Ongoing Programmes
Strengthening Institutional capacity on Sustainability Criteria for Bioenergy (ISO 13065) in South and Southeast Asia regions
SAWTEE and Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) have jointly commenced this project since April 2011. The programme covers the following countries in South Asia and South East Asia regions: Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia. The objectives of this project are to increase the knowledge of stakeholders on key elements of ISO 13065 (Sustainability criteria for bioenergy); build capacity to establish critical quality infrastructure and institutions in the regions; involve key stakeholders from the regions in the ISO/PC 248 work on ISO 13065; identify regional needs and priorities related to ISO/PC 248 through standardisation pre-seminars and workshops; communicate the needs and make a substantial regional influence on the development of the new ISO standard.
Enhancing Nepal’s Exports through WTO Compliance
SAWTEE, in association with the German International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal, has been implementing the programme “Supporting Nepal’s WTO Accession” since April 2011. The major objectives of this programme are to build capacity of national WTO focal points in order to enable them to undertake specific actions as per Nepal’s commitments at the WTO; create awareness among stakeholders in general about the WTO, and in particular on SPS, TBT, IPR, trade facilitation, and other relevant issues; and identify bottlenecks to export expansion of two products, namely medicinal plants and essential oils and silver jewellery, identified by Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) 2010. The programme is supported by GIZ.
ICTSD-SAWTEE Programme on Monitoring Effectiveness and Development Impact of Aid for Trade
SAWTEE, together with International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Geneva, has launched a programme to evaluate the effectiveness and development impact of Aid for Trade (AfT). SAWTEE has been involved in the process right since the inception of the idea in early 2010. One of its major contributions has been to prepare the methodology for conducting country case studies in six countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean. SAWTEE is also responsible for implementing the Nepal component of the programme.
Trade, Climate Change and Food Security Programme in South Asia
On 1 October 2010, SAWTEE launched a two-year “Trade, Climate change and Food Security Programme in South Asia” with the ultimate goal of contributing to making trade and climate change negotiations and outcomes fair, inclusive, equitable and mutually supportive for ensuring food security in South Asia through research, advocacy, capacity building, networking and alliance building. The major objectives of the project are to: monitor trade liberalization and climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives of South Asian governments and assess their implications for food security; lobby at national, regional and international levels for appropriate strategies and measures needed, and contribute to make trade and climate negotiations and outcomes supportive of food security goals; strengthen the capacity of government and non-government organizations, including community-based organizations and women groups, entrepreneurs, and national/regional research and advocacy networks and media organizations for wider collaborative work on trade, climate change and food security issues and contribute towards the creation of coherence among trade, climate and food security policies; and expand and strengthen networking and partnership with government and non-government organizations, including community-based organizations and women groups, entrepreneurs, and national/regional research and advocacy networks and media organizations. The project is supported by Oxfam (Novib), The Netherlands.
Research, Capacity Building and Advocacy on Trade (ReCAT)
SAWTEE has been implementing a three-year regional project titled “Research, Capacity Building and Advocacy on Trade (ReCAT)” so as to strengthen the capacity of concerned stakeholders to better understand different trade and development issues concerning bilateral, regional and multilateral trade. The project envisions to strengthen the capacity of different stakeholders in South Asia to help them use trade as a means to address their development concerns. The major objectives of the project are to: identify South Asian interests and priorities at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels and on issues related to trade and development so as to help governments to implement policies and develop negotiating positions; create and strengthen networks and partnerships between and among different stakeholders and their groups both within and beyond South Asia; strengthen the research and advocacy capacity of stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and the media; facilitate stakeholders' participation in trade negotiation and policy-making processes; and sensitize governments and concerned stakeholders of other WTO members on South Asian perspectives on trade and development issues. The project started in September 2008 and is supported by Oxfam (Novib), The Netherlands.
Promoting Innovative Mechanisms for Implementing Farmers’ Rights through Fair Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing Regime in Nepal
SAWTEE and LI-BIRD have been implementing this three-year national programme in Nepal since January 2008. The overall objective of the programme is to develop innovative mechanisms for implementing farmers’ rights to fair access to and benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources and associated knowledge. The programme aims to assess the appropriateness of policy and legal instruments to implement farmers’ rights relevant to access and benefit sharing (ABS); strengthen multi-stakeholder arrangements for the effective implementation of farmers’ rights and an ABS regime; identify and strengthen institutional arrangements appropriate for farming communities to manage functions related to securing farmers’ rights and enforcing an ABS regime, and sustainable management of their genetic resources; and support innovative practices for implementing farmers’ rights and ABS mechanisms, and for promoting conservation of biodiversity for livelihood security. The programme is supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.