27 August 2003

Workshop held in Nepalgunj

ArchiveThis item comes from ANSAB’s earlier website and is shown as it was published at the time. Names, offices and contact details may have changed.More from the archives →

The Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) recently organised a two-day review and planning workshop of its enterprise-based biological resource conservation programme in Nepalgunj. Speaking at the programme, Dr. Keshav Kanel, Deputy Director General of the Department of Forests, said that preparations have already begun to review the arrangement under which 40 percent revenue is levied on the sale of forest products by community forest user groups. ANSAB’s Executive Director Bhishma Prasad Subedi thanked all stakeholders for making the enterprise-based biological resource conservation programme run in the Karnali region a success in the Himalayan region despite difficult conditions and obstacles. “This enterprise-based biodiversity conservation project has set a model in the Himalayan region,” he said, adding, “Raising community awareness to conserve biological resources and develop enterprises is truly an important achievement.” ANSAB runs the programme in Bajhang, Jumla, Humla, Dolpa and Mugu districts. The five-year programme is now in its fourth year. So far about 6 thousand households have benefited directly from natural-resource-based enterprises through this programme. On the occasion, the Regional Forest Director of the Far-Western Region, Diwakar Pandey, said that ANSAB’s work for the social and economic uplift of people in rural areas was highly commendable. At the programme, USAID representative Shreebindu Bajracharya stressed the need for ANSAB and other organisations to keep working continuously for the development of the non-timber forest products sector. The annual plans for the 5 districts in ANSAB’s working area were presented at the programme. Speakers including former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh and Gagan Bahadur Singh, chairperson of the Federation of Community Forestry Users Bajhang, shared their views.