These two schools–Surya Kiran Primary School and Shree Primary School–are part of 29 seismically safe, well-equipped, and child- and disabled-friendly primary and secondary schools that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is constructing in seven districts that were heavily impacted by the earthquake.

Source: USAID

The schools in Sindhupalchowk were constructed in partnership with Asian Development Bank, the National Reconstruction Authority; the Central and District-level Project Implementation Units under the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology; and the local school management committees.

To date, USAID has handed over 15 of these 29 schools so far. Once completed, the 29 schools will benefit more than 8,800 students and countless more in the future.

Source: USAID

These schools reflect the generosity of the American people and represent the United States’ confidence, support, and investment in Nepal’s future and prosperity.

[MUST READ: US Government Provides Personal Protective Equipment to Contain Novel Coronavirus in Nepal]

News Source: U.S. Embassy Kathmandu

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The UNWFP online system, in association with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), will provide easy-to-read data on food market prices and food security indicators through interactive presentations that indicate levels of food security to the sub-district level.

WFP and ICIMOD have also renewed their agreement with regard to monitoring and analyzing the food security situation in the country through Earth Observation (EO) technologies such as remote sensing, among others.

Through this agreement, the two organizations aim at providing timely updates on country’s agriculture production, early alerts in times of natural calamities and food security for the benefit of communities living across remote parts of the country.

Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Regional Agricultural Forecasting Toolbox (CRAFT) and Forecast-based Finance (FBF) are some of the key projects undertaken by the two organizations since they signed the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October 2014.

The results achieved through these programs were jointly published by WFP, the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD), Government of Nepal and CCAFS through the Nepal Food Security Monitoring System (NeKSAP).

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) supported the development of the FSIS and the Government of United Kingdom has been supporting NeKSAP.

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“Based on USAID’s Education Strategy and local assessments that found extremely low reading scores despite high primary school enrollment, USAID shifted to a leading role in advocating for early grade reading to be on the national education reform agenda,” informed USAID’s official release on August 08, 2017.

As part of its plan, USAID directly channels assistance through host country systems to support the implementation and scale up Nepal’s Early Grade Reading Assessment (NEGRA).

USAID’s education strategy and local assessments pointed at specific areas of need to improve early grade reading. The agency found extremely low reading scores despite high primary school enrollment in Nepal and hence, pitched for inclusion of early grade reading on Nepal’s education reform agenda.

Citing its assessment on NEGRA, the agency said that the majority of Nepali students read far below international standards and 55 percent of Grade II children, whose mother tongue was not Nepali scored zero, on reading assessments.

Teachers Lack Proper Training

According to USAID, even the teaching staff have only a minimal command on evidence-based instructional techniques for teaching to the students at early grade reading level.

Under its objective, the agency intends to introduce evidence-based EGR instructional materials & train teachers of Grades I-III on the use of provided materials, improve classroom-based EGR assessment processes in target districts, institutionalize policies, standards that support improved EGR instruction and outcomes and strengthen capability of parent-teacher associations & school management committees to contribute to improved early grade reading outcomes.

It is noteworthy there is already a School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) 2016-2023 that serves as the Government of Nepal’s education sector strategy and supports Nepal’s vision to graduate from the status of a least developed country by 2030.

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The Government of United States yesterday honoured two Nepali firms for implementing innovative Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions to boost agriculture productivity.

Nepali firms stood in the list of top four international firms selected for the Global Data-Driven Farming Prize under the US Government’s Feed the Future Initiative.

Kathmandu-based ICT firm Db2Map received a cash prize of USD 100,000 for its GEO Krishi programme, under which, it uses satellite data and relevant information from other official sources to assess soil condition and help farmers in maximizing their crop productivity.

Another firm, ICT for Agriculture, was awarded USD 50,000 for their mobile and web-based platform that provides agriculture-related information to the farmers in rural areas.

Addressing the event, Acting Mission Director at USAID Amy Tohill-Stull said, “Data should no longer reside on computer servers at research institutes. We must make it open and accessible to Nepal’s farmers, agribusiness owners, and all stakeholders across the agriculture value chain. This is what we mean by data-driven farming.”

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Data-Driven Farming Prize in February 2017. This USD 300,000 prize recognizes innovation-driven approaches that can help small-scale farmers in improving their crop productivity.

While a total of 143 participants from 21 countries applied (including 83 from Nepal), only 13 were finalized for the award and six of the finalists were from Nepal.

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The project is an extension of Kisan I which had benefited 100,000 farmers in 16 districts earlier. Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot, Makwanpur and Kavrepalanchok are the four earthquake ravaged districts where Kisan II will be additionally implemented.

At a program organized to mark the occasion, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Michael C Gonzales said that the project is directed at supporting the entire value chain from the farmer to the consumer. He added that,

“The project’s objective is to ensure the supply of fresh and delicious cuisine prepared from high quality farm products produced at the local level.”

The Chargé d’Affaires opined that Nepal should transform from supplying unprocessed goods to processed ones and promote niche products such as cardamom and ginger besides ensuring their consistent supply in the global market.

Suraj Vaidya, past president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry has called for incentives from the government for promoting innovative farm products and commercial farming.

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