Capacity building is a fundamental aspect of all Swiss supported projects. Only if individual and institutional capacities of relevant sectorial stakeholders are strengthened, assessment, tools and other products have a real added value supporting planning and implementation of climate change actions. Therefore, capacity building activities are an integral part of the work done in the sectors of Disaster Risk Management, Water Resource Management and Glaciology. Trainings address a broad range of stakeholders ranging from decision makers involved in planning process, scientific and technical staff involved in assessments, planning and implementation, local communities involved in monitoring and maintenance. Trainings combine a tailor-made approach considering the audience and local contexts and simultaneously foster reference standards for replication and upscaling.

• Disaster Risk Management (DRM) with a focus on Early warning systems The trainings in DRM aim to strengthen capacities related to EWS, addressing stakeholders involved in tasks related to hazard/risk assessment, monitoring, alerting as well as response based on tools, standardized methodologies and best-practices. These are the milestones:

• Assessment of EWS training and capacity building needs based on a field survey to identify gaps and needs of different target groups (e.g., community, EWS operators, first responders, scientific and admin staff)
• Technical trainings for hazard, risk assessment including modelling of GLOFs
• Technical workshops involving Indo-Swiss expert teams to develop standing operational procedures (SOP) for GLOFs EWS
• Technical trainings for key actors in EWS, namely local population/” lay” people; EWS operators and first responders
• Development of training modules, e-learning/online training courses
• Development of Generic guidelines on EWS for operators, first responders, scientific and administrative staff involved in the design, implementation and management of EWS
• Water Resource Management (WRM) with a focus on Modelling The trainings in WRM aim to strengthen capacities with reference to tools to assess the impacts of climate change, to improve water planning and assess consequences of water allocation processes based on multiple stakeholder’s interests and future scenario. These are the milestones:
  • Training programme on glacio-hydrological and water allocation modelling (Part I) for technical staff from various state government departments and other institutions
  • Training programme on glacio-hydrological and water allocation modelling for experts of the central government (CWC) to understand and validate the developed models
  • Training programme (Part II) on planning tools for water resource management (WRM) such as a an integrated WRM plan and a Decision Support System (DSS)
• Springshed management with a focus on springs revival The trainings in springshed management focus on the selected pilot sites where improved standardized process and approaches are being developed, tested, documented and institutionalized. These are the milestones:
  • Elaboration of a training need assessment to customize and improve the training programs
  • Training of relevant government departments, NGOs and other institutions on practical aspects to support and scale up springshed management activities
  • Development of a training of Trainers (ToT) programme to institutionalize capacity development and ensure continuity, fostering lead trainers as resource persons from relevant line departments
  • Trainings, combined with awareness raising for local village-level organizations such as Water User Group (WUG), Self Help Group (SHG), Village Panchayat and other local self-governing institutions for monitoring of springs characteristics, implementation of field measures and maintenance of springs at selected pilot sites
• Glaciology with a focus on assessments of climate change impacts The Swiss financed IHCAP project 2012-19 was essentially a capacity building programme on Himalayan Glaciology to strengthen climate science and capacities for climate change adaptation planning. These are the milestones:
  • Development of a scientific training programme for Indian researchers to monitor glaciers and assess the impacts of climate change on the cryosphere in downstream regions, based on a glaciology curriculum consisting of 19 modules
  • Out scaling of trainings to all 12 Himalayan states
  • Institutionalization of the curriculum through Delhi University and Kashmir University
  • Adaptation of material and training programmes for staff of the State Climate Change Cells staff under NMSHA, State government officials and representatives of civil society organizations
  • Organization of media workshops and fellowship programmes in all 12 Himalayan States for journalists and media personnel for improved reporting on climate change aspects