The Hindu Kush Himalayan region (HKH), endowed with rich biodiversity, is a living laboratory for scholars of all fields. Yet there is a deficit of data on this region. Nonetheless, a substantial amount of information is available ¬– though scattered and often inaccessible – that can be used for the conservation and development of the HKH. This knowledge has been created by processing and analyzing existing data, which can be reused and reanalyzed to produce more knowledge. High quality data is key to producing accurate and meaningful information and decisions. Ideally, such data should be shared and cited, promoting scholarly collaboration and impact. However, in general, there is a lack of data sharing practices in the HKH, thereby preventing the utilization of data to their maximum potential. In this context, there has been an increased emphasis by policy makers and practitioners on managing, compiling, and sharing data produced through different research and development processes
