Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Climate Change and REDD Partnership Program organized a six day training on Community Based Carbon Inventory from 14th April-19th April, 2012 in Lamjung Bhajakhet VDC Ward no 1 Khasur Village, which is the Demo area of NEFIN Climate change REDD Partnership Program. The main objective of the training was to develop capacity on climate Change and REDD+ and acquire knowledge and skill on forest carbon accounting to the Indigenous leaders participated from different distircts. The training was attended by 29 participants from 21 district representatives from IPOs, NEFIN affiliated organizations and DCC. REDD is a new but emerging concern for the Indigenous peoples because of national and international interest. Since it is a new concept on carbon trading, Indigenous peoples have inadequate knowledge about it. Thus, it has been widely realized that there is a need of capacity development regarding climate change, REDD + and community based carbon measurement and inventory for the indigenous peoples. The training was formatted in three different approaches: slide presentation, group exercises and field exercise.

Objective
The overall objective of this training was to develop capacity on community based carbon measurement and inventory of the Indigenous leaders working to secure indigenous rights and mobilize them as local resource persons in future. Specific objectives of the training program were to:

• Discuss the concept and phenomenon of climate change.
• Acquire knowledge and skill on forest carbon accounting.
• Develop capacity on climate Change and REDD+

Participant selection criteria stipulated that

• Participants’ education must be at least SLC with a major in mathematics subject.
• Participants must be willing to give trainings to Indigenous peoples at a community level.
• Priority should be given to women participation to maintain gender equality
• Participants must be familiar with Climate Change and REDD + process
• Participants should have already participated in the national level ToT on CC and REDD and Community Based REDD + and already started working as a trainer in the community level.

Methodology
The training in general was based on interactive mode. There were slide presentation, group work, practical exercise in filed, questions and answers and discussions. Information included impact of climate change on IPs , the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, national REDD plus, introduction of compass and its use, boundary survey method, introduction of scale, mapping method, area survey, GPS (Global Positioning system) setting method and its use, boundary survey through GPS, mapping in graph and computer through GMIS software system, area calculation method, sustainable forest management system, IEE method, biodiversity and record keeping system, carbon inventory method, sampling method and sampling plot calculation methods, and filling up forest resource inventory form and data analysis process. This enabled participants to use the GPS, Compass, clino master etc and apply them in the field. The training became more engaging because the session included entertainment break with icebreaker activities.

Day First (14th April, 2012)
The opening day began with a formal session chaired by Mr. Khemjung Gurung, DCC chairperson Lamjung; chief guest, Mr. Gyan Bdr Bote; NEFIN Vice chairperson; Mr. Kumud Shrestha (Resource Person); Mr. Mukti Subeti (Resource Person); Ms. Kamala Thapa (NEFIN CC REDD CCMIN Officer); and Mr. Bharat Ghale (Khasur CFUG Secretary). The head master, Mr. Nanda Bdr Ghale, welcomed the training participants and Mr. Kumud Shrestha provided a brief objective of Community Based Carbon Measurement and inventory Training. The participants were asked to introduce themselves stating name, district, name of representative organization, position in organization and responsibility. Participants introduced themselves and shared their expectations from the training. Resource persons Mr. Kumud Shrestha, Mr. Mukti Ram Subedi and Ms. Kamala Thapa, each presented a power point presentation of their side Their presentations covered climate change, REDD and Indigenous people, introduction of compass, its use in survey and boundary survey concept. Participants were shown the compass and its practice and use in the field. At the end of the day, participants were asked to look through their manual guidelines to familiarize themselves with documents underpinning the training.

Day Second (15th April, 2012)
The day started with the recap of the previous day’s learning through presentations by the reporters The day started by power point presentation by Mr. Mukti Subedi on boundary survey technique. The participants were then taken for a field exercise near by the village school area to undertake boundary survey of the school area. Participants were divided into two groups. After the field work, Mr. Mukti Ram Subedi presented the method to make maps in graph, the use of scale, traverse adjustment method, calculation of area and coordinate method to the participants. The participants were asked to make a school map in the graph by the help of scale and area calculation. At the end of the day, participants were asked to take an extra class have a more in depth understanding.

Day Three (16th April, 2012)
The third day focused on recap of the previous day. The participants raised some questions related to draw map in the graph, scale, and compass. The resource person explained the queries and clarified participants’ confusion. The next session was the introduction of GPS and its use in the forest and GMIS software.. Mr. Subedi detailed the description of GPS, its setting method, and its handling in the field. After this, 3 groups were provided with GPS and were asked to go in three different places to collect data from the GPS and make map on graph and on the computer with GMIS software.

Day Four (17th April, 2012)
The day began with a reflection on the previous day. The reporter had some queries related to GPS and its use in the field and GMIS software download system. As per the suggestion, the resource person briefed more on how to use the GPS in the field. After the reflection, Mr. Kumud Shrestha and Ms. Kamala Thapa presented topics on sustainable forest management system, IEE process and biodiversity and biodiversity information collection system. The presentations were more participatory where the participants shared and discussed their experiences on forest management system, and biodiversity.
Then Mr. Subedi’s presentation highlighted forest inventory method, sampling intensity, and GPS through one plot to another plot. At the end of the class, participants were asked to do homework including reworking the map in the graph.

Day Five (18th April, 2012)
The day started with reflection on the previous day by the reporter followed by a field visit to Khasur Community Forest to collect data of carbon inventory process. The participants were divided into two groups and were asked to collect data from at least 2-3 sample plots. The participants collected data in two sample plots by the help of GPS, Clino master, D-tape, and measuring tape. After the field visit, the data was downloaded in the computer with GMIS software to calculate and draw map and area calculation. The participants were also asked to make the map in the graph paper.

Day Six (19th April, 2012)
The final day started with a review of the previous day. Each activity was discussed and resource persons tried to address participants’ queries as clearly as possible by defining each subject matter. Mr. Suedi taught how to analyze data and upload it in the computer. The participants themselves uploaded the data in the computer, drew a map and calculated the total area in GMIS system. At the end, the program and the participants’ learning level were evaluated through a set of questionnaires.

Closing of the training
The training was concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Khem Jung Gurung (DCC, NEFIN), who acknowledged the great support that the NEFIN CC REDD Program staff provided to make the training possible. He encouraged the participants to continue working as one, building stronger solidarity as indigenous people and thanked all participants for their active involvement during the training period. He emphasized that youths should be involved in each and every part of the area under discussion for advocating the rights of Indigenous peoples and for the successful implementation of REDD process in Nepal. He hoped that the REDD strategy will be prepared on time and will address and incorporate all the critical issues of Indigenous peoples and local communities. Mr. Gyan Bdr Bote (NEFIN Vice Chairperson) also highlighted the indigenous youth issues and suggested the indigenous youths to stand for the right of the indigenous people. He suggested the youths to help NEFIN succeed the Indigenous movement of Nepal. The program was concluded by distributing certificates to the participants. The participants also shared their most significant learning before the training ended. All were thankful of the opportunity to participate in such a technical training. Participants shared that what they learned from the training has given them the confidence to work in their own community. They committed to share their enhanced knowledge on Climate Change and REDD+ with their communities.

Outcomes

Following were the outcomes of the training:

• The participants learnt the phenomenon of climate change, and its impacts on Indigenous people.
• They understood the major identified drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in national and global context
• Participants acquired theoretical concept on forest carbon measurement technique as well as brief technical capabilities of satellite images, GIS data, and GPS in carbon measurement procedure.
• At the closing session, participants expressed their willingness and commitment for further engagement in their working area to incorporate such activities related to Indigenous people rights.
• Most of the participants were youths who were quite enthusiastic to learn from the trainers.
• The training evaluation indicated that the training was very useful in understanding Climate Change, REDD and Indigenous people and carbon accounting process and participants suggested to organize refreshment training in future.
• Practical field made participants more enthusiastic to learn more about the carbon inventory method.
• The group work and practical classes allowed for interactions and knowledge sharing which a number of participants highly appreciated.