Category: News

The 38th World Food Day with a slogan “A #ZeroHunger world by 2030 is possible” was celebrated on 31st October this year in Nepal. On this occasion ForestAction Nepal, secretariat of Alliance of Agriculture for Food, in joint collaboration with World Food Day Committee Nepal organized an event namely “Raithane Khadya Sanjh” on the premises of Department of Agriculture, Hariharbhawan, Lalitpur. The event was organized with the motive of strengthening the concerns of food and agriculture with conservation of highly nutritious indigenous crops varieties which are still not valued at the policy levels. The major guests of this event were Hon. Minister Chakra Pani Khanal and Hon. State Minister Ram Kumari Chaudhary from Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), Hon. Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet from Ministry of Forests and Environment and Hon. Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel from Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Similarly, Secretory of MoALD, Directorate General of Department of Agriculture (DoA), present and former members of National Planning Commission (NPC), parliamentary members, other officials from MoALD and DoA, representatives from FAO, I/NGos, farmers network, media and other people concerned with food and agriculture attended the event.

The program had two main sessions. In the first session, few short presentations were delivered. Mr. JeewanShahi talked about Slow Food Movement, Mr. TeekaBhattarai shared some insights from Cuba Visit, Mr. Uddhav Adhikari talked about the need of Organic farming in Nepal and Dr. Ganga DattaAcharya shared the story of organic state – Sikkim. The major attraction of the program was the second session – the dinner session where the different local food items of Karnali region were served. During the event the local and indigenous products of Karnali region were also displayed. Around 300 people visited the stalls and enjoyed the food made by using the products from Karnali such as Chino/Prosomillet and Kaguno/Foxtailmillet, Jumli Beans, Jumlirajma Beans, Jumli Potatoes, Timur and bakery products such as Apple pie and Apple strudel. This initiative was well appreciated by our guests.

Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu, Nepal,

November 29-30, 2018

Meeting location: Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu, Nepal

Meeting dates: Thursday November 29 to Friday November 30, 2018

Regional Support Organizations: Resources Himalaya Foundation and ForestAction

International Support Organization: NASA South Asia Research Initiative

Dates: November 29-30: Science meeting

December 3-4: Hands-on workshop with Google Earth Engine; training in accessing and analyzing annual, nation-wide tree cover data. Led by Jamon Van Den Hoek (Oregon State University), Kaspar Hurni (University of Bern), and Alexander Smith (Oregon State University)

A one-day workshop on forest and livelihood-related research and application was organized jointly by International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI), Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal (FECOFUN) and ForestAction Nepal on 23 May 2018 in Kathmandu with an aim to share the findings of the research work by IFRI scholars among others. The workshop included several research and application presentations in addition to introduction of two FLARE data collection and analyses tools (The LivWell tool and the CommFor tool). The workshop provided a platform for discussion and networking among presenters and participants from a diverse set of government and non-government organizations.

A workshop on “Gender, Conflict and Cooperation in the context of climate action” was organized by the CALCNR project team along with Middlesex University, Flood Hazard Research Centre, IDE and Nice Foundation at Dhulikhel Lodge Resort from 3-4 May 2018.Ms Samata Manandhar and Ms Yuvika Adhikari from ForestAction Nepal participated in the workshop. All the partner organization of CALCNR presented their learnings focusing on the climate change, conflict and gender dimensions of the project. Ms Samata Manandhar from ForestAction presented on findings and recommendations under CALCNR project by focusing on the gender dimensions of the project.

A learning sharing workshop on “Enhancing livelihood and food security from Agro-Forestry and Community Forestry in Nepal’ was organized by ForestAction Nepal at Himalayan House, Dhulikhel on 30th March 2018. The workshop was chaired by District Forest Officer, Prem Khanal. The workshop started with a series of presentation and was followed by the discussion session. All the partner organizations under Enlift project presented their findings and progress during the workshop. The presentations mainly focused on Lessons from Agro forestry Innovation, Underutilized Land, Gender and Social Inclusion, Learning from Silviculture Intervention in Kavre and Lessons from from Chaubas Sawmill.

Dr. Naya Sharma Paudel and Ms Samata Manandhar from ForestAction Nepal attended the International Agro forestry Conference which was held at Hotel View Bhrikuti, Godavari from 27 to 29 March 2018. Ms. Samata Manandhar presented on the topic “Rural outmigration: an opportunity for Agroforestry”. The presentation focused on the challenges and opportunities raised on agro forestry due to increase in migration in the rural parts of Nepal.

Team of ForestAction supported Prof. Dr. Inam, from Pakistan, to carry out a field survey/study from 10 to 18 May 2018 in two of the rural municipalities namely Palata and Pachala of Kalikot district. 180 households from two of the rural municipalities were surveyed with the same set of questionnaire. The main objectives of the survey/study were to observe the consequences of climate change in agriculture, forestry and livestock sectors and the ways adopted to cope up the climate change effects by the locals as well as the other responsible stakeholders. To make the study more effective, the issues were discussed in groups as well.

Team of ForestAction together with Ms Trishala Dev, Regional Director/Asia, from Thousand Currents and one of the representatives from ASHA, Nepal (one of the partners of Thousand Currents in Nepal) made a field visit to Jumla from 14th to 16th May 2018. The field visit was arranged and facilitated by ForestAction Nepal during which two separate meetings and discussions were held with the members of Karnali Agriculture and Food Concern Group (KAFCG) and the women farmers- the members of Panchakanya Multipurpose Cooperative. The discussion with the KAFCG members mostly focused on how the KAFCG is functioning at district level; how it is raising the issues of food and agriculture of Karnali region and also the challenges they are facing in the present changed context. Similarly, women farmers shared about how the groups and cooperatives have helped empower women in the area by observing the changes in the gender dynamics.

Third module of apprenticeship course on Transformative Activism for Sustainable Development was conducted by ForestAction Nepal at Thimura and Foolbari of Chitwan from 29 April to 5 May 2018, the theme of the module being “Fundamentals of Agriculture”.

The main objective of the module was to provide the participants with knowledge, skills and techniques required for livelihood generation. This module covered major subjects like bee keeping, aquaculture/ fish farming, mushroom cultivation, vermin composting and livestock management (focusing onshed, feed and health/disease management). The farms and research work done in Rampur College was also observed by the participants as part of the module.

A half day event was organized on 17 January 2018 at Indreni Foodland, Baneshwor by Alliance of Agriculture for Food and Karnali Samaj (a loose forum of the youth from Karnali region) to felicitate the newly elected Members of Provincial Assembly and the House of Representative from Karnali region. The objective of the event was to congratulate the newly elected members as well as to make them aware about the food and agricultural issues of Karnali region. Almost all the newly elected candidates from Karnali region were present at the event. Dr. Krishna Paudel, Alliance of Agriculture for Food, made a presentation about the changed context, need of hormone and chemical free agricultural practices, special features of Karnali’s agriculture and present scenario of food and agriculture in Karnali. Presentation was followed by the discussion.

A half day workshop entitled “Feminization in Agriculture” was organized at Hotel Greenwich, Lalitpur on 24 December 2017 by ForestAction Nepal and Community Self Reliance Centre (CSRC). The main objective of the workshop was to make the policy makers aware about the issues of feminization in agriculture. Women farmers from different districts, representatives from Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Land Reform and Management, National Planning Council, National Farmer’s Commission, National Farmers Group Federation, National Women’s Farmers Forum, media persons and other partner organizations participated in the event.

Two presentations were made from ForestAction Nepal. Dr. Krishna Paudel made a presentation about the current scenario of food and agriculture in Nepal and Ms Karishma Gurung presented the findings of the study made on Feminization in Agriculture by the team of ForestAction in different districts of Nepal. Presentation was followed by the discussion. Stakeholders expressed their views and also committed to do their best to raise the issues at policy level.

With the motive of strengthening the concerns of food and agriculture and conserving the highly nutritious indigenous crops varieties which are yet to be valued at the policy levels, one day exhibition was organized at Staff College, Jawalakhel on 8 November 2017. Food products (raw as well as processed) and handmade products from Dolpa, Jumla, Humla and Bajura of Karnali region were exhibited.

A brief presentation on “Possibilities of food crops in arid and semi-arid regions of Karnali” was made by Mr Tika Bhattarai. Dr. Ram Krishna Shrestha, from District Agriculture Development Office, Bajura presented about “Current possibilities and challenges of food and agriculture conservation in Karnali”. He shared few success stories of the region.

Food items representing the diversity of agricultural production of Karnali region was served during the Dinner session. There were range of items starting from general starter/ appetizer to the main course with additional desserts, all prepared from the local food items of Karnali. The additional taste was enhanced by the herbal tea prepared especially from the high altitude tea leaves of Karnali.

The event was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants- government and non-government stakeholders working on the issues of food and agriculture from the policy levels to civil societies along with the media.