Kathmandu, Apr. 19: Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE) today organised a seminar on Finalisation of Country Report on the Implementation of the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). Nepal prepared the report in line with the UNCCD National Reports Help Guide that has to be submitted to the Convention Secretariat as a signatory nation.

Nepal is yet to formulate a special policy to implement the Convention. But, according to the MoPE the Ministry is working towards formulating a National Action Programme (NAP). The Ministry also claimed that it would attempt to make the NAP coherent with other environmental strategies and planning framework and link it with sub-regional and regional action programmes.

In spirit with the Convention, MoPE has identified the key actors and stakeholders for effective participation for preparation and implementation of the action programme. The country report claims that policies and strategies have also been formulated to involve women and youth through user groups.

The report further claim that land degradation problems have been continuously identified while formulating sectoral plans and programmes and recommends for launching of further programmes with people’s participation and empowerment. The report also says that the basis for the NAP formulation will be the various studies conducted by the MoPE to analyse problems, causes and consequences of land degradation.

The report also claims that the action plans will be implemented according to the priority fields set out in the Convention. MoPE has concentrated on soil and water conservation activities and put land degradation and forest depletion issues in the forefront of public awareness programmes. Moreover, it hopes that establishment of functional network of district level organisations for the implementation of forestry and agriculture related will further mainstream NAP process at the field level.

According to the Population and Environment Ministry sources, the suggestions received from various concern agencies in today’s seminar will be incorporated in the country report before it is submitted to the UNCCD Secretariat by the last week of this month.