December 16-17, 2022, Janakpur, Nepal – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) concluded a capacity building workshop for municipal officials from Dhanusha and Mahottari districts on establishing and operationalizing Local Emergency Operations Centers (LEOCs) for the climate-smart agriculture.
LEOC is a facility at local level responsible for carrying out emergency preparedness and emergency management or disaster management functions during an emergency and ensure an organization’s ability to continue its operations. The Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act 2017 has stipulated that each local government much establish and operate LEOC and develop an effective Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) in each local government. The LEOCs will play a crucial role in improving emergency preparedness and response in the targeted municipalities of the two districts.
During the workshop, Mr. Tibendra Raj Banskota, GGGI DRM and agriculture expert, presented the findings of the LEOC capacity assessment conducted in 10 municipalities (Sabaila municipality, Kamal Municipality, Mithila Bihari Municipality, Janaknandani Rural Municipality, Mukhiyapatti Musharniya Rural Municipality of Dhanusha district and Balawa Municipality, Bhangaha Municipality, Matihani Municipality, Mahottari Rural Municipality, Sonama Rural Municipality of Mahottari district). The workshop was participated by 62 individuals representing mayors, deputy mayors, chief administrative officers, agriculture officers, IT officers, DRR focal persons; representatives from Agriculture Knowledge Center (AKC) and District Emergency Operation Center (DEOC) from both districts.
During the workshop, attendees discussed the importance of improving emergency management in the agriculture sector and the need for effective communication in disaster response. They also highlighted the impact of wildlife disasters on vegetables, and the lack of compensation available for agricultural losses. Along with this, participants also discussed on the availability of timely weather information produced by national institutions like Department of Hydrology and Metrology (DHM). It was emphasized that community capacity building programs are critical for disaster response and should be organized by municipalities.
“We are pleased to partner with the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative (MoLMAC) and 10 municipalities in both the districts on this important project,” said Mr. Purusottam Prasad Gupta, Senior Project Coordination Officer, GGGI. Through this project, we intend to enhance the capacity of partnered municipalities to become resilient towards the impacts of changing climate. “By building the capacity of municipal officials and establishing LEOCs, we can help strengthen the resilience of communities in the face of disasters and extreme weather events.”
GGGI will continue to work with the municipalities to establish and operationalize the LEOCs while closely coordinating with other partners to improve disaster information management and early warning systems of communities.
This workshop was conducted as part of KOICA-GGGI Climate-smart agriculture project, in partnership with the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives, aiming to support widespread adoption of climate smart agriculture to reduce vulnerability and improve food and job security, especially for women, youth and returned migrant workers in the Terai Flood Plain region.