appraisal (RaCSA) tools. The training was hosted by ICIMOD and conducted from October 26th – 30th 2009 in Hotel View Bhrikuti, Godavari, Nepal. The training was attended by around 25 participants from government institutions; local and international NGOs. The five days training was facilitated by - Laxman Joshi and Ni'matul Khasanah for RHA and Meine van Noordwijk and Betha Lusiana for RaCSA and few other experts from ICIMOD.

The training was opened by Head of ICIMOD's Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services on behalf of the Director General of ICIMOD and Meine van Noordwijk. The objectives of the training were (1) to bring together different people and institutions to share the training with experts from ICRAF; and (2) to enable participants to use the RHA and/or RaCSA tools to assess the feasibility of reward mechanism in their areas of interest. While the expected outputs of the training were (1) an enhanced knowledge and skills of participants for conducting feasibility studies (RHA and/or RaCSA) for developing PES schemes; and (2) draft action plans to implement RHA and/or RaCSA for PES research and action in their sites.

Following the participant introduction session, the RUPES environment services game was played. Most of the participants blended well with game and commented that the game is very useful concerning strategy and negotiation between different stakeholders in balancing production and environmental functions in a dynamic landscape context.

The morning session on the second day focused on the theoretical basis of the tools: PES concept; knowledge systems, perception and articulation by different stakeholders; the role of gender in PES; and presentation on some earlier case studies of RHA and RaCSA. In the afternoon session, the participants were grouped into 2 teams and engaged in the topics of RHA and RaCSA. Detailed technical basis of each tool was the substance of the afternoon session: RaCSA methodology - carbon stock measurement, and demonstration of FALLOW modeling for the RaCSA group; and RHA methodology, water balance and water quality, and demonstration of FlowPer and GenRiver modeling for the RHA group.

In order to provide real case study of the tools implementation, a field trip to Lamatar subwatershed in Lalitpur was organized on the third day. An example of PES like mechanism is in operation in which a water tanker company pays (both in cash and in services) the local community forest user groups payment for the watershed services. The participants learnt how to quantify above ground biomass using RaCSA approach as well as participatory carbon assessment by local communities. For the RHA part, the participants practiced the technique of quantifying biological and physical water quality. At the end of the day, transect walks and discussions with the local people in small groups were organized.

The morning session on the fourth day was focused on the how the report of rapid appraisals could be structured. The participants then worked on the analysis of primary and secondary data and prepared short group presentations on their findings. Some specific sessions were organized to discuss issues raised by the participants (e.g. REDD, application of carbon and water models, PES tools for environmental assessment studies).

On the final day of the training, the participants discussed the appropriateness of RHA and RaCSA tools and how these can be applied in their context. Draft action plans were developed and presented to all participants. Participants from ICIMOD, Forest Action, LIBIRD, Nepal Electricity Authority, SDC, ANSAB, Ministry of Agriculture in Bhutan, Ministry of Forestry in Nepal are expected to apply these tools in their context. ICIMOD is also planning for a Hindu-Kush Himalaya regional level training next year; ICRAF is expected to provide expertise.

In the final training evaluation session, the participants reported that RaCSA and RHA are relevant and useful tools to provide information on answering the environmental management issues; and to develop PES mechanism based on the outputs study. A limitation of conducting the study was the comprehensive data required is sometimes limited. Concerning on the training process, most participants found that the training materials, presentations, discussions and field trip were fine and met their expectations.

Note: First posted in SEA;the Tales - Vol 2, No 10, November 2009