President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said the national economy could be made robust if the imports were substituted. She stressed the need for augmenting forest products and exporting for national income.
During a meeting with the office-bearers of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal at her residence, Shital Niwas on Sunday, President Bhandari viewed that the State has made legal and institutional arrangements for the sustainable management of forests and control of deforestation. Conservation of forests could be linked to an elevation of local communities, she stressed.
According to her, the community forest management of Nepal is exemplary to the world. The forest sector has an invaluable role to minimize the vicious impacts of climate change, the President said, adding that Nepalis' culture to protect forests and wildlife is unique and helpful to conservation initiatives.
President Bhandari further said forest is the most effective medium to protect the soil by preventing erosion. The time has come for a green economy and eco-tourism in Nepal, she reminded. "Our practices under the community forest programmes have benefitted numerous schools, mother groups, health posts, and temples. The marginalized communities have been mainstreamed with the livelihood projects based on community forests," President Bhandari said.
However, there must be harmony between human needs and nature with sustainable environmental management, according to her.
"Another significant practice the Federation has ensured is the women leadership," she appreciated and viewed it as helping achieve gender equality.
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