Karnali education plan prioritizes inclusion and access. News 30 Jul 2026 82 By: Collegenp Emphasis on making Karnali Province's education plan inclusive, high-quality and accessible. Stakeholders have emphasized the need to make the education plan of Karnali Province inclusive, high-quality and accessible. Participants at a workshop held in Surkhet to identify capacities, gaps and priorities for preparing the provincial education plan said that inclusive education should be given priority. Final Preparation of the Plan and the Ministry's Commitment. At the workshop, Ministry of Social Development Secretary Roshni Kumari Shrestha said that the provincial government was in the final stage of preparing the education plan. She committed to incorporating stakeholders' suggestions to make Karnali Province's education plan inclusive, high-quality and accessible. Secretary Shrestha said that the efforts of a single person or institution would not be sufficient to ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education. She noted that even a well-designed plan would not achieve the expected results if its implementation remained weak. She also said that residential schools were needed for students in remote districts and emphasized that technical and vocational aspects should be considered when investing in education infrastructure. Key challenges in implementing inclusive education. Ministry of Social Development Education Officer Balbir Sunar, Eighth Level, presented a summary of the provincial government's draft education sector plan, the status of the current fiscal year's plans and budget, and Karnali's situation, challenges and opportunities in relation to inclusive education. He identified the following as the main challenges to implementing inclusive education in Karnali: * Lack of disability-friendly infrastructure * Shortage of skilled and trained teachers * Lack of data and identification systems * Limited social awareness and understanding * Financial hardship and seasonal migration Survey findings and areas requiring attention. People in Need Provincial Coordinator Manju Lohani presented the findings of a survey on inclusive education conducted with stakeholder bodies at the local and provincial levels. She said that particular attention should be given to girls' education in Nepal, children with disabilities, children from economically disadvantaged families, and children living in geographically remote areas to ensure equal access to education and meaningful participation for all children. She noted that bringing these children into mainstream school education remains a major challenge for Karnali, particularly in ensuring access to quality education for rural students. The workshop was organized under the ACCESS Project, supported by the European Union, and attended by representatives of government and non-governmental organizations, development partner institutions and the media. The ACCESS Project is being implemented through a partnership involving People in Need, Accountability Lab Nepal, the National Campaign for Education Nepal and the Nepal Disabled Women Association. The project aims to ensure education for all by strengthening the role of civil society. The workshop also discussed the roles that communities, schools, local governments, the provincial government and partner organizations must play in ensuring education for all. The education plan priorities identified by the participants will be submitted to the ministry, and advocacy will be conducted for their implementation.

Slovak solutions help make berry farming in Moldova more resilient to climate change. 29. July 2026 Slovak environmentally friendly biostimulants are helping farmers in Moldova strengthen the climate resilience of berry production. Initial findings from the monitoring of a SlovakAid-supported project indicate a positive impact on crop growth and expected yields. On 3 June 2026, a monitoring visit took place as part of the project Enhancing the Climate Resilience of Rural Berry Growers in Moldova through Climate-Smart Agriculture, implemented by People in Need Slovakia in cooperation with its Moldovan partners People in Need Moldova and Pro-Europa in Comrat. The project is supported by SlovakAid with a contribution of EUR 250,000. The monitoring visit was attended by representatives of the Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC), the project team from People in Need Moldova, and the Slovak company ekolive, a project partner. The company develops environmentally friendly biotechnologies aimed at improving soil quality and promoting crop growth through the use of biostimulants. During the visit, the experts visited two of the five participating LEAD farms in the Orhei and Șoldănești regions, where growers had been using Slovak biostimulants on raspberries, blackberries and currants for approximately six weeks. The biostimulants were applied both as foliar sprays and through irrigation systems at regular intervals. Initial feedback from participating farmers suggests that the biostimulants are having a positive impact on crop development. They reported stronger stems, better-developed root systems and faster plant growth. Raspberry grower Vasile Nasu from Șoldănești noted that, despite unfavourable weather conditions, the fruit is already larger than it was at the same time last year. As a result, he expects raspberry yields from his greenhouse to increase from around seven to ten tonnes. Similar observations were shared by Sergiu Cerus, a farmer from the village of Neculaieuca in the Orhei region who grows raspberries, blackberries and currants. A comparison of treated and untreated crops showed that plants treated with the Slovak biostimulants had reached a more advanced stage of development and began producing fruit earlier. The visit also included expert consultations provided by Slovak specialists, who collected soil and plant samples for further analysis and advised farmers on appropriate crop protection practices. The project also promotes the use of modern technologies in agriculture. Weather stations connected to mobile applications have been installed on participating farms, providing real-time data on temperature, rainfall and air humidity. This information helps farmers plan cultivation activities more efficiently and respond more effectively to changing climate conditions. The farmers' positive experience with the biostimulants also became evident during the implementation of the project. Although the original plan was to leave part of the crops untreated for comparison purposes, three of the five lead farmers ultimately decided to apply the biostimulants across their entire cultivation area. Their decision was driven by the encouraging results they had already observed during the first weeks of use. The project is an example of how Slovak development cooperation can be combined with the expertise and innovative solutions of the Slovak private sector. ekolive has expressed its interest in continuing the distribution of its environmentally friendly biostimulants in Moldova beyond the project's duration and is currently looking for a local business partner. By promoting sustainable agricultural practices, sharing Slovak know-how and strengthening the resilience of local farmers, the project contributes to climate adaptation in agriculture while supporting the sustainable development of rural communities in Moldova.