Mr. Ken Shimizu, FAO Representative for Nepal and Bhutan, held a meeting with Mr. Thakur Bhandari, Chairperson of the Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN), aimed at reinforcing the continuous partnership between the two organizations on advancing community-based forest management, building climate resilience, and fostering inclusive, participatory governance in Nepal’s forestry sector.
Nepal’s community forestry model—organized by more than 23,000 Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) managing approximately 2.4 million hectares of forest—has established Nepal as a globally recognized example of people-centered natural resource management. It has empowered over 16 million people, contributing to environmental conservation, improved livelihoods, and grassroots democracy.
During the meeting, Mr. Shimizu and Mr. Bhandari emphasized the need to promote forest-based enterprises, create green employment opportunities, and strengthen local economies—particularly for women, youth, and indigenous groups. They also explored potential collaboration in enhancing FECOFUN’s leadership in developing and operating digital data systems and online market platforms that ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in forest resource management.
Mr. Shimizu acknowledged FECOFUN’s contribution role as a strategic partner in implementing Building a Resilient Churia Region in Nepal, Forests Farm Facility and in advancing community-led forest governance. He commended the organization’s efforts in empowering women leaders, facilitating access to climate finance, and scaling sustainable forest-based enterprises. Reflecting on his recent field visit to Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) program sites in the Churia and Eastern Himalayan regions and underlined the transformative potential of integrating conservation with livelihood improvement.
Welcoming Mr. Shimizu to the FECOFUN office, Mr. Bhandari expressed his appreciation for FAO’s ongoing support and engagement in Nepal’s community forestry movement. He noted that the visit reflects FAO’s strong commitment to grassroots leadership and sustainable forest governance. Mr. Bhandari reiterated FECOFUN’s readiness to collaborate with FAO in areas such as climate adaptation, green economy, and inclusive policy reform, ensuring that forest users remain at the forefront of Nepal’s environmental and developmental goals.
