The Hindu Kush Karakoram Pamir Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (HKPL-CDI) is a regional transboundary initiative to enhance cooperation between Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan for biodiversity conservation and mountain sustainable development. The HKPL team visited China and fulfilled various purposes: (i) They conducted the HKPL review and planning meeting involving all four countries and were able to bring on board for the first time relevant participants from Afghanistan; (ii) jointly organized with Lanzhou University (LU) a two-day event on sharing rangeland resources work and presentation from potential partners; (iii) provided a platform for three NSFC-ICIMOD project participants to initiate discussions and plan their future activities; and (iv) established potential collaborations with the provincial government, bureaus, universities, and other relevant institutions from China involved in the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative.
• For Artichoke (Cynara cardanculus) and sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides): Commercial Lanzhou Research Institute and the Center of Innovation Development of Science, Academy of Science, Republic of Tajikistan. Support for this technology transfer and training of about 75000 USD to be given by the Gansu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Gansu, China for two years.
• Cold Water Fisheries technology transfer from Gansu Fisheries Research Institute (GFRI) to Hindu Kush Heights Company, Chitral, Pakistan and National Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Nepal. Support for this technology transfer and training of about 750000 USD to be given by the Gansu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Gansu, China for three years.
• Potato breeding and germplasm exchange between NARC and Gansu Agricultural University. Support for this technology transfer and training of about 45000 USD to be given by the Gansu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Gansu, China.
Based on these meetings, some MoUs have already been signed and a few are in process, to be finalized in early 2017. Great interest was shown by different organizations to collaborate with ICIMOD and to work for development and conservation (ecology and culture) in the HKPL region. ICIMOD and the communities and institutions which currently lack international cooperation opportunities can lead this collaborative work by capacity building, technology transfer, and leveraging funds from the Chinese partners.
The report was co-funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nepal.