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November 2002
Exchange programme with Nepal
It is with great pleasure that IFSP Trincomalee had the opportunity to welcome a 25 member’s delegation from Nepal in Trincomalee from 23 October to 2 November 2002. They were development officers, civil engineers, community mobilisers and planning professionals from local government institutions of Nepal (district administration), World Food Programme and GTZ. The visitors are working in a Rural Infrastructure Works Programme – Integrated Food Security Programme in many districts in Nepal. This programme supports local communities to develop the village infrastructure and agriculture in remote areas. The programme in Nepal is similar to IFSP Trincomalee.
The objectives of the visit were to learn from IFSP Trincomalee and to make use of the wealth of experience and knowledge IFSP has accumulated during four years. The Nepali delegation was keen to know, how IFSP had successfully worked during the conflict. What were the arrangements which allowed a smooth planning, intensive dialogue with local communities and the parties in conflict and efficient project implementation? Since Nepal is confronted with a violent conflict between rebels and government forces project teams are challenged to apply adjustment and coping pattern.
The exchange of know-how and experience between IFSP Trincomalee, Sri Lanka and the Rural Community Infrastructure Works Programme - Integrated Food Security Programme, Nepal dates back to March 1999. At that time officers from Trincomalee participated in a training programme on food-for-work. Thereafter IFSP Trincomalee has adopted many ‘tools’ from Nepal, e.g. the project book, project fact sheet, public auditing and supporting community based organisations like RDS and FO.
In October 2001 one engineer and programme manager from GTZ Nepal visited IFSP Trincomalee to review infrastructure works and the minor tank development undertaken by IFSP in cooperation with the Department of Agrarian Development and many FOs. This visit was followed by sending two community mobilisers and one engineer from IFSP to Nepal in September/October 2002. They were requested to study community mobilisation and technical auditing in Nepal.
Our visitors from Nepal had the opportunity to extensively visit project sites in Trincomalee district. They experienced people and institutions. They had intensive discussions with representatives of community based organisations, government officers and staff from partner institutions. During the field visits IFSP staff accompanied the delegation.
Four groups toured Trincomalee district and visited IFSP supported projects in the DS Divisions of Eachchilampattai, Muthur, Seruvila, Gomarankadawela, Morawewa and Kuchchaveli. They inspected the minor tank development programme including Keerandankulam and Ithikulam close to Thoppur, Athabandiwewa and Kuttikulam near Gomarankadawela and Paranamadawachchiya tank and drinking water scheme between Padavisiripura and Pulmoddai. They visited the new schools in Uppural, Seenanveli and Vaddavan. The visitors participated in distributing the mid-day meal for school children in Iqbal Nagar, Athimoddai, Kuchchaveli, Kiliveddy and Eachchilampattai.
Village water supply and sanitation projects were inspected and intensive discussions with PHIs and the MoH Muthur were held. The visitors saw the seed cleaning and sorting centre operating at the 58 Mile Post, Barathipuram and the agri-business for banana and vegetable cultivation at the 64 Mile Post, close to Muthur town. Of great interest was the demonstration of the drip irrigation systems recently introduced by the Department of Agriculture at individual farms in Sampalthevu and Nilaveli. The visitors had the opportunity to see projects supported by NEIAP, WFP and Action against Hunger (ACF).
Over the weekend the Nepali delegation visited cultural sites and enjoyed the scenic beauty of Trincomalee. At the end of the visit experiences, impressions and perceptions were exchanged during a workshop in which a large number of government officers and members from NGOs participated.
Throughout the visit the IFSP staff showed and explained how IFSP Trincomalee has been successfully meeting its objectives during times of conflict since August 1998. IFSP has practised intensive dialogue with people and parties in conflict, has been transparent in all activities and developed a high degree of dedication to support the implementation of village projects. Sound planning in cooperation with partner institutions, speed in supporting the implementation of village projects and finally, security related precautions are tools that allowed IFSP Trincomalee to promote development.
We are confident that IFSP Trincomalee has shown that development in conflict is to a certain extent possible. We would like to see our concepts and approaches used and adapted in Nepal.
All IFSP staff and management and the management and staff from NEIAP, ACF, the heads of the Departments of Agriculture, Agrarian Development, Health as well as the Divisional Secretaries, the Deputy Chief Secretary and the Planning Director at the Kachcheri deserve our heartfelt thanks. They made the visit a unique experience for all of us.
more about IFSP Nepal on their web site
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