Guwahati, Feb. 2: United Nations Development Programme is financing nine projects in the Northeast under its small grants programme, involving local communities in biodiversity and environment conservation.
The small grants programme is co-funded by the Global Environment Facility and Country Co-operation Framework, supporting activities, which demonstrate community-based approaches aimed at reducing threats to global environment. The northeastern regional cell of the Centre for Environment Education is co-ordinating the seven sister states to facilitate the small grants programme.
An orientation workshop is being organised by the education centre on Thursday, aimed at the non-governmental organisations working in the field of environment in the Northeast, including Sikkim. National co-ordinator UNDP-small grants programme P.S. Sodhi will address the NGOs? representatives during the workshop and provide orientation for preparing proposals. The UNDP had launched the Global Environment Facility in 1992 to assist developing countries fulfil their commitment towards protection of the global environment.
The Assam Science Society is working on development of a nursery for indigenous medicinal plants of Assam and their commercial exploitation under the small grants programme. The objective of the project is to develop a nursery of medicinal plants having patent pharmaceutical importance in drug industries, their commercial exploitation and economic uplift of society.
Grants are made directly to NGOs and community-based organisations in recognition of the key role they play as a resource and constituency for environment and development concerns.