Technical Cooperation with Nepal

Terraces of the River Seti in front of the mountain Machhapuchhare (6993m) near Pokhara Source: BGR

From 1990 to 2001 BGR had worked in Nepal within the framework of bilateral Technical Cooperation (TC) with the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG).

In the beginning of the project the cooperation was focused on sustainable development and use of mineral resources in Nepal. Advice and support was provided to the DMG in the fields of mineral exploration, geological mapping, engineering geology and remote sensing. In 1994, in consequence of urging environmental problems, the emphasis of project activities was shifted towards environmental geology. Investigations and advisory services regarding the selection of potential waste disposal sites in different cities, especially in the Kathmandu valley were carried out in cooperation with GTZ.

The local partner for BGR is the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG).

At present the German development cooperation is focused on health and family planning, promotion of local development and civil society as well as the use of renewable energy. Hydropower in particular is regarded as one of the most important renewable resources in Nepal. Increasing urbanization is accompanied by growing demand on environmental geological information and advisory services in support of sustainable urban development.

Nepal is regarded as one of the poorest countries of the world according to its per capita income and its economical development. The situation in Nepal is characterized by increasing poverty and high population growth (at present 23 million inhabitants). Additionally the country is facing an increasing number of environmental and ecological hazards. Main problems are the scarce availability of natural resources (agricultural utilizable land and natural resources), the isolated location as a „land locked country“ as well as its difficult infrastructure. Social structures and political instability (ongoing civil war) are additional obstructing factors to the countries development.