KATHMANDU, May 1, 2017: Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationality (NEFIN) Climate Change Partnership Program conducted a two-day training program on data collection using Akvo Flow mobile application, in Kanchanpur on April 29-30, 2017. Used on smartphones, Akvo Flow software is effective in gathering geo-referenced data that can be used readily.

The program was part of the project titled ‘Strengthening Capacity of Nepal’s Water Users to Adapt to Climate Change at the Central and Grassroots Levels – Indigenous Nationalities’ being implemented with financial support of USAID and in coordination with DAI. Under this project, data under different categories will be collected from households of the lower Mahakali river watershed areas.

CCPP National Coordinator Mr Tunga Bhadra Rai said the main objective of the program was to build capacity of participants on use of Akvo Flow mobile application for reliable, efficient data collection in the lower Mahakali river watershed area of Kanchanpur district.

He added that the program aimed to orient at orienting the participants on improved natural water sources and also train them on devising effective survey plan and field trip.

During the program, six citizen scientists—three males and three females each—from Mahendranagar and Bhimdatta Municipality of Kanchanpur were oriented on use of the software in collecting reliable and geo-referenced data.

The participants were specifically trained, with demonstration, on how to use questionnaires from the application for data collection and enter the data into the application while conducting survey in households of in the lower Mahakali river watershed area, under four different categories– drying up quality of water and sanitation, biodiversity and climate change and livelihood and economic prosperity

Addressing the program, NEFIN Chairperson Mr Jagat Baram called on all stakeholders, including political parties and NGOs and INGOs to make conducive environment for programs based on the rights of indigenous peoples who are nature-dependent and who inhibit forest areas and near rivers.

A total of 33 persons, including NEFIN Kanchanpur DCC office-bearers, participants from FONIJ, representatives from PANI project, among other stakeholders, were present on the occasion.