News & Updates

European Union provides assistance to 17,500 affected by cyclone Gaja

The European Union (EU) has allocated €105,000 to help victims affected by cyclone Gaja which hit parts of Tamil-Nadu, India in November this year. About 17,500 people will directly benefit from aid in the worst-affected areas of Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam. In collaboration with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), the EU will provide support in delivering lifesaving support to at-risk communities through the distribution of relief items and emergency shelter material. Relief items include household kits, kitchen sets and tarpaulins. In order to decrease...


Four countries pledge more than $215 million to strengthen healthcare systems in Myanmar

The United States, Switzerland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have collectively committed more than $215 million to improving the health of the most vulnerable in Myanmar through the UNOPS-managed Access to Health Fund. In Myanmar, people in hard to reach places and conflict zones are more likely to experience poor health outcomes. Rea Bonzi, Board Chair, Access to Health Fund commented: ”Despite making great leaps forward in the past few years, the health system in Myanmar faces great challenges in reaching its most vulnerable populations....


Dengue fever cases have tripled in Dhaka, the most deadly year to date

Dhaka, Bangladesh is currently experiencing an explosion of dengue fever cases, making it the deadliest year since records began in 2000. In Dhaka, dengue season typically begins in June during the monsoon season and ends by September. However, the number of recorded cases has tripled this year and the dengue fever season has been extended. By mid-October, approximately 7,450 cases and 17 deaths due to dengue fever had been reported in Bangladesh. Within the first four months of 2018, 254 dengue fever cases were reported...


22.5 million children out of school, with girls worst affected

According to the 2015 Oslo Summit on Education and Development, Pakistan was considered “among the world’s worst performing countries in education.” The government highlighted that approximately 22.5 million children are out of school. Statistics have shown that 32 percent of school aged girls are out of school, compared to 21 percent of boys. By sixth grade (age 11 or 12), 49 percent of boys are out of school, versus 59 percent of girls. Liesl Gerntholz, Woman’s Rights Director at Human Rights Watch commented: “The Pakistan...


Chennai’s residents suffer extreme water crisis

Last month, Chennai’s water delivery system went on strike to protest their restricted access to groundwater. This worsened the existing water crisis effecting the city and country. A report earlier this year by the government policy think tank, NITI Aayog, warned that India was suffering its worst water crisis in history, threatening the lives and incomes of millions of Indians. Across India 163 million people lack access to clean water close to their home, according to Water Aid. According to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply...


one month after fatal earthquake and tsunami Sulawesi is inundated with rain

A month after an earthquake and tsunami devastated Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, heavy rainfall has ravaged the area while 220,000 remain homeless, according to a report by Save the Children. The heavy rains have sparked fears of a potential outbreak of disease while also complicating relief efforts, warns Save the Children’s local partner. Over 220,000 people remain homeless as a result of the devastating sequence of an earthquake and tsunami that killed over 2,000 people earlier this month. Relief efforts have been steady but many worry...


New solutions needed in Mekong Delta flooding

In the Mekong Delta, local authorities are currently taking action to prevent flooding caused by high tides during the annual flood season. Within the last few years, Cần Thơ City and the delta’s provinces have been negatively affected by the high tides. It is estimated that peak tide is forecasted to reach 2.2 to 2.25m in the near future, which is greater than alarm level three by 0.30-0.35m. The Hậu River station measured record high tides of 2.21m, while severe flooding also occurred in the...


Mobile teachers trained by Save the Children to improve education in Myanmar

Due to civil war and political tension, 75,000 children of the Karen people in Myanmar have missed out on an education, Theirworld report shows. But a new project, created by Save the Children, has been training people to become mobile teachers to educate children in their homes in the hopes of boosting numeracy and literacy rates around the region. A Save the Children spokesperson said: “The training took three days in May 2018. KTWG’s mobile teacher trainers are now in the field travelling to 157...


Devastating sequence of natural disasters in Indonesia brings death toll to 1,407

The confirmed death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that struck Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island has risen to 1,407, the Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Wednesday. Over 2,500 people were injured and officials worry the death toll will rise when the full scale of destruction is determined and the missing are accounted for. As relief efforts were underway, a volcano on the same island of Sulawesi erupted early Wednesday morning. Mount Soputan spewed ash 6,000 metres into the sky and the public was advised to avoid...


Death toll rises to over 800 in Indonesia

On Friday, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck north of Palu, Indonesia, leaving hundreds dead and causing deadly tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 10 metres in the following hours. As the death toll rises to over 840 people, officials and international organisations are rushing to provide aid to the affected areas. Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire”, a horseshoe shaped region where most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur, making it one of the most disaster-prone nations...


Philippines hit with deadly landslides after super typhoon

Landslides caused by the severe rains of super Typhoon Mangkhut have killed dozens of people in the Philippines. This weekend, a steep slope in a quarrying community in Naga City, Cebu, collapsed and buried 60 houses in at least eight feet of mud. The death toll from Typhoon Mangkhut reached 80 and the deaths from the resulting landslides is just under 50, as of this weekend. The landslide occurred near a former limestone quarry, which could have destabilised the land on that hillside. According to...


Architects in Delhi get creative in addressing air pollution

Dubai-based architecture firm Znera proposed a plan to address the rampant air pollution and smog in Delhi that continues to characterise the Indian capital. Although still just a concept, Najmus Chowdhry, principal architect at Znera, is hopeful about the potential of initiatives like The Smog Project: “It’s easy to think we are just publishing pretty pictures or designs, but we have had the technical details worked out, at least the mechanics of whether it is possible.” According to data released by the World Health Organisation,...


Typhoon Mangkhut makes landfall in Southeast Asia as largest storm this year

Over the weekend, Typhoon Mangkhut made its way through the Philippines to mainland China, killing dozens along the way. The storm reached Hong Kong on Sunday and is expected to weaken and move inland of western Guangdong on Monday. The storm first made landfall in Cagayan province on northeast Luzon Island at 1:40 local time, packing winds of up to 270 kph (165 mph). The Philippines remain the worst hit, with 250,000 people affected across the islands and a current death toll of 54, with...


Typhoon Mangkhut makes it way towards Southeast Asia

After rain inundated India and Typhoon Jebi ravaged Japan, millions of people in Southeast Asia are now bracing for Typhoon Mangkhut. The storm, known locally in the Philippines as Ompong, is expected to make landfall Saturday morning. The strength of Typhoon Mangkhut is being compared to that of a Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains and damaging winds to islands and coastal areas. The storm has already swept through the US territory of Guam, causing floods and power outages...


Japan hit with strongest typhoon in 25 years

With heavy rains and reported wind speeds of up to 172km/h, Typhoon Jebi is the strongest typhoon Japan has seen in 25 years.

With heavy rains and reported wind speeds of up to 172km/h, Typhoon Jebi is the strongest typhoon Japan has seen in 25 years. The storm made landfall around noon on Tuesday local time and continued its path of destruction across Japan’s main island of Honshu. Local media reported that the storm has killed seven people and injured at least 200. Land and air travel have been severely disrupted in the region due to flooding at the main international airport as well as damage to local...


Kerala threatened with epidemic of ‘rat fever’ after severe flooding

Torrential rains have led to the worst flood Kerala, India has seen in a century.

Torrential rains have led to the worst flood Kerala, India has seen in a century. Over one million people were evacuated from their homes during this national crisis, and officials believe that more than 360 people were killed as a result of the floods. In addition to recovering from the floods, the southern Indian state is now faced with a “fast, progressive” strain of leptospirosis, or “rat fever” as it is known locally. Around 200 cases of the waterborne bacterial disease have been confirmed and...


Strong aftershock hits Lombok 2 weeks on

Over the last 24 hours over ten magnitude 5 aftershocks have hit the Indonesian Island of Lombok, which has been experiencing a heightened level of seismic activity since a magnitude 7 earthquake struck on August 5th. To date, 550 people have been killed by the earthquakes and a significant area of the island has suffered severe damage. It has been reported that the recent aftershocks caused a further 14 death. It is hoped that the death toll from the recent earthquake remains low as almost...


One year on, conditions in Cox’s Bazar are “grossly inadequate”

This August marks the one year anniversary of the start of the Rakhine crisis which forced around 1 million Rohingya Muslims to flee their homes in Myanmar, over 700,000 of which now live in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp. The Cox’s Bazar camp stretches across 6,000 acres and has a population density of 60,000 per square kilometre, one and a half times more than the world’s most densely populated city of Manila. Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies...


Rohingya women and girls in Bangladesh urgently need more funding, urges Oxfam

Oxfam has found that Rohingya women living in refugee camps in Bangladesh miss out on aid, are developing health problems and are at a greater risk of abuse due to unsuitable or unsafe camp facilities. As a result, Oxfam is calling for 15% of new funding to be designated to programmes that support Rohingya women and girls in the refugee camps, this includes $72 million of the World Bank’s recent $500 million funding. There is not currently a budget specifically designated to meeting the needs...


Thousands displaced by flooding in Kerala, India

Flooding in the Indian state of Kerala has killed 324 people with the death toll expected to rise. Torrential rains and strong winds have been affecting the country for three weeks and the region has 30% more rain than its annual average. As Kerala’s rainy season typically lasts till November there are concerns that the situation could become much worse. The state of Kerala is familiar with intense rains as it lies in the path of the south west monsoon that provides India with 70%...


Lombok earthquake causes damages worth $138 million

On 5th August a deadly 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian Island of Lombok. The earthquake was followed by a number of high magnitude aftershocks, with a 6.2 magnitude aftershock on the 9th. The Indonesian authorities have estimated the death toll to be over 380, with over 1,000 injured and 270,000 displaced. In total, an estimated 3.5 million people on the Island of Lombok have been affected and 67,000 homes destroyed. In addition, 468 schools have been destroyed, along with six bridges, three hospitals, ten...


‘Transformative Agenda’ to improve sexual and reproductive health services in the Pacific

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Government of Australia are partnering with six Pacific governments to improve the lives of women and youth in the Pacific by ensuring they have access to sexual and reproductive health services. A new programme, titled ‘Transformative Agenda for Women, Youth and Adolescents’ will focus on improving access to quality family planning information and services. UNFPA has highlighted how these services are crucial to improving health and wellbeing, particularly for women and youth. The Australian government has contributed...


UNICEF and WFP are using technology to improve food and hygiene distribution in Cox’s Bazar

UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working together in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh to improve the food and hygiene practices of refugees. The agencies are utilising WFP’s SCOPE digital assistance system to distribute soap and food supplies to 50,000 Rohingya refugees and improving hygiene to prevent the spread of disease. SCOPE is WFP’s online database which enabled the agency to better distribute food and assistance. Each household using the SCOPE database is issued a card that contains household information and can be used to...


600,000 effected by Lombok earthquake

Rescuers and aid workers are urgently working in Lombok, Indonesia to locate those trapped by an earthquake and offer much needed supplies to those affected. On Sunday 5th August a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian Island of Lombok, killing 105 people, injuring over 230 and destroying thousands of homes. It is estimated that 600,000 people have been affected by the earthquake. The earthquake triggered at least 230 aftershocks in the area which are expected to continue over the next two weeks. Lombok had already...


Extreme heat will cause the number of deaths to increase dramatically by the end of the century

A new study has found that the death toll from heatwaves could rise by 2,000% in some parts of the world by 2080, with poorer co

A new study has found that the death toll from heatwaves could rise by 2,000% in some parts of the world by 2080, with poorer countries disproportionately affected. The study was published in the PLOS Medicine this week as much of the northern hemisphere is experiencing a heatwave. The researchers used historical data on temperatures and heat wave deaths to model the future. The research aligns with previous findings that climate change will increase extreme weather events and natural disasters around the world. Yuming Guo,...


Officials fear the death toll could rise following dam collapse in Laos

Last week, on 23 July, the Saddle dam D, one of five dams in the XePian Xe-Nam Noy Hydropower project in Lao DPR failed and flooded eight villages along the Xe-Pian River, a tributary of the Se Kong River which flows into the Mekong. The burst dam flooded the surrounded areas with five billion cubic metres of water, displacing an estimated 6000 families. The dam was 90% complete and due to begin commercial operations in 2019. There are reports that 29 people have been killed...


Floods in Myanmar forced over 100,000 people to flee their homes

Government officials in Myanmar said on Monday that the monsoon flood killed at least 11 people and forced over 100,000 people to flee their homes. Rescuers have taken stranded residents to safe areas by boat. Since last week, heavy rain has hit the southern, eastern and central parts of the country, blocking highways, destroying bridges and flooding large areas of land. According to Nway Nway Soe, Assistant Director of the Disaster Management Department, 11 people were killed, including three soldiers who assisted in the rescue...


Disaster Resilience in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in the world, as well as being one of the most disaster prone. Bangladesh is a very low-lying country with a flat topography, this coupled with its population density and socio-economic status mean that when disasters strike they can cause large scale damage. Over 80% of the population is exposed to floods, earthquakes and droughts, and over 70% are vulnerable to cyclones. Bangladesh typically experiences a severe tropical cyclone every three years and each...


Hanoi makes new commitments to tackle air pollution

Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital with a population of 7.7 million, is one of several Asian countries with alarmingly high levels of air pollution. In 2017, air pollution in the city was four times higher than the World Health Organisation’s accepted level. Around the world 7 million people each year die due to disease and illness caused by air pollution, with 90% of the world’s population breathing polluted air. Hanoi is the second worst city for air pollution in South East Asia, behind Saraburi in Thailand. Ho...


A new Global Disaster Database could transform disaster resilience in Asia

A new Global Disaster Database is hoping to use data from satellite imagery, geographic information systems and risk maps with existing information of disaster loss and damage to reduce the impacts of disasters. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working closely with governments and research partners to collect data and create a database of disaster information. Once created the Global Disaster Database will be housed at the Global Centre for Disaster Statistics in Japan. It is hoped that the data will be able to...


6 million people in India are facing the worst water crisis in history

Water has become costly in India due to weak infrastructure and a national water shortage. Accord to Avinash Mishra, joint adviser at the Niti Aayog think tank: “India is suffering from the worst water crisis in its history, threatening hundreds of millions of lives and jeopardising economic growth.” 600 million people, across the entire country, encounter stunted water shortage. Nearly 200,000 people die from contaminated water each year. Residents queue with pipes, carry cans and buckets for water from tankers. This situation is a common...


One quarter of Indian urban population lives in informal homes despite ongoing housing schemes

Although Indian officials intend to meet the deadline to provide housing for every citizen by 2022, numerous low-cost homes are vacant across India at present. Analysts comment current housing phenomenon indicates critical shortcomings in government policy. Nearly 164,000 low-cost homes built under previous schemes are empty, according to a housing ministry official, who asked not to be named due to an anonymity. He continued: “There is a process to allot them [housing resources], and that takes time. We have been pushing state governments to allot...


New identity cards protect Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

According to the United Nations refugee agency, Rohingya refugees who received shelter in Bangladeshwill soon have plastic IDs in credit-card size. The delivery of new IDs, which began in late June, is expected to be completed in six months. The Bangladesh Government and UNHCR issued jointly the plastic IDs. The card contains numerous anti-fraud features. Charlie Yaxley, the spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) commented: “[The new ID exercise] will help consolidate a unified database for the purposes of...


Significant improvements to living conditions were showed in Myanmar

A joint report conducted by the Central Statistical Organization, the UNDP, and the World Bank in 2017 indicates that people have improved their living conditions in Myanmar. Electrification extended to Myanmar’s villages Myanmar’s villages had considerable growth in solar and public grid access. Last year, the number of households that used electricity for lighting increased by over 30 % compared to the situation in 2015. Nearly 25% of all households were able to light their houses by using a solar system, compared to none eight...


Improved risk management can decrease disaster displacement in Asia

Last year, 18.8 million people were displaced by extreme weather events such as floods, storms, and earthquakes in 135 countries around the world. East and South Asia and the Pacific islands, the world’s most disaster-prone region, bore the brunt of this human exodus: over 11 million people from these regions suffered from disaster displacement. The situation even deteriorated this year. Reports revealed that cyclone season has threatened local residents for the past few months. One million people have been forced to flee due to severe...


UN and World Bank call for more support for Rohingya refugees

UN Secretary- General António Guterres and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim have appealed for greater support and funding for the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh. António Guterres commented: “My appeal to the international community is to step up to the plate and to substantially increase the financial support to all those who are in Bangladesh to protect … assist and support the Rohingya refugees” The pair highlighted how only 26% of the $950 million appeal has been funded so far, which has...


ASEAN to mainstream gender perspectives in disaster management

At the latest Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) the leaders from the ASEAN National Disaster Management Organisations committed to mainstreaming gender perspectives on disaster management. The meeting took place on 26-28 June 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and was opened by Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail. The Deputy Prime Minister opened the meeting by emphasising the need to manage disasters holistically and co-ordinately. Women are disproportionately affected during disasters and in the aftermath...


India’s GDP is severely threatened by climate change

The World Bank has warned that climate change could cost India 2.8% of its GDP by 2050 if annual temperatures rise by 1-2 degrees. Similarly, the temperature increase would also reduce the living standards of nearly half of India’s 1.3 billion population. Currently, if no action is taken the average temperatures in India are expected to rise by 1.5-3 degrees. The latest findings were part of the World Bank’s report ‘South Asia’s Hotspots: The Impact of Temperature and Precipitation Changes on Living Standards’. The report...


Rajan Samuel wins Asia Innovator of the Year Award!

Aid & International Development Forum is delighted to announce the winner of the Innovator of the Year Award 2018 at the AIDF Asia Summit taking place on 20-21 June 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Asia Innovator of the Year Award 2018 celebrates individuals as well as teams who have introduced game-changing initiatives, created research or inventions that have made an impact on the humanitarian aid and development sectors in Asia over the past year. The aim is to recognise individuals for their inspiring leadership, forward-thinking,...


India’s worst ever water crisis

A recent report, called The Niti Aayog Report, conducted by a government think tank has revealed that India is facing its worst

A recent report, called The Niti Aayog Report, conducted by a government think tank has revealed that India is facing its worst ever water crisis. The report has evaluated data from 24 of India’s 29 states and revealed that 600 million people are facing an acute water shortage, with the crisis expected to worsen in coming years. It also estimates that 21 cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2020. This would severly threaten food security in the country as 80% of water...


3 things you must know about bringing water to rural communities

Here are 3 lessons that WateROAM founders learnt in bringing water solutions to the rural poor. They are sharing it with us so t

Here are 3 lessons that WateROAM founders learnt in bringing water solutions to the rural poor. They are sharing it with us so that we don’t have to make the mistakes that they did and help one another end water poverty. Keep it light, Make it Portable Firstly, a rural community takes hours to get to by any vehicle. To make matters worse, some places can only be accessed by foot. This means that all your supplies have to be carried on your back. Imagine...


Finalists announced for AIDF Asia Innovator of the Year Award

We are pleased to announce the finalists for the AIDF Asia Innovator of the Year Award 2018!

We are pleased to announce the finalists for the AIDF Asia Innovator of the Year Award 2018! The award celebrates individuals as well as teams who have introduced game-changing initiatives, created research or inventions that have made an impact on the humanitarian aid and development sectors in Asia over the past year. The aim is to recognise individuals for their inspiring leadership, forward-thinking, creative problem-solving and implementation of innovative programmes that have helped drive Asia’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goals. The winner will be announced...


Rapid Rohingya response: Our emergency response approach

by Martina Aureli, Sales & Business Development Manager – Asia & Oceania at NRS International

by Martina Aureli, Sales & Business Development Manager – Asia & Oceania at NRS International “We work hand in hand with humanitarian aid agencies to ensure a successful and fast supply of high quality shelters and life-saving core relief items.” Natural disasters and health epidemics are unpredictable. When disaster strikes, our job is to immediately activate the supply chain and enable humanitarian aid organizations to efficiently receive and distribute vital aid to the affected communities. We do this through our award-winning Rapid Response Strategy (RRS)by...


We help you save more lives, by saving costs

Do you know the Total Cost of Ownership of your Cold Chain equipment?

Do you know the Total Cost of Ownership of your Cold Chain equipment? Do you know that a new cold chain equipment is half as expensive as vaccines wasted in one single breakdown. The value of vaccines stored in the lifetime of a fridge can be more than 30 times the value of the fridge. But the upfront purchasing price is only the tip of the iceberg of Total Cost of Ownership, which is the total cost associated with owning and operating a cold chain...


Monsoon rains hit Cox’s Bazar

Heavy rains hit Cox’s Bazar on Saturday 9th June and have continued to cause severe disruption to the Rohingya refugee camps in

Heavy rains hit Cox’s Bazar on Saturday 9th June and have continued to cause severe disruption to the Rohingya refugee camps in the area. The camp is home to approximately 1 million people, 31,000 of which are living in areas that are considered at high risk of deadly flooding and landslides. Reports suggest that 12 people have been killed due to heavy rain in the camp since Monday 11th June. Within 24 hours of Saturday’s rainfall humanitarian agencies reported 59 incidents including landslides, water logging,...


Fears that IOM’s health services in Cox’s Bazar could be cut due to funding shortfalls

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) have carried out over 400,000 medical consultations in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since August 2017,

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) have carried out over 400,000 medical consultations in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh since August 2017, the agency has reported. However, concerns are growing that a funding shortfall will cut services just as monsoon season strikes. IOM is one of the largest medical providers in the refugee camp which is home to over 1 million people, 700,000 of which arrived after last August. The agency supports both refugees and host communities with a host of medical concerns from pregnancies to road traffic...


India approves world’s largest solar farm

The Indian Government has given planning permission to a huge new solar project

The Indian Government has given planning permission to a huge new solar projectwhich is set to become one of the largest in the world. The approval for a 5,000 megawatt (MW) solar farm in the state of Gujarat was announced earlier this month by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. The first 1,000MW stage of the project will be put out to tender soon. Once complete the project near the town of Dholera will be the largest solar farm in India, stretching over 11,000...


Embassies and international organisations take a stand against plastic pollution in Vietnam

On Monday 4th June 2018, ahead of World Environment Day, 41 embassies and international organisations in Vietnam pledged to cut plastic pollution in the country. Canadian ambassador Ping Kitnikone said: “As international partners, we have the privilege to work in Vietnam, and have a collective responsibility to reduce our plastic footprint in this beautiful country” Vietnam is the fourth largest contributor to marine plastic pollution according to a study by the University of Georgia in 2015. Similarly, a 2015 report by the environmental campaigner Ocean...


How is WHO preparing Cox’s Bazar for monsoon season?

The Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar has started to experience intermittent flooding as the first rains of the monsoon season fall. The camp is home to approximately 1.3 million people. The World Health Organisation and other partners from the health sector are focusing on further strengthening the preventative and contingency measures in place to minimise the negative health effects of the monsoon. Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh, commented: In May, nearly 1 million people were targeted in a mass cholera vaccination...


WMO and WHO sign legal agreement to improve protection against climatic and atmospheric threats

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have signed a legal agreement to protect communities using ‘relevant and authoritative’ data on the weather, climate and atmosphere. The agencies will combine their expertise to help protect populations around the world against extreme weather, air pollution and climate change which cause an estimated 12.6 million deaths each year. A recent WHO report found that air pollution kills 7 million people each year, 90% of which are in developing countries. Clare Nullis, WMO spokesperson...


Climate change could displace 140 million by 2050

The World Bank has warned that climate change could push tens of millions of people in the developing world to migrate both inside and outside their own countries. The Bank analysed the impact of ‘slow-onset’ climate change and migratory patterns in three developing regions in the world: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. These slow impacts included water stress, crop failure and the rise in sea levels, which could cause inhabitants to move to more viable areas in order to make a living. Analysts...


$55 million to connect rural Bangladesh with renewable energy

The government of Bangladesh has signed a $55 million agreement with the World Bank to expand the country’s use of renewable energy in rural areas. The financing comes as part of the Second Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED II) Project and will install 1,000 solar irrigation pumps, 30 solar mini-grids, and 4 million sustainable cooking stoves. The World Bank has been committed to helping Bangladesh expand its renewable energy services in rural areas. Today, Bangladesh has one of the world’s largest domestic solar...


Nutrition initiatives in Cox’s Bazar have received a boost

France has donated €400,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support nutrition activities for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. The donation will increase WFP’s nutrition programme targeting young children, pregnant women and nursing women and address acute malnutrition in the settlement. Marie-Annick Bourdin, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh commented: “France hopes that its 2018 support will further benefit both Rohingya refugees and local communities exposed to moderate acute malnutrition and warmly thanks WFP for its continuous efforts.” Thanks to France’s contribution 5,000...


Nepal eliminates trachoma, the first country in South East Asia to do so

The World Health Organisation has confirmed that Nepal has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. The country is the first in the South East Asia region to overcome the leading infectious cause of blindness. The disease thrives in crowded living conditions with water shortages, inadequate sanitation and where eye seeking flies are present. Infection spreads from person to person, particularly from child to child and from child to mother. It is often first encountered in childhood. In areas where trachoma is endemic prevalence rates...


Grass planting initiatives are protecting Rohingya refugees from landslides

The UN Migration Agency, IOM, has distributed 2 million vetiver grass plants throughout Cox’s Bazar in the last 2 weeks in an effort to reduce soil erosion and the risk of landslides in the refugee camp. In addition, local and international NGOs will be provided with a further 2 million plants in the next week. The project is a low-cost high-return initiative; the plants cost just over $1.50 for 200 plants but could have a dramatic impact in stabilising land. For example, 200 plants can...


South East Asia is falling short of SDGs

A report released last week by the United Nations titled ‘Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2017’ found that the region is falling behind its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Of the 57 targets set by the UN, Asia-Pacific has fallen behind on 37. The goals that have notably low progress are those focusing on oceans and forests, inequality and climate change. In contrast, Asia-Pacific has made significant progress in education goals and is likely to meet this target by 2030, the report found. Dr...


IOM has successfully relocated 12,000 Rohingya refugees ahead of monsoon season

The UN Migration Agency, IOM, have successfully relocated 12,000 Rohingya refugees as monsoon storms have already begun in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The rains have damaged shelter and have increased the risk of landslides on steep slopes. The IOM is urgently preparing to relocate 24,000 of the most at risk people before further storms begin. The IOM has coordinated its efforts with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to form the inter-agency Site Maintenance Engineering Project which is...


WaterAid’s latest research highlights the need to integrate health and WaSH policies

New research by WaterAid and PATH has found that combining clean water, decent household toilets and good hygiene with childhood vaccinations and nutrition support could prevent 697,000 child deaths each year and millions more cases of pneumonia and diarrhoea. Each year almost 300,000 children die around the world from diarrhoeal illnesses and more than half of these are directly related to dirty water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene. Multiple cases of diarrhoea can cause stunting, effect long term development and hinder education. Around the world...


UNICEF to upscale work in Cox’s Bazar thanks to $15.7 million donation from Japan

UNICEF is able to scale up its assistance to women and children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh thanks to a $15.7 million donation from the Government and Japan. The donation comes at a critical time for Cox’s Bazar as monsoon season approaches and only 16% of the total funding needed has been secured. Since August 2017 almost 700,000 people have fled Myanmar and have settled in Cox’s Bazar, approximately 389,000 of these are children. The sudden influx of vulnerable refugees living in poor conditions has concerned...


Vaccination and relocation programmes are preparing Cox’s Bazar for monsoon season

The refugee camp of Cox’s Bazar is readying itself for the approaching monsoon season with healthcare initiatives and relocation programmes. Over 700,000 refugees have fled Myanmar since August 2017, with around 900,000 Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar. The majority live in poor conditions and unstable housing, monsoon poses serious threats of flooding, landslides and disease in the camp. Estimates have suggested that 200,000 people in Cox’s Bazar are at high risk of flooding and landslides. Today, humanitarian agencies successfully completed their first land preparation...


Urgent action is needed to tackle water-related disasters

The final outcome of ‘Making Every Drop Count’, a document put together by the High Level Panel on Water has called for urgent action to address water-related disasters around the globe. 2018 marks the beginning of the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development. Since 1990 water related disasters have accounted for 90% of the 1000 most damaging natural disasters and between 1900 and 2007, water-related disasters outnumbered all other disasterscombined. Floods now account for 50% of weather related disasters. By 2050, rising populations...


Drones are connecting rural Nepalese communities to healthcare facilities

Drones are increasingly being used to deliver essential medicines and laboratory samples to and from areas of Nepal. The new technology represents progress in the delivery of medicine and a reduced dependence on road and transport networks. This would be particularly beneficial for rural populations, like those in Nepal. In recent years rural health services in Nepal have experienced increased pressure and have struggled to reliably provide medicines year-round. Health facilities in rural Nepal are often poorly equipped and medicine distribution is slow, due to...


Marginalised people bear the brunt of air pollution

The latest report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals the significant damage air pollution is having across the world, particularly in low income countries. WHO’s estimates reveal that 90% of the global population breathe air containing a high level of pollution and 7 million die each year due to exposure to household and outdoor air pollution. Women and children are most exposed to these pollutants. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO commented: “Air pollution threatens us all, but the poorest and most marginalised...


IOM is training Rohingya refugees on how to improve their shelter ahead of monsoon season

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) has trained over 40,000 Rohingya on how to upgrade their shelters ahead of monsoon season. In total 100,000 families will receive training, the IOM is also providing upgrade kits containing ropes, tarpaulin and tools. Humanitarian agencies have raised numerous concerns over the threats monsoon season will bring. Earlier this year in February UNHCR distributed upgraded shelter kits including bamboo, extra tarpaulin, string, rope, wire, and tools. UK’s Department for International Development have also provided reinforced shelter and sandbags to 158,000...


Press release: Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance

Leading Asia Pacific corporations launch consumer-powered movement to end malaria on World Malaria Day A number of Asia’s leading companies and foundations have launched M2030 – focusing the power of millions of consumers on beating the world’s deadliest disease. London, 25 April 2018. A new collaboration has been unveiled today on World Malaria Day[1] that will raise awareness and boost financial support to Asia Pacific countries, helping them bring an end to malaria by 2030. The M2030 initiative brings together international health organizations, corporations and...


Natural disasters could cost Asia $160 billion a year by 2030

​The UN has warned of the significant economic damage natural disasters could cause in the Asia Pacific region. In addition, the region has a very low insurance coverage despite regular and devastating natural disasters that have cost approximately $1.3 trillion over the last 50 years. Only 8% of the region’s losses are insured. In 2017, natural disasters caused $48 billion worth of agricultural losses in Asia. Shamshad Akhtar, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, highlighted the urgency of resolving this issue: “The time for establishing solutions...


How stoves are tackling health, environment and gender equality issues in Lao DPR

The World Bank, in partnership with the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), is replacing over 50,000 charcoal and wood burning stoves in Lao PDR. The stoves will be replaced with clean, energy-efficient and smoke free cooking stoves. The first recipients of the stoves will be schools with feeding programmes. Cooking on open fires is a significant health problem in Lao PDR, and other low income countries. For example, exposure to household pollution causes 3-4 million premature deaths each year and is a major cause...


UK Met Office committed to strengthening Asia’s resilience to climate change

The UK Met Office announced a new programme to strengthen climate change resilience in Asia, working in partnership with the World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). The programme was announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place in London this week. The key focus of the programme will be on strengthening water forecasting systems across Asia through new technologies and innovations. The programme will also assist vulnerable communities to prepare for climate related shocks. Professor Stephen Belcher, the...


Médecins Sans Frontières open new hospital in Cox’s Bazar as health concerns grow for monsoon season

The hospital, ran by Médecins Sans Frontières, opens as the camp is preparing for its annual monsoon season which has caused significant concern among humanitarian organisations. Monsoon season will increase the risk of flooding and landslides in the region, in addition to raising concerns over healthcare. For example, there is concern over an outbreak of cholera and the effect this will have on maternal and child health care provision. Francesco Segoni, MSF’s emergency coordinator in Cox’s Bazar noted: “With the flooding and accumulation of stagnant...


Asia needs to step up the fight against hunger, says FAO Director

Governments in Asia must further their commitment to Zero Hunger by focusing on rural poverty reduction and adapting their agricultural sectors due to the threats posed by climate change. General José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director commented: “Countries need to step up their efforts to bring the fight against hunger back on track” José Graziano da Silva was speaking at the FAO’s Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific in Fiji. Over the last 2 decades Asia has achieved remarkable progress in reducing undernourishment. Since...


World Bank approves $55 million to support renewable energy projects in rural Bangladesh

The World Bank has approved $55 million to grow clean and renewable energy in rural areas of Bangladesh that is cut off from electricity grids. The funding will be added to the existing Second Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development (RERED II) Project and will involve the installation of 1000 solar irrigation pumps. 30 solar mini grids and 4 million improved cooking stoves. The total project will enable 10 million people in rural and island areas of Bangladesh to access electricity and increase the efficiency...


Health concerns grow in Papua New Guinea following earthquake and aftershocks

WHO has raised concerns about the potential for disease earthquakes in Papua New Guinea following a large earthquake in February 2018 and a number of subsequent aftershocks. The initial earthquake struck on 26th February with a magnitude of 7.5. This, combined with hundreds of aftershocks, has resulted in the severe damage of approximately 65% of healthcare facilities in the provinces of Hela and Southern Highland. Currently, 13% of health facilities remain closed and those that have reopened are only able to provide emergency services. The...


IOM, Japan and Bangladesh are working together to bring clean water to Rohingya refugees

The UN Migration Agency (IOM), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Bangladesh’s Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) are bringing easily accessible and safe water to 30,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. IOM, JICA and DPHE have collaborated on a major borehole project which opens this week. It is the first part of a wider project that is designed to meet the increasingly water needs of the Ukhiya district of Bangladesh. Since August 2017 the large influx of Rohingya refugees has placed a significant...


Health concerns grow in Papua New Guinea following earthquake and aftershocks

WHO has raised concerns about the potential for disease earthquakes in Papua New Guinea following a large earthquake in February 2018 and a number of subsequent aftershocks. The initial earthquake struck on 26th February with a magnitude of 7.5. This, combined with hundreds of aftershocks, has resulted in the severe damage of approximately 65% of healthcare facilities in the provinces of Hela and Southern Highland. Currently, 13% of health facilities remain closed and those that have reopened are only able to provide emergency services. The...


Bhutan’s capital is the latest city to join UNISDR’s ‘Making Cities Resilient’ campaign

Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, is the newest member to join Bhutan’s the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) ‘Making Cities Resilient’ campaign. The Making Cities Resilient campaign addresses local governance and urban risk to promote resilience activities, sustainable development and an understanding of disaster risk. The campaign seeks to achieve resilient and sustainable urban communities by engaging local governments and building multi-stakeholder partnerships. This is achieved through the provision of knowledge, tools and resources to support and encourage funding for disaster risk...


Women are leading disaster resilience in Indonesia

Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location in the Pacific Rim of Fire where earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Each year the Indonesian Government spends between $300-500 million on disaster recovery; over the last 30 years the country has experienced an average of 290 significant natural disasters each year. It also is expected that climate change will worsen the effects of droughts and flooding for the country. Similarly, natural disasters are expected to significantly worsen across Asia due to climate change....


“No single agency can meet the massive health needs” of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh, says WHO

Healthcare is a key priority for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, with numerous agencies committing to help provide critical healthcare. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has made a further appeal for supporting the needs of 1.3 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh as monsoon season nears. In addition to risks from flooding and landslides, refugees in Bangladesh also face significant health risks due to the rainy season. Last week the UK Department for International Development announced commitments to protect the communityfrom flooding and landslides. Dr Poonam Khetrapal...


Combining sustainability and profitability in Asia

Across Asia a number of companies are beginning to recognise the power of sustainability in driving profits. Some of Asia’s largest multinational corporations have embraced sustainability including Ayala Corporation, Indian IT firm Infosys and South Korean water company Coway. In 2018’s Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index, South Korean company Samsung came 10th with a sustainability score of 75.8%. While the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index primarily recognises European corporations, a number of Asian corporations are leading the...


World Water Day – What Threat Does Water Pose to Asia?

March 22nd 2018 marks the 25th Annual World Water Day which aims to highlight the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources. Global water use has increased six fold over the past century and continues to grow at a rate of about one percent per year. Water challenges are increasing in severity and frequency due to environmental damage and climate change; the threat of floods, droughts and pollution are all worsened by neglecting nature. The UN estimates that by 2050...


DFID steps up support for Rohingya refugees as monsoon season looms

The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has increased support to Rohingya refugees ahead of monsoon season. Bangladesh’s annual cyclone and monsoon season is fast approaching which poses significant threats to the refugee community living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Estimates suggest that almost 1 million people have fled from neighbouring Myanmar following persecution. A large number of these refugees are living in an overcrowded and hilly settlement that are extremely vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The UN estimates that 102,000 of the refugees are living...


Investment in sustainable water management is critical for Vietnam

Vietnam is facing a water crisis driven by environmental damage, climate change and unsustainable water exploitation. Additionally, the country is struggling to address challenges in resource management in environmentally sustainable ways. Last week in Hanoi the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment held a workshop in preparation of World Water Day 2018 themed ‘Green solutions for water resources’. Deputy Minister Trần Quý Kiên commented that the negative impacts of climate change and exploitation of water resources has seriously affected water resources in Vietnam: “The workshop...


Natural disasters in Asia caused $48 billion worth of damage to agriculture in 2017

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) revealed that between 2005 and 2015 Asia suffered the most significant economic losses from natural disasters. The FAO revealed the figures in their report ‘The impacts of disaster and crisis on agriculture and food security 2017’. Half of the damage caused to agricultural production by natural disasters was in Asia, costing approximately $48 billion. Asia, the most disaster prone region in the world, has experienced an increase in drought, flooding and other natural disasters in recent...


Linking local production and refugee nutrition is key to ‘maintain harmony’ in Cox’s Bazar

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has distributed seeds and agricultural machinery to over 500 host families in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh to enable them to grow new varieties of crops to sell and eat. The FAO hopes this will also help to improve the nutrition of Rohingya refugees in the area. It is estimated that approximately 1.2 million people living in Cox’s Bazar will require humanitarian assistance in 2018 and food security remains a critical aspect of this. At the end of last month the...


Solar power gets another boost from India, France and the ADB

​The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a new agreement to promote the development of solar energy in Asia and the pacific. This includes solar power generation, solar based mini grids and transmission systems for integrating solar energy into grids. The ISA was established by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the Paris Agreement of 2015 with the aim of reducing the cost of finance and technology and mobilise over US$1000 billion of investment for the deployment of...


Japan signs $5.2 million agreement with UNDP to support six Pacific nations

Last week the government of Japan signed a USD$5.2 million agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to upscale its current parliamentary development work and support six Pacific Nations. Thanks to the programme, the UNDP will provide new support to the Parliaments of Samoa, Republic of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, and significantly scale up ongoing support to the Parliaments of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. Speaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni commented on the benefits this could bring for Fiji: “We...


Disaster resilience and post disaster recovery in Asia

The latest report by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) found that natural disasters are becoming more frequent and intense in Asia, with disaster risk outpacing resilience. ESCAP also estimates that between 2015 and 2030 40% of global economic losses from disasters will be in Asia and the Pacific. The greatest of these effects will be felt in Small Island Developing Nations with annual losses close to 4% of their GDP, compared to 2.5% in the Least Developed Countries....


Vietnam to construct 4,000 storm proof homes to protect against climate change

A new partnership between the UN and Vietnam will see storm proof houses built in vulnerable coastal communities. The 29.5 million housing scheme will be funded by the UN Green Climate Fund and aims to increase the resilience of Vietnamese coastal communities to the effects of climate change. The project will target the poorest households and priority will be given to ethnic minorities, disadvantaged families, the elderly and people with disabilities. The project also includes the regeneration of mangrove forests in coastal areas, as these...


Resilience to climate change in Asia-Pacific depends on gender equality, says UNEP

The United Nations Environment Programme have highlighted that for the Asia-Pacific region to develop a long term and sustainable resilience to the effects of climate change, they must address two key factors: human vulnerability and gender inequality. Around the world women are effected more significantly and frequently by climate change than men. The latest UN figures reveal that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. The typical role of women as primary caregivers and providers of food and fuel make them far more...


APEC accelerates early warning systems after the record breaking disasters of 2017

APEC member economies are fast-tracking the development of digital safeguards in the areas of the Asia-Pacific region that are notably vulnerable to natural disasters. Emergency management officials from APEC hope that this will boost vulnerable communities and livelihoods. 2017 was a year marked by an unusually high and severe number of natural disasters; with Asia experiencing a vast number of these. South Asia experienced its worst flooding for a decade in the summer of 2017, killing over 1,400 people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and...


Energy efficiency is a top priority for Vietnam

The World Bank and Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced a $102 million project to support the adoption of ener

The World Bank and Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced a $102 million project to support the adoption of energy efficient technologies and practices in industrial enterprises. The project will provide industrial enterprises with access to a new line of credit to fund their purchase of energy efficient and production optimising technologies. This will reduce energy consumption and production cost, thereby increasing overall competitiveness in domestic and international markets. Under the new programme, financial institutions and industrial enterprises will prepare, evaluate and appraise...


Sri Lanka is hopeful a new pumping station will protect against flooding

At the start of 2018 work began in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to construct a large pumping station designed to extract water from flood

At the start of 2018 work began in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to construct a large pumping station designed to extract water from flood prone parts of the city. Colombo sits on the Kelani River making it vulnerable to flooding as during heavy rainfall the hills and plans of west Colombo create rapid runoff that enters into the see and can spill into the canals across the city. Colombo has a number of gates throughout the canal network built to stop floodwater emptying into the city....


World Bank announces new climate resilience plans to benefit 25 million in India

The World Bank has announced a $420 million project to increase climate resilience financial and viability in agriculture for small and marginal farmers in India. The project is set to benefit over 25 million people across over 5000 villages in India’s districts of Marathwada and Vidarbha which are most vulnerable to climate change. The project, titled Maharashtra Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture, will be implemented rural areas that depend on rain-fed agriculture. It aims to strengthen resilience of small and marginal farmers against the effects...


A new project puts women at the forefront of climate resilience in Bangladesh

The Green Climate Fund has approved a US$25 million grant to support Bangladesh’s efforts to build the adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities along the cost. The initiative will focus on women and adolescent girls and is set to benefit 700,000 people over 6 years. The project will be led by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs who will also contribute $8 million in co-financing. The project marks a paradigm shift in how women and girls are viewed as agents of change to plan, implement...


LAO PDR launches comprehensive new plans to tackle stunting

Representatives from two provinces in Lao PDR have agreed on a comprehensive new approach to reducing stunting.

Representatives from two provinces in Lao PDR have agreed on a comprehensive new approach to reducing stunting. The new initiative will include a focus on diversified food production, delivering better healthcare, providing clean water, improving sanitation facilities and enhancing social safety net programmes. Lao PDR has a significantly high prevalence of stunting in children affecting approximately 44% of those under 5; however, this figures varies across the country. Despite a decline in child mortality, Lao PDR has one of the highest stunting levels in South...


Solar panels are bringing 40,000 litres of water a day to families in Nepal

In April 2015 Nepal experienced a severe earthquake that killed almost 9,000 people and disrupted the lives of 8 million, one of the key disruptions in rural areas was reduced access to clean water. The recovery process has been a challenge due to a number of reasons including funding delays. However, the introduction of solar panels has provided those in rural areas with clean water and has accelerated the recovery programme. Following the earthquake Renewable World set up a solar-powered pump in Shikharpur, a settlement...


How can India’s agricultural industry prepare for climate change?

India’s latest annual economic survey revealed that climate change could hurt the income of Indian farmers by up to 25% in the medium term. India is expected to experience extreme weather events, temperature rise and a decrease in rainful due to climate change, all of which threaten livelihoods across the country. Agriculture is a crucial aspect of India’s economy contributing 18% to Gross Domestic Product and accounting for 50% of employment. Of these, approximately 80% of Indian farmers are smallholders with less than 2 hectares...


WHO calls for a significant scaling up of health services in Cox’s Bazar

The World Health Organisation (WHO) are calling for an increase in health services to the 1.3 million people in Cox’s Bazar. Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh has become home to approximately 688,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar since August 2017, joining approximately 212,500 others who had arrived at an earlier date. The influx of refugees to Bangladesh has been one of the largest population movements in the shortest time span. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, commented: “Commendable efforts have been made by the...


Monsoon season poses a serious risk for Bangladesh’s refugee communities

Severe weather brought on by the monsoon season in Bangladesh poses a significant risk to the refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazar. Since August 2017 the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) estimates that 688,001 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh. A large number of these refugees are living in an overcrowded and hilly settlement that are extremely vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration, REACH, and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center conducted a mapping survey of the area and found that 371 households...


Solar power is key for bringing electricity to all Indians

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a $2.5 billion plan to electrify every Indian household by 2019. Currently 240 million still have no access to electrical power; solar power is likely to play a large role in the push to connect all of India to electricity. In India 60% of new connections are expected to be to renewable power, according to the International Energy Agency, and solar mini grids will play a key role in this. Solar mini grids typically rely on one or...


New UN project set to benefit 14,000 Nepalese farmers

A new programme launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is set to benefit thousands of rural farmers in Nepal. The ‘Cooperative Market Development Programme’ uses an innovative approach to build the capacity of farmers as well as add greater value to their products. The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Government of Nepal. The Government of Nepal and UNDP will together contribute $7million to the five year initiative. The programme aims to establish and operationalise a cooperative market chain of fruits...