Event: A stakeholders’ workshop on SMFE national policy provisions and practices
Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) organized a stakeholders’ workshop on present policy provisions and practices related to SMFE sector in Nepal on November 3, 2011 at ANSAB Headquarters, Kathmandu. The workshop was organized to share ANSAB’s brief analysis of national policy issues related to SMFE sector among stakeholders, work on the issues with the stakeholders, and to talk on the way forward for the effective policy practices in Nepal. A total of 29 participants including entrepreneurs, journalists, development persons, ANSAB staffs and representatives from different associations and Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) participated in the workshop. The workshop started at 8.30 am with the registration of the participants.
The meeting was organized in three parts – the first part included the brief overview by Executive Director Dr. Bhishma Subedi on the national policy issues and framework for group discussions; the second part included the group discussions among the stakeholders; and the third part included the discussion on way forward.
During the workshop, the participants decided to form a policy working group to promote Nepalese SMFE sector. The participants unanimously proposed a seven-member policy advocacy group with following members:
- Govinda Ghimire, President, Nepal Herbs and Herbal Products Association (NEHHPA)
- Pradeep Maharjan, CEO, Agro-Enterprise Center, Federation of the Nepalese Chamber and Commerce (FNCCI)
- Devendra P. Dhakal, Chairman, Herbal Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (HEAN)
- Ramu Subedi, Services Support Unit Management Team Leader at Multi Stakeholder Forestry Program, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC/SSU)
- Bal Bahadur Rai, National Executive Committee Member- Eastern Development Region, FECOFUN
- Harihar Sigdel, Head, Planning Division, Department of Forest, Government of Nepal
- Puspa Lal Ghimire, Manager, Pro-poor Economic Development Program, ANSAB
The policy working group will work on the identified policy issues, disseminate the issues to the relevant stakeholders, prepare policy briefing with specific recommendation, and build a constituency with concerned interest groups and institutions to lobby for policies that safeguard the interest of community based, environmentally friendly SMFEs.
Download the brief overview on the national policy issues and framework for group discussions
Download the minutes of the workshop