Eastern Himalaya Regional Conference

Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), Shillong, Meghalaya announces three-days Eastern Himalaya Regional Conference on “Resources, Development and Livelihoods“– Lessons from and Prospects for Externally aided NRM based Projects on  November 24-26, 2022 organised jointly by Center for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS) & IQAC, Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), Shillong and CLLMP-World Bank, MBMA, MBDA, Govt of Meghalaya, Shillong in association with Department of Tourism & Travel Management and School of Economics,Commerce and Management, MLCU, Shillong and Meghalaya Integrated Mountain Development Initiative (MIMDI), Shillong.

It is not new that the Eastern Himalayan Region despite being the biodiversity hotspot, with significant anthropological and biocultural diversity is vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures. The entire stretch of geography from Eastern Nepal to North-East India, Bhutan, Northern Myanmar is now host of growing number of rural poor who are dependent on forest and ecosystem services for their livelihood. Key impediments to sustainable development in the Himalayas are multi-faceted, ranging from sheer geophysical landscapes to inadequate human, technical and financial resources. Despite this, there are development and research organizations working in the region seeking to integrate biodiversity concerns with livelihood security. Eastern Himalayan region illustrate how development organizations are challenged to simultaneously address poverty and environmental issues.

In this context, the Eastern Himalayan Regional Conference is expected to emerge as a convergence platform for discussion around critical issues around resources, development and livelihood linkages with an aim to see mainstreaming development policy and discourses in the region. EHRC-RDL aims to change and amplify development narratives, gather evidence for policy and practice, trigger networks and alliances, fertilize knowledge management and convene action, and contribute to the larger goals of inclusive and sustainable development.

For a long time, the Eastern Himalayan Region, is home to increasing number of rural poor exacerbated by growing impacts of climate change leading to unavoidable environmental and economic migrations and displacement. The well intended government led local and global initiatives to address poverty reduction and biodiversity protection have so far proven challenging and inadequate. The completed and ongoing externally aided projects supported by multilateral agencies such as World Bank, IFAD, FAO, UNDP and bi-lateral project funded by CIDA, JICA, KfW, GIZ etc. have proven to be impactful triggering innovative development models and demonstrating results in creating community assets, generating gainful income sources and augmenting institutional capacity for better governance and gender mainstreaming.

To understand the development issue & challenges further in a nuanced manner and to enhance the knowledge around diverse solutions promoted and practiced by these external aided projects, a two day conference on lessons from and prospects for externally aided projects on resources, development and livelihood has been planned on 17-19 November at Shillong, seeking active participation from different externally aided projects in the Eastern Himalayan Region and stakeholders from other areas in terms of sharing presentations, partnership in the conference.

For details, download the Brochure here

Conference Dates

Conference Timelines

Guidelines for Submissions for Abstract/ Paper Presentation

• Submit abstracts for presentation of individual / joint papers by 15th Sept, 2022 via Email (see the section on Abstract / Paper submission).
• Abstracts should be between 800 to 1200 words and to be submitted in MS Word format, Times New Roman, Font size 14 for Headline/Title; 12 for Text & 11 for Tables. Abstracts less than 800 words may not be reviewed.
• Abstract selection for presentation is on the basis of a double-blind peer-review process. Criteria are

1. Relevance to conference thematic tracks but based on respective project designs.
2. Evidence-based and methodological appropriateness
3. Innovative and new in ideas, processes, presentation of results, etc.
4. Significance of findings for policy or research agenda
5. Clarity of contents and sequences of presentation.

• More than one abstract can be submitted for presentation / publication; however, due to space limitation only one accepted abstract can be presented by a participant under each thread or track. The abstract which are not included for presentation in the conference may be considered for poster presentation during the conference. However, decision on this regard will be taken during the assessment of the abstracts.
• Kindly note that inclusion of an accepted presentation in final conference program is conditional on timely conference registration and submission of full paper.
• Full paper writing and submission will follow the APA style and submission of full papers only in Microsoft word file.

Submission of Abstracts

All abstracts and papers are to be submitted to the following:
Shri Pravanjan Mohapatra
Organizing Secretary, EHRC-RDL 2022
Phone: +91 9040289814/ 9437189814
Email: ehrconference@mlcuniv.in; pravanjan.rsa2021@mlcuniv.in
Email cc: sairabell@mlcuniv.in; iadonlangtynsong@mlcuniv.in

Registration Methods, Fee & Banking Instructions

Registration Methods:

The mode of registration is online and all the participants, paper presenter, attendees are to register using the following link. Abstract submission without registration will not be accepted.

Register here

Payment Mode for Registration Fees:

There is no Registration Fee for participating in the conference.

Whom to contact: