A workshop on “Biological Soil Crust Method for Slope Protection” for disseminating Japanese Technology to The Department of Roads and other related Nepalese agencies was organized by Nikken Sohonsa Corporation and Nippon Koei Co. Ltd. with the support of JICA.

This workshop is part of “Collaboration Program with the Private Sector for Disseminating Japanese Technology for Environment-friendly Slope Restoration with Soil Algae” project implemented by JICA. The project carries out Slope Restoration with Soil Algae along the Sindhuli Road and mid-hill highway, by promoting vegetative succession by spraying Biological Soil Crust produced from the cosmopolitan soil algae. The project in collaboration with the Department of Roads commenced from April 2019 and will complete by August 2020.

This project has provided an opportunity to JICA for facilitating the collaboration between the Department of Roads and the Japanese Private sector for introducing Japanese technology for securing the uninterrupted traffic flow of the Sindhuli Road by introducing the Biological Soil Crust method. This will definitely support for better protection of the mountain roads by mitigating slope failures and providing an example for introducing Japanese environmental friendly technology.

Technology transfer has been the corner stone of JICA’s Cooperation and with the involvement of the private sector; it provides opportunities for having advantages of new technologies and innovations. This will further improve relationship between Nepal and the Japanese Private sector, which will be mutually beneficial for both the countries in fostering Public Private Partnership.

JICA Nepal expects that the, Department of Roads and other related Nepalese agencies will have a good chance to acquire the knowledge about this project, and through experience to replicate in other similar roads in Nepal.