Agenda About the training The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), under the SERVIR-HKH initiative, is organising a training of trainers (ToT) on Early Warning Systems (EWS) for disaster preparedness in collaboration with Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality and Shree Chandrodaya Secondary School, Dhading, Nepal. This training is being conducted in response to the critical need for effective disaster preparedness and management in Nepal’s hilly and disaster-prone regions. ICIMOD and Shree Chandrodaya Secondary School successfully conducted similar training earlier with the aim of enhancing local knowledge on disaster preparedness by using SERVIR tools and applications for EWS. These tools included Streamflow Prediction, Flash Flood Prediction, the PrakopAlert mobile app, and the High-Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT). The event brought together local policymakers, implementers from Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality, representatives from the Forest Office and Police Office, and educators from Shree Chandrodaya Secondary School and other nearby schools. Building on the success of the previous trainings a Training of Trainers on “Early Warning System for Disaster Preparedness” is being organised from 20–21 September 2024. The focus of this training will be on developing a local curriculum for Grade 8 students on the Early Warning System (EWS) for disaster preparedness. This training targets high school teachers from Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality who teach Grade 8. Apart from the core training, there will also be a session on refinement of educational materials specific to the Grade 8 curriculum. Furthermore, an orientation training and consultation meeting will be held for teachers of Grade 11 and 12, ensuring a comprehensive approach to disaster preparedness education. This initiative will equip local communities with valuable knowledge on using various tools and application developed by SERVIR-HKH, thereby enhancing their ability to respond to disasters with preparedness. Objectives The main objective of this training is to provide training to teachers and prepare them to provide training to other high school teachers on EWS for disaster preparedness. Expected outcomes After completing the training, participating teachers will be equipped to deliver a local curriculum on disaster preparedness to Grade 8 students in high school. Expected participants The training will include 50 participants: 30 high school teachers who teach Grade 8, and 20 upper high school teachers who teach Grades 11 and 12. Participants will be from 21 high schools within Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality. Resource Persons Bikram Shakya, Geospatial Application Development Analyst, ICIMOD Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Senior Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Specialist, ICIMOD Jitendra Bajracharya, Photographer/ Photo Editor, ICIMOD Keshav Kandel, Vice Principal, Chandrodaya Secondary School Background Sustainable water management and mitigating risks from natural hazards, such as floods and extreme weather, are pressing challenges for countries in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, including Nepal. With limited knowledge and resources, developing tailored solutions for water-related issues in mountainous areas have often been inadequate, ineffective and challenging. To address these challenges, ICIMOD’s SERVIR-HKH Initiative—a collaboration between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)—has developed a range of scientific applications aimed at supporting evidence-based decision-making for governments, communities, and individuals. These applications use scientific data, earth observation information, and geospatial technologies to address key areas such as disaster management, natural resources, agriculture, environment, and climate change. ICIMOD, in partnership with NASA’s SERVIR Applied Sciences Team, has created tools to forecast flash floods, high-impact weather events (from sub-seasonal to seasonal), and streamflow in river networks across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. These tools offer significant improvements over existing deterministic forecasting systems, providing more reliable and actionable information. They are accessible through an open web portal for public use and feedback, and ICIMOD actively involves relevant stakeholders in capacity-building activities to maximize their effectiveness.