Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Climate Change REDD Program in partnership with IWGA successfully organized Community Based REDD+ National ToT in Nagarkot, Bhaktpur from 16-18 Jan, 2013 . Ms. Pasang Dolma Sherpa, Coordinator of NEFIN-CC and REDD Partnership Program, highlighted the objective of the program which were to enhance the capacity, to empower Indigenous leaders particularly Indigenous women leaders, and to update participants about the National and International activities on REDD + process and encourage the Indigenous leaders to conduct trainings on their respective Indigenous Organizations, districts and villages.
The training was delivered by the National Trainers of NEFIN CC and REDD Partnership Program who already participated in several National ToT and regional training before. Mr. Kiran Sunuwar, Mr. Buddha Lama, Mr. Prem Dhoj Thapa and Mr. Dhan Man Gurung were the resource persons during the training while Ms. Pasang Dolma Sherpa, Mr. Tunga Rai and Ms. Kamala Thapa provided updates on National, International, UN-REDD and FCPF in REDD and REDD+ process.
There were 35 participants from NEFIN District Coordination Council (DCC) and other Indigenous Organizations. Majority of the participants had already taken the earlier ToT on Climate change and REDD and were already working as trainers. The trained participants will be mobilized across five development regions and three ecological belts, Mountain, Hills, and Terai of the country. As the proposal received, the training will run in coordination with 58 District Coordination Councils (DDCs) of NEFIN, 32 Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs), 20 Indigenous Women’s Organizations and 3 affiliated organization of NEFIN in all five development regions across the nation in 3 months time.

Procedure
The National ToT on Community Based REDD+ training consisted of participants from previous national ToT as well as new participants form the Indigenous Women organizations from various districts. The program started with a brief objective of National ToT and welcome remarks by Ms. Pasang Dolma Sherpa. She highlighted the importance of National ToT and 113 trainings in the district level trainings to be conducted by the respective IPOs, IWPOS and district chapters individually. She requested all the participants to be more focused on the training and not to hesitate in raising queries in case of any confusion. The training presentation and discussion were focused on What is Climate Change and REDD+, NTFP, importance of biodiversity, Payment of Environment services, land use and land use planning, REDD cost and benefit, REDD standards and IPs concern, Free and Prior informed consent (FPIC), what is participation, empowerment, Do we need REDD? Steps of ready of REDD+, national and international updates on UNFCCC and COP process and Carbon inventory methods and carbon caluation.
Documentary video related with Climate Change, REDD+ and FPIC process session was also included in the training. Each presentation was followed by discussion for further clarity on the content.

Field practicum on carbon mapping was done on the fourth day. A resource person was invited specially for carbon mapping practicum. The process of measurement of the trees, below and above biomass by Alto meter, D-tape, measuring tape and compass was also included. Each day ended with a reflection session. A discussion after dinner was held to share doubts and questions that the participants had for the day’s session.

Outcomes
The Community Based REDD + ToT provided theoretical and practical base of carbon sequestration in their forest both above and below ground biomass measurement of the Forest. The four day TOT was a dual interactive program. Both the participants and resource persons were involved in teaching and learning activity at the same time. Discussion was the main tool applied in digging out queries and resolving the issues. Thus this mode of TOT proceeding gave both the participants and the resource persons a space to enrich their understandings to another level.
The topics taught during the training touched almost every necessary aspects of environment science related to climate change and REDD+. As a whole, the TOT was also a science education besides awareness of indigenous peoples’ rights connected with the mentioned issues.
Since the TOT included participants from various organizations hailing from different districts, the exchange of idea and problems related to their community and locality was a big achievement. It became a platform for sharing ideas and ground realities. The TOT gave individual participants a platform to exhibit their challenges and the assistance of experienced trainers in clearing out their doubts and curiosity related to climate change, REDD+ and indigenous people’s concerns. The training became an instrument to aware and to build their capacity of understanding climate change and REDD+. The training updated national and international negotiations on climate change and REDD+, articulating it further with the rights of indigenous people. The practical, documentary show and sharing session part of the training developed their confidence level and they assured that they can run similar training at their region, district and villages.

Conclusion
The creation of a group of indigenous peoples’ resource persons who will aware their communities about climate change and REDD+ was the major achievement of the program. The program educated the participants about climate changes and REDD+ in relation to indigenous peoples and natural resources. In a nut shell, the program developed the understanding of the participants about climate change and REDD+ strategies from the basic level to its implementation in the national and international levels. The complete utilization and extraction of gained knowledge and capacity at various levels of the TOT program across the country was expected by the organizing team.

Recommendation
Every indigenous people spread across the country should unite to advocate their rights over their forests, land, territories and natural resources with which their cultural, religious, and historical dependency is deeply rooted. The role of the trainers, who take such TOT programs, is vital because they have the responsibility to spread the education to others across the country. Therefore, diligent attention and curiosity to learn more about indigenous peoples concerns in relation to climate change REDD+ and its strategies is extremely essential. Indigenous peoples and the participants of the training should aware local authorities of their rights upon the forests, land and natural resources. If in case of impartiality shown by the local authority, they can always seek help from other non-governmental organizations to lobby for their participation in spreading climate change and REDD+ education. Endorsement of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) procedures before the initiation and implementation of projects that will utilize the natural resources is highly recommended.