Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification: Expanding at landscape level through incorporating additional ecosystem services

Payment of Ecosystem Services (PES) is emerging as an important market-based solution to global efforts for climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. Markets for the ecosystem services, for example – forest carbon in the ‘voluntary’ markets – are also emerging at global level. But the business transactions for these services severely suffer from a lack of credibility and transparency, one of the reasons for which could be the lack of ‘instrumentation’ developed for these markets. As Nepal has gained a unique experience in ‘group certification’ for forest management, such as those being awarded by Rainforest Alliance/Smartwood (FSC), as well as forest based enterprises certification awarded under ‘Chain of Custody/FSC’, it is extremely relevant that Nepal should now explore the potential of enhancing the economic and environmental benefits through expanding forest certification by incorporating additional ecosystem services.

In 2010, ANSAB joined hands with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), FSC and other partners to develop a multi-country project “expanding FSC Certification at Landscape level through Incorporating Additional Ecosystem Services (ForCES)” to be implemented with Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant and co-finance of various partners with the goal to improve and promote responsible forest management for a range of ecosystem services through the medium of FSC Certification. The project is being implemented in four countries namely, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia and Chile for four years (September 2011- August 2015), with a purpose to improve and promote sustainable forest management for a range of ecosystem services through the medium of FSC certification. The project will incorporate expanded and enhanced global and national environmental standards of FSC certification which are applied to emerging markets for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services as an initial step for upgrading successful models in order to improve ecosystem functions.

In line with the objectives, the project will concentrate on pilot testing FSC certification for ecosystem services the four countries, at the local level. And at the international level, a number of actions will take place; in particular, design and testing of new certification business models in various habitat and landscapes, and market promotion of Ecosystem Services based forest certification.

With the project, it is expected to have enabled a global system of expanded FSC forest certification targeting a few key ecosystem services with (present or future) market potential, established a few certified sites for ecosystem services and to have successfully proven the (monetary as well as nonmonetary) benefits through the mechanism of FSC certification, such as revenue generated through PES for forest operations and local communities. In the longer term, Dr. Alan Smith, Gordian Fanso and Stefan Salvador, the policy managers at FSC International Center as of an international conference on food security, natural resource management and rural development in 2011 in Bonn expect that FSC certification will incorporate expanded and enhanced international and national standards which are applied to emerging markets for additional ecosystem services, so providing fully integrated measures of responsible management for whatever purpose within the forest management unit and the wider landscape.

In Nepal, the project is being implemented in two landscapes of Dolakha district namely, Charnawati (approx. 45,500 ha) and Gaurisankar (approx. 76,290 ha) encompassing 26 VDCs and one municipality and representing 15 ecological zones. The major ecosystem services considered in these two pilot sites are tourism, carbon enhancement, hydrological services, disaster risk reduction and NTFPs.

Know more on ANSAB’s current projects >>>

CFUG Enterprise Development Revolving Fund: An option to enable ultra poor for micro-enterprise development

Bajhang district, located in far western Nepal, is one of the most remote and rural areas with the lowest human development index in the country. Majority of the population in the district depend on traditional subsistence farming which further entangles them in financial burden and hinders their escape from extreme poverty. ANSAB focused its program in the district on enterprise orientation and entrepreneurship development which includes capacity building of communities for identification, planning and development of enterprises and enhancing enterprise management and production capacity – all to develop the basic capacity of the target groups to be engaged into productive enterprise and generate some economic returns on their labor. The previous programs focused on the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) have shown concrete results in forest management practices, proven by FSC certification, however, the lack of access to finance and the resultant risk averse nature of the communities have been hindering the process of enterprise development for the poor communities in the area. Although there are provisions for CFUG group fund which provides a start-up capital for some micro-enterprise development; these are not enough for the many enterprise development activities in demand.

ANSAB through a Ford Foundation funded project – Transforming Local Communities into Enterprises for Economic Security in Nepal (August 2007 to July 2010) – supported the community by providing seed money to 13 CFUGs to establish CFUG Enterprise Development Revolving Fund (EDRF). These EDRF grew to a sizeable amount of Rs. 259,569 (equivalent to USD 4,000 in 2010) through contribution from CFUG funds, interests collected from loan provided through the seed money, CFUG and other organizational grant, income of CFUG enterprises and incomes from various fund raising traditional and cultural activities. Each CFUG developed a subcommittee to manage the EDRF with the coordinator selected from within the executive committee of CFUGs.  These fund management committees also developed their guidelines and operating procedures with ANSAB’s support to the committees in capacity building on accounting, book keeping, group mobilization, enterprise selection, planning of funds and loan management. Since the inception of the revolving fund, the fund has provided loans of Rs. 371,377 to 58 entrepreneur and community enterprises with a 100% repayment record.

ANSAB’s experience in revolving fund shows that the productive utilization of these funds depends upon strong fund mobilization mechanisms, appropriate selections for investment and above all unbiased and transparent selection criteria. In case of ultra poor members, the selection of enterprise is even more crucial since it has to be weighed against their ability to perform the required tasks and their skills and experiences in doing so. Similarly, communities have realized that they need to increase the size of loans to attract large enterprises and start marketing their services to a wider audience since they now have the financial capacity to do so.

Learn about ANSAB past projects >>>

PUBLICATION

Value chain studies published online by the partners

USAID Nepal and High Value Agriculture Project in the Hill and Mountain Areas (HVAP) have published the value chain reports that ANSAB prepared last year for the Nepal Economic Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) Activity, a USAID funded contract being implemented by Chemonics International Inc., and the SNV Netherlands Development Organization to provide insights for intervention designing and program implementation. ANSAB provided its support to the NEAT in carrying out in-depth value chain/market assessments of the four agricultural commodities – Orthodox Tea, Ginger, Lentils and Off-season vegetables, and to SNV in carrying out value chain analysis of ginger sector in the HVAP project districts.

1.     Find Value Chain/ Market Analysis of the Off-Season Vegetable Sub-Sector in USAID Nepal website (PDF 1.04 MB) >>>
2.     Find Value Chain/ Market Analysis of the Lentil Sub-Sector in USAID Nepal website (PDF 1.04 MB) >>>
3.     Find Value Chain/ Market Analysis of the Ginger Sub-Sector in USAID Nepal website (PDF 1.33 MB) >>>
4.     Find the Value Chain/ Market Analysis of the Orthodox Tea Sub-Sector in USAID Nepal website (PDF 1.34 MB) >>>
5.     Find the Value Chain Analysis of Ginger subsector in HVAP website (Word 2.7 MB)>>>

EVENTS

Stakeholder Forum Workshop on a voluntary national draft quality-of-governance standard for sustainable management and use of forest biomass in Nepal

University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan, and Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) organized a two day Stakeholder Forum Workshop on a voluntary national draft quality-of-governance standard for sustainable management and use of forest biomass in Nepal on 13 – 14 December 2011. The workshop as a part of a research- designed by USQ for developing principles, criteria and indicators of forest governance standard, and it developed verifiers or sub standards for the indicators developed by USQ by online questionnaire survey and face-to-face interviews of key stakeholders.

Read the news in USQ’s website >>>

ANSAB presents in HVAP workshop

Value Chain Experts from ANSAB presented on the preliminary findings of the value chain and baseline studies of the select four products – Turmeric, Off-season Vegetables, Goat and Timur in a regional value chain consultation and intervention strategy development workshop conducted by the High Value Agriculture Project in Hills and Mountain Areas (HVAP) on February 15 and 16, 2012 in Nepalgunj. ANSAB is providing its technical services to HVAP for conducting value chain analysis and baseline assessment of the four products with special focus on nine districts of Mid-western and one district of Far-western Development Regions.

IN BRIEF

blue moon fund (bmf) supports ANSAB for the next phase of the Nepal Center of Excellence in Rural Development project

After the first year of implementation of the project – Nepal Center of Excellence in Rural Development, the blue moon fund (bmf) has supported ANSAB to build on the success and to a) ensure wider dissemination and maximum use of the recently developed toolkits and develop most needed new toolkits; b) institutionalize knowledge gathering, analysis and dissemination through the creation of Demonstration and Experimentation Centers; and c) develop a system of policy advocacy through regular production and dissemination of evidence-based, ready-to-use recommendations for policy-makers and civil society stakeholders. During the first phase of the project, ANSAB successfully developed eight prioritized rural development toolkits for promoting sustainable forest management and integrating community enterprises into value chains, developed 5 most needed service packages and a strategic document to strengthen ANSAB Resource Center (ARC).

ANSAB also solicits the preference of the rural development toolkits and training packages from different organizations for their wider dissemination and maximum use. If you need more information on the project and or have preference over the training packages, please contact us.

ANSAB’s experience on climate change adaptation and mitigation through community-based sustainable management of forests published in the Mountain Forests in a changing world

FAO-hosted Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation published “Mountain Forests in a Changing World” on December 2011 to raise awareness on the global importance and the need for sustainable management of these unique ecosystems, also in view of the many threats that are increasingly endangering it (such as, for instance, deforestation, population growth, the expansion of intensive agriculture, etc.). The publication also features a case by ANSAB that focuses on climate change adaptation and mitigation through community-based sustainable management of forests in Nepal.

Download the case by ANSAB (PDF, 785.5KB) >>>

Download Mountain Forests in a changing world (PDF, 3.51MB) >>>

Green Business in the Himalaya now available on YouTube

A video documentary produced last year by ANSAB has been uploaded on the ANSAB YouTube Channel. The video entitled Green Business in the Himalaya – Pioneering Market Driven Solutions to Improve Livelihoods and Conserve Biodiversity features ANSAB assisted enterprises in seven districts of Nepal involved in production and marketing of several non timber forest products including handmade paper, essential oils, juice and bio-briquettes; and also captures the principles adopted by the organization to support local communities for enterprise development.

ANSAB has also produced the Nepali version of the video with the title Basera Hudaina (staying idle is not an option). You can contact us if you need further information.

The video features ANSAB assisted enterprises in seven districts of Nepal involved in production and marketing of several non timber forest products including handmade paper, essential oils, juice and bio-briquettes. The video captures the enterprise initiatives and activities in Darchula, Baglung, Myagdi, Parbat, Dolakha, Sindhupalchok and Kathmandu districts of Nepal, and also includes views from ANSAB supported four entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs took the initiative to establish Community based enterprises, which are currently creating employment opportunities at local level, and also preventing the locals to go to Kathmandu and Khasa (Tibet) in search of work. Along with the views from the government officers, local representatives, local collectors, traders and business persons working closely to the forestry and small community enterprise sectors; the video also captures the principles adopted by ANSAB to support local communities for enterprise development.

The Nepali version of this video is called – Basera Hudaina (Staying idle is not an option) – and can be found here.

The video – Basera Hudaina (Staying idle is not an option)  features ANSAB assisted enterprises in seven districts of Nepal involved in production and marketing of several non timber forest products including handmade paper, essential oils, juice and bio-briquettes. The video captures the enterprise initiatives and activities in Darchula, Baglung, Myagdi, Parbat, Dolakha, Sindhupalchok and Kathmandu districts of Nepal, and also includes views from ANSAB supported four entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs took the initiative to establish Community based enterprises, which are currently creating employment opportunities at local level, and also preventing the locals to go to Kathmandu and Khasa (Tibet) in search of work. Along with the views from the government officers, local representatives, local collectors, traders and business persons working closely to the forestry and small community enterprise sectors; the video also captures the principles adopted by ANSAB to support local communities for enterprise development.

The English version of this video is called – Green Business in the Himalaya: Pioneering Market-Driven Solutions to Improve Livelihoods and Conserve Biodiversity – and can be found here.

For more information, contact Kabir R. Sthapit at kabirsthapit@ansab.org

With community forests receiving money for conserving forest and storing carbon, business communities have shown interests in carbon trade.

At the invitation of ICIMOD, FECOFUN and ANSAB, businesspersons including FNCCI Chairman Suraj Baidya reached Dolakha to study on the possibility carbon trade.

FECOFUN Central Vice-President Bhim Prasad Khadka said they drew the attraction of business community at carbon trade as 18,000 people associated with community forests nationwide could benefit if the trade is accessible. Chairperson of Dolakha Fecofun branch Sita KC said they sought the help of private sectors as efforts of NGOs alone to help Nepal get benefit from carbon fund by storing carbon was not sufficient. Baidya said transaction of carbon fund involving 80,000 companies across the world stands at Rs 160 billion and Nepal could get more benefit if it has access to carbon trade. He said that Nepal has got only 0.025 percent benefit from carbon trade so far.

For this news and other news on reward from the Community forestry under REDD program, follow the link:

http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/02/14/development/community-forestry-in-gorkha-bears-fruit/348900.html

Authors: B. P. Subedi, S. Bhattarai, and S. Khanal
Publication: Mountain Forests in a Changing World – Realizing values, addressing challenges
Publisher: FAO and SDC
Language: English

Date of Publication: December 2011

DOWNLOAD THE ARTICLE (PDF, 785.5KB)

DOWNLOAD THE BOOK (PDF, 3.51MB)

Volume 2, Issue 3: December-January-February-March 2011/12

ANSAB’s Executive Director recognized as a Champion of Asia-Pacific Forests

Executive Director Dr. Bhishma P. Subedi has been recognized as a “Champion of Asia-Pacific Forests” by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week (APFW) 2011 in Beijing China. FAO conducted a process to identify “Champions of Asia-Pacific Forests” to help recognize and celebrate success of exemplary contributions to forests and forestry, and recognized Dr. Subedi as one of the two “Champions” along with Ms. Nely P. Alzula, President of Regional CBFM PO Federation, Philippines. In a publication, FAO has stated that the basis of selection of Dr. Subedi for the award is his more than 20 years of constant involvement, contributions and energy devoted to biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement in Nepal and to make a difference. Dr. Subedi received the recognition in an award winning ceremony on November 7, 2011 during the APFW reception.

Download the profile of the Champions of Asia-Pacific Forest including Dr. Subedi >>>

ANSAB’s Chairperson appointed as the CEO of Nepal Investment Board

The Government of Nepal has appointed ANSAB’s chairperson Radhesh Pant as the Chief Executive of the Nepal Investment Board on November 28, 2011.  The Investment Board is envisioned to give a one-window solution to potential investors in big projects over Rs 25 billion with the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Nepal, and will start its operations after Pant’s appointment as the chief executive. Mr. Pant was recommended by the selection committee for the appointment procedure as one of the three names among some eight candidates. Mr. Pant is currently the chief executive officer of Kumari Bank and has a long professional and impressive background with experiences including the managing director of Bank of Kathmandu that he turned into a robust financial institution after his appointment. Pant’s appointment as the chief executive is expected to smooth inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) by creating investment friendly environment by facilitating investment in infrastructure projects and projects with large capital base.

See the ANSAB Board of Directors >>>

Capacitating SMFEs for policy advocacy: ANSAB forms a SMFE Policy Working Group

The policy and regulatory environment include various formal and informal policies on access to resource, forestry laws, incorporation options, investment codes, pricing legislation, labor regulations, tariffs, interest rate ceilings, import and export procedures and tax regulations. Small and Medium Forest Enterprise (SMFE) policy factors affect in different ways including raw material acquisition, registration, financing, marketing and others. Specific to SMFEs in Nepal there are many unsolved policy issues that are related to establishment of enterprises, taxes, royalties on privately grown NTFPs, commercialization, environmental impacts, export formalities, harmonization in policies, gap between policies and practices, supporting programs and priorities, labor issues, etc.

ANSAB has formed a policy working group to promote Nepalese SMFE sector in one of the stakeholders’ workshop. ANSAB organized the workshop on present national policy provisions and practices related to SMFE sector on November 3, 2011 with participation of entrepreneurs, journalists, development persons and representatives from different associations and Federations involved in the sector. The workshop worked on the national policy issues related to SMFE sector, discussed on way forward, and unanimously formed a seven member policy working group with following members:
1.     Govinda Ghimire, President, Nepal Herbs and Herbal Products Association (NEHHPA)
2.     Pradeep Maharjan, CEO, Agro-Enterprise Center, Federation of the Nepalese Chamber and Commerce (FNCCI)
3.     Devendra P. Dhakal, Chairman, Herbal Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (HEAN)
4.     Ramu Subedi, Services Support Unit Management Team Leader at Multi Stakeholder Forestry Program, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC/SSU)
5.     Bal Bahadur Rai, National Executive Committee Member- Eastern Development Region, FECOFUN
6.     Harihar Sigdel, Head, Planning Division, Department of Forest, Government of Nepal
7.     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.

Read more >>>

Briquette Producers’ Association of Nepal: Outset of a sustainable and professional business system for briquette sector in Nepal

Briquette Producers’ Association of Nepal has been established in Nepal with facilitation from ANSAB under the Forest Connect Initiative in Nepal. The Association has been established to address the issues, challenges and opportunities of the sector in order to build a sustainable business system for the benefit of the producers. In Nepal there are significant numbers of briquette enterprises in different parts of the country and they have taken considerable efforts to enhance production and marketing of the products since more than half decades. However, their efforts are unsuccessful because they are taken at individual levels by the enterprises, which are themselves distributed in different parts of the country. There are also opportunities linked to the briquette sector in Nepal because briquette is being used by the general public as an alternative to electricity and imported fuel by the general public. With this view in mind, ANSAB in association with Himalayan Naturals – a leading a briquette producing and marketing company based in Kathmandu – realized for an association to promote the sector in the country. The organizations identified and communicated with the major briquette producers of the country, and organized their meeting on August 20, 2011 at ANSAB Headquarters, Kathmandu. Participants discussed on the issues, challenges and opportunities of the briquette sector in Nepal, and on the constitution of the briquette producers’ association.  The meeting finalized the constitution, unanimously elected a seven-member executive committee, and developed a year work-plan of the Association. The developed work plan includes the registration of the Association, formation of quality control committee, preparation of guidelines on production technology, research on binding/ignition materials and technology, coordination with government and non government organizations, resource mobilization of the association, entrepreneurship development, area diversification and exposure visit within the first year, which the Forest Connect Program Coordinator Sudarshan Khanal believes will guide for building a sustainable and professional business system for the benefit of the briquette producers and the sector.

Read more on the news >>>

Learn about Forest Connect initiative in Nepal >>>

PES market options: ANSAB’s learning from Translinks

Payment for Ecosystem Services, REDD, REDD Plus, and the evolving global carbon markets; understanding  how each can be incorporated into conservation and poverty alleviation strategies has been one of the goal’s of USAID supported TRANSLINKS (Linking Natural Resources, Economic Growth and Good Governance). Translinks is a Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, in partnership with the Earth Institute’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation at Columbia University, Enterprise Works/VITA, Forest Trends, and the Land Tenure Center at the University of Wisconsin, and is designed to support income growth of the rural poor through conservation and sustainable use of the natural resource base upon which their livelihoods depend.  ANSAB has been working with Translinks partner, EnterpriseWorks/VITA to prepare a PDD (program design document) that will offer a model and best match for community forest user groups in Nepal. “ANSAB and its Nepali partners have been developing the technical components and benefits sharing mechanisms needed for payment for ecosystem services, including carbon markets, but it is through the Translinks Program that we are able to learn about our various market options” says ANSAB’s Executive Director Dr. Bhishma Subedi.  “Being able to learn from other Translinks partners that are working on PDDs with community groups has helped ANSAB and Nepal’s Community Forestry Groups (CFUGs)  to better explore options for Nepal” notes Ann Koontz of EnterpriseWorks/VITA.

Know more on Translinks >>>

Find ANSAB’s projects >>>

PUBLICATIONS

Annual Report 2010

ANSAB has released its electronic version of 2010 Annual Report in its website. In addition to the traditional facts & figure about the organization’s operations, the report contains project per project updates, highlights of the year, as well as reflexive piece by the Executive Director. An update of our Impact Tracking System also reveals that ANSAB’s interventions to date generated sales of US $7.61 million in annual monetary benefits for 80,327 economic participants while bringing 100,959 hectare of forest and meadow areas under the improved community management of 400 Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), representing 61,073 households (HHs).

Download the report >>> (PDF, 3.22 MB)

Celebrating success: Stories of FSC certification

FSC International Center has published a book Celebrating success: Stories of FSC certification with stories of FSC certification around the globe. The book includes the stories of diversity of ways in which FSC certification can bring social benefits with cases from Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa; hugely diverse in geographical location and type of forest, product, ownership, processing and management objectives. However, all the stories point to one conclusion: certification brings clear, concrete and real benefits. The book has included a story from Nepal with a title Certification brings the market to the mountains that highlights FSC certification of community forests improving access to international markets for non-timber forest products and leading to better forest management.

Download the book >>> (PDF, 1.7MB)

Read the story from Nepal included in the book >>> (PDF, 509KB)

Med Herb Green Pages 2011

Rawal Medherbs Consultants Private Ltd., a well known Indian publisher has published Medherb Green Pages (MGP) 2011 (India, Bangladesh and Nepal), that includes the trade information related to herbs and their allied products in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The company has been publishing the MGP series since 2003 and the publication in past years has included the trade information of India and different countries including Nepal, Indonesia, Germany, Netherland, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Dubai. Since last year, ANSAB started to work with the Rawal Medherbs in collection and compilation of information from Nepal resulting to the 2010 and 2011 publications.

Find detail information on the MGP >>>

Find the preview of the current issue >>>

Contact ANSAB to purchase the book >>>

MARKET PRICES

	Nepal		India
Chiretta	425	–	640
Spikenard	405	–	700
Indian mastiche	275		424
Madder	92.5		128
Himalayan rhubarb	55		73.25
Indian valerian	162.5		315	–
Dried ginger	185		200
Cinnamon	62.5		80	–

November 2011 prices in NRs./Kg. Average of five markets (Kathmandu and Nepalgunj for Nepal, Delhi, Tanakpur, Lucknow and Kolkata for India). Variations calculated from the previous month.

Consult the complete price list (32 products) >>

IN BRIEF

ANSAB provides its technical services for handmade paper production in Papua New Guinea

ANSAB’s handmade paper technician Mr. Palden Sherpa provided a 45 days training for the local communities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to make handmade paper in the country. Mr. Sherpa was in PNG from last week of August to the mid October in invitation of PNG’s leading retail/wholesale organization – City Pharmaceutical Limited (CPL) to reproduce ANSAB’s working experience in Nepalese handmade paper in the country.  ANSAB’s technical service to PNG came into effect after ANSAB and CPL developed a partnership in 2010 for a fact finding mission in PNG to initiate pilot projects within local communities to conserve forest resources and maintain ecosystem services and make communities take steps to responsible harvesting of their natural resources. ANSAB will also be providing its expertise to CPL to identify enterprise options for communities and design interventions for community enterprises development and environmental conservation. ANSAB will also work with CPL to find markets for the finished products.

Class of 2011 of Future Generations Graduate School concludes with their Graduation Ceremony in Nepal

The Class of 2011 of the Future Generations Graduate School received Master’s Degree of Applied Community Change and Conservation in their Graduation Ceremony on October 29, 2011 organized by the School in Kathmandu in collaboration with ANSAB. The students were in Nepal following their Peru Residential for the preparation and presentation of their final practicum; the students, Dean, Faculty Members, and the chairperson of the Future Generations, Daniel Taylor visited ANSAB office and the fields. During their stay in Nepal, ANSAB’s Executive Director Dr. Bhishma Subedi who is also an adjunct professor the Graduate School co-taught course on Human Ecology, and the ANSAB team supported them for their field in ANSAB program areas. A total of 15 students from different countries including United States, Canada, Bangladesh, Peru, Tanzania, Guyana and Burundi graduated from the School this year.

Aveda logo from http://cathysellsknoxville.com/aveda-training-institue-coming-to-ktown/

ANSAB’s Partners – Himalayan Biotrade and EnterpriseWorks/ VITA meet with Aveda Leadership

Khilendra Gurung, Manager of Himalayan Biotrade Private Limited (HBTL), a certified Wildlife Friendly® company and Ann Koontz,EnterpriseWorks/VITA visited Aveda’ s Headquarters in Blain, Minnesota to discuss with senior management the Aveda-Nepal partnership. For the fourth year, Aveda has featured Nepali handmade lokta bark paper in this holiday gift line. The ANSAB, HBTL, EWV and Aveda partnership was first supported by USAID which launched the Nontimber Forest Products Certification and Marketing Alliance in 2002. Now, ten years later the public-private partnership continues to grow with a tripling of product sales and work on new product development.

See Aveda’s weekly special on Holiday gift featuring Himalaya >>>

Read Aveda’s stories on Fighting poverty with paper >>>

Mr. Pant was recommended by the selection committee as one of the three names among some eight candidates. Mr. Pant is currently the chief executive officer of Kumari Bank and has a long professional and impressive background with experiences including the managing director of Bank of Kathmandu that he turned into a robust financial institution after his appointment. Pant’s appointment as the chief executive is expected to smoothen inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) by creating investment friendly environment by facilitating investment in infrastructure projects and projects with large capital base.

ANSAB congratulates Mr. Pant for his new assignment and wishes for his successful tenure.

For the profile of the Champions of Asia-Pacific Forest including Dr. Subedi published by APFW, click here.