Netherlands Enterprise Agency

MetaMeta Research, FutureWater and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development will collaborate in order to address the declining and irregular flow of water springs in Nepal’s mountainous Dhankuta municipality. The project aims to protect and enhance natural springs while ensuring reliable water supplies and maintaining road infrastructure quality by reimagining roads as tools for landscape improvement. The Department of Local Infrastructure will oversee the projects implementation.

Together with Himalaya Agro-ecology Research and Development and Agro-Eco Advisors, aQysta B.V. is starting a study on the use of an energy-efficient and powerful water pump to irrigate higher-altitude lands and improve soil quality of Nepalese farmland. Combined with increasing the organic materials on the farmlands, it is expected that participating farmers will use 25% less water and increase their income by 200% within two years.

The Partners for Water Program, executed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, supports the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its member countries with expertise and technical support on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) during the preparation phase of ADB’s projects. This assignment is part of this partnership.Currently, the ADB is setting up a Project Preparation Study (PPS) named the Kathmandu Ecological Urban Renewal Project Preparation Study, set to kick-off in March 2024 and initially lasting for eight months. The PPS will promote urban environmental improvement, urban poverty reduction, climate change mitigation or adaptation, and improved environmental governance within urban areas. An ADB-Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) Project Team of consultants will be working on the PPS from late April 2024 in two stages. In this assignment, a hydrogeologist will look at feasibility and identification of NBS measures to support the formulation of next steps in the project.

The Partners for Water Program, executed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, supports the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its member countries with expertise and technical support on Nature-based Solutions (NBS) during the preparation phase of ADB’s projects. This assignment is part of this partnership.Currently, the ADB is setting up a Project Preparation Study (PPS) named the Kathmandu Ecological Urban Renewal Project Preparation Study, set to kick-off in March 2024 and initially lasting for eight months. The PPS will promote urban environmental improvement, urban poverty reduction, climate change mitigation or adaptation, and improved environmental governance within urban areas. An ADB-CDIA (Cities Development Initiative for Asia) Project Team of consultants will be working on the PPS from late April 2024 in two stages. In this assignment, a hydrogeologist will look at feasibility and identification of NBS measures to support the formulation of next steps in the project.

This project concerns the support of NL Branding for several Private Sector Development (PSD) Toolkit projects, among them Impact Clusters and missions, in PSD Toolkit countries.The aim is to increase the impact of PSD Toolkit projects, and thus the impact on the development of the local private sector, as well as increased the visibility of the Netherlands as a partner for mutual growth and achieving Social Development Goals (SDGs), through effective and clear communication.

Fish consumption is on the rise in Nepal, especially in urban areas. Presently, with 1.5 kg per person per year, it is still the lowest in South Asia. This is mostly, because seventy percent of the fish available on the market is Indian import of dubious quality. To fulfil the increasing demand for fresh fish, fish farming is on the rise in the lower parts of Nepal (Terai). Some 25,000 farmers have fish ponds, totalling 8,000 ha. The yields are well below South Asia average.The local partner, Himalayan Aqua Agritech Pvt., Ltd started a fingerling ("baby fish") production farm in 2005. She noticed that her customers, the fish farmers, had low yields. This was mostly due too poor quality fish food. Almost all fish food was solid and either disintegrated in the water or sunk to the bottom of the fish pond, unavailable to the fish.The owner was introduced to the applicant, Bokkers Holding B.V., in 2007 and together they looked into the possibilities to produce and sell proper fish food. In 2012, the local partner purchased a small extruder. The feed produced was tested at HAAP and at some customers' fish farms.After this turned out to be successful, they decided to set up a joint venture, Him Dana, to produce fish feed and provide extension services to fish farmers. Taken advantage from the fact that the local partner is a respected female entrepreneur, they want to encourage female farmers to set up fish farms, using Him Dana's fingerlings and fish feed.As fish farming in Nepal is commercially risky business, it is impossible to receive a full loan for investments, especially for setting up the extension services and a trial fish pond.