The 20th Annual General Assembly (AGM) of FORWARD Nepal was held on 10th March 2017 at Hotel Royal Century, Bharatpur under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Madhav Kumar Shrestha, Chairperson of FORWARD Nepal. AGM was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Ishwari Prasad Dhakal, Vice-chancellor, Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur with unfolding of the AGM banner followed by lighting on the Panus-batti and irrigating water on the plants pots together with Chairperson and other guests.
Mr. Ram Krishna Neupane presented FORWARD Nepal's activities. Likewise, audit report of FORWARD Nepal for the year 2072/73 and annual report were shared in the program. FORWARD Nepal's T-shirt and tea cup were distributed to all participants, and there were more than 85 participants in the program. Mr. Ram Dayal Tharu, Account Officer and Mr. Aaita Ram Chepang (leader/innovative farmer) were honored with Letter of Appreciation in recognition of Best Work Performer of the year and Innovative Famer respectively. Awardees had the privileged to receive the Letter of Appreciation from the Chief Guest.
Inaugural speech was delivered by Associate Professor Dr. Durga Devkota, Vice-chairman of the organization. Capacity building of farmers through different types of relevant skill development trainings, field demonstration, exposure visits, and awareness on improved market led production technologies and marketing are the main tools taught by FORWARD Nepal to empower farmers in agriculture which are very much appreciable said by Mr. Aaita Ram Chepang and Ms. Nisha Chepang of Chitwan, the farmers' representative to the program. Outreaching of FORWARD Nepal's works to the farmer communities for their better livelihood was appreciated by Mr. Jagannath Bhandari, Advocate and a Legal Advisor to FORWARD Nepal. He expressed that he feel privileged to have been associated with FORWARD Nepal as Legal Advisor. Speaking in the program, Prof. Dr. I P Dhakal, the Chief Guest said that there are 378 service centers across the nation, which is not enough to deliver agricultural services to farmers therefore NGOs like FORWARD Nepal have much more roles to play continually for the farmers' community for their betterment and help government of Nepal for agricultural development in the country. He also wished FORWARD Nepal for it further progress and a grand success of the AGM. Some of the staff, board members and advisors also spoke about the good works as well as areas of need for further efforts of the organization to be competitive in the NGO sector.
Finally, the first session of AGM was declared closed by the Chairman of the program Prof. Dr. Madhav Kumar Shrestha with thanking all participants by putting their constructive views and suggestion for the betterment of FORWARD Nepal and making the opening session a complete success.
2nd session of AGM – March 10, 2017
Out of 79 active general members, 80 percent were present in the AGM. The program was conducted by Mr. Dharma Prasad Pandey, Secretary – Executive Board, and chaired by Prof. Dr. Madhav Kumar Shrestha, Chairperson.
A collective oath taking by FORWARD Nepal's members was held in the program. Thereafter, as per predefined agendas, FORWARD Nepal's programs and projects launched/implemented in different districts were presented by Mr. Ram Krishna Neupane, member. Likewise, the audit report of last year having a total financial transaction of NPR 182,935,000.00 together with its income and expenditure were presented by Ms. Sunita Shrestha, Treasurer together with Finance Officer, Mr. Satish GC of the organization. Also having a tentative budget of 18 million for the next year was shared for approval by the AGM, and accordingly the income and expenditure of last year and the budget was passed by the AGM.
Reports on staff welfare fund and community relief fund were also shared in the assembly, which is managed by the employees of FORWARD Nepal itself.
Status report of five year's strategic plan of FORWARD Nepal, which was prepared four years back was shared by the Executive Director, Mr. Netra Pratap Sen. In line with the above plan, he accentuated on the low cost office building construction of FORWARD Nepal within next fiscal year, upgrading contact office at Kathmandu, bylaws update in line with present changing context, replacing old jeep with new one, improving publication and visibility materials, and restructuring of organization. More importantly, he added that more efforts will be put towards new project collaboration and partnership with potentials funding agencies, government, private sectors and academia.
In order to provide the professional support to FORWARD Nepal, the following persons consisting of seven members were nominated as "Affiliated Professional Member" of FORWARD Nepal by the Annual General Assembly (AGM) Meeting for up to the fiscal year 2074/75 BS.
Dr. Tejendra Chapagain Plant Science, Currently at Department of Plant Agriculture University of Guelph, Canada
Dr. Ramchandra Bastakoti Agri-economics, Currently at Research-Institutions and Policies, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Kathmandu
Mr. Toya Gautam Publication/Media, Sanmarga Tole, Dhapasi - 4, Kathmandu
Dr. Luni Piya Rural Economics, currently in Hiroshima University (HU), Japan
Dr. Niraj Prakash Joshi Agri-economics, currently in Hiroshima University (HU), Japan
Dr. Krishna Prasad Paudel Animal Science, Bagdol, Lalitpur – 4
Dr. Sunila Rai Aquaculture & Fisheries, currently at Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan
Similarly, a new advisory board of FORWARD Nepal has been formed by the AGM, comprising of seven members for two year term from 2072/73 to 2074/75 B.S. They are;
Prof. Dr. Naba Raj Devkota Director, Directorate of Agriculture Research and Extension, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur
Dr. Shyam Prakash Chand ERDF and RGF Fund Manager, Department for Communities and Local Government, (DCLG), UK
Mr. Yam Bahadur Thapa Founder Member, FORWARD Nepal, Natural Resource Management
Mr. Jaganath Bhandari Advocate/Notary Public Pairabi Legal Office, Bharatpur, Chitwan
Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal Former Member at National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal
Dr. Bajra Kishor Prasad Shah Former Secretary, Nepal Government, Currently at AFSP Office, Ramkrishna Marg
Dr. Dil Bahadur Gurung Former, Executive Director, National Agricultural Research Council (NARC)
FORWARD Nepal's Picnic Program – March 11, 2017
After the successful completion of the Annual Program Review and Planning Meeting and the Annual General Assembly of FORWARD Nepal, a Picnic Program was organized on 11th March 2017 at the park of Jaldevi Community Forest, Chitwan. Staff members, board members and general members including their wives and children, and some guests were engaged in the different entertaining programs together with a combination of traditional and new dishes of food items preparation. The program attended by more than 97 persons remained very entertaining, refreshing, relaxed, which provided a very good platform to know each other, and enhance mutual respect for each other.
