Nepal Family Forestry Owners National Conference-2015

With the conceptual background of promoting Private forestry and getting benefits from it to enhance the livelihood of involved farmers, two days national level conference on Family Forestry Owners was held on the 7-8 March, 2015 at Presidential college Buddhanagar. Almost 100 participants witnessed the presence of the conference and concluded with a formation of a newly private based organization “Association of Family Forestry Owners Nepal (AFFON). The program was sponsored by GFN, COFSUN, KIRDARC, Forest Action, Asmita and GACF. The chief guest of the programme was Honorable Mr. Hari Parajuli, agriculture development minister.

Mr. Jog Raj Giri initiated the program with the welcome speech highlighting the problems, challenges opportunities and future directions to lead the organization. He also mentioned to continue the interaction and dialogue but still could not strengthen in policy level to organize such type of conference.

Mr. Min Bahadur Shai from Human Right Alliance said that the private forestry has never addressed to the farmers from the government sector. Hence, it was necessary to form a Family forestry Asia Pacific region with the collaboration of private sectors.

Mr. Gajhadhar Sunar from RDN focused on resources use in terms of enhancing community economic welfare and this type of forum will create of making difference in making strategically way focused in future. He also stated to empower equality in the Dalit sector and making friendly to the marginalized community along with the policy discussion and decision making in this sector.

Mr. Bhola Khatiwada of COFSUN Nepal stated to raise integrated voice in getting income from trees as agriculture crops. He also focused to organize a forum so that the problem could be addressed to the innovative farmers.

Miss Rama Ale Magar from HIMAWARTI stated about the role of female in community providing a permission to harvest the products in agriculture lands.

Mr. Patrice, a focal person of GACF focused on challenges and opportunities on family private forestry in Nepal. He also highlighted on the effectiveness on family forestry through discussion and dialogue consulting the future generation.

Mr. Jeff Campbell from FAO said that forest should be connected with the farm so that livelihood can be interlinked and the isolated farm can’t be existed.

Mr. Ganesh Karki from Private ownership forest said that there is no need of policy while producing, transporting and marketing even though the policy level discourse is necessary and that needs to be addressed. He also said that the management lacks in private sector forestry.

Mr. Peter De Marsh from IFFA raised the following issues on family forestry:

Problem in selling timber.
Advocate on giving the accurate price to the farmer.
Capacity building of the farmers.
Challenges of fair access to the market and challenges to work with the government.
Support each other internationally on family forest.

Mr. Hari Prasad Parajuli –Minister of Agriculture stated that the livelihood is directly linked with the private foresty in Nepal. The private forest constituted of challenges, opportunities and needs to conduct more dialogue on this issue. He also focused on the agro-forestry in an innovative way in making community friendly policy.

Mr. Ghanshyam Pandey, chairperson of GFN stated family forestry for an economic prosperity and linked with livelihood connection. He highlighted to form an agro-forestry and structure for its effective governance.

Finally a working committed of 15 people was formed in which Mr. Jog raj Giri has been given responsibility of chairing this group of Association of Family Forestry Owners Nepal (AFFON).