The KfW Mission Team visited Wokha on 24th April 2024 to meet with the stakeholders of villages taken up under the Forest & Biodiversity Management in the Himalaya (Nagaland) Project (FBMP) in Wokha district, and to inspect ongoing works through the project, the Office of the Divisional Forest Office, Wokha has informed.

The press release stated that the team had an interaction session with the five Community Conserved Areas (CCA) chairmen of the Forest and Biodiversity Management Project in the Himalayas (Nagaland) (FBMP) villages (Makharung, Mmhayan,Yanthanro, Ronren and Thenhyayan) as well as six Anti Depredation Squad (ADS) members from (Baghty, Pyangsa, Mekokla, Haiyan, Liphi & Pyotchu) villages at the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wokha Forest Division.

The team also deliberated upon the Human-Elephant Conflict in Wokha with Suman W M Sivachar, IFS, DFO, Wokha Forest Division and Doyang Plantation Division where Sivachar presented a short Power Point Presentation on the status of the KFW project under Wokha Forest Division. Elithung B Odyuo, ACF, I/C Baghty Range and Liphanyan Beat, and Lansothung Lotha, Range Forest Officer Doyang Afforestation Range and Doyang Beat, shared their feedback based on their experiences gathered during implementation of the works under the project.

After the discussion on Human-Elephant Conflict, the team headed to Thenhyayan Village, one of the villages taken up under the project under Doyang Beat for field visit and interaction with the village community including the CCA members, SHGs members, and village council members. The team had an interaction with the village members of Thenhyayan and inspected the interventions provided through the project such as the Water Harvesting Structure constructed under Entry Point Activity (EPA) and the Sustainable Based Livelihood activities for the SHGs.

The KfW team also visited a viewpoint to observe the CCA area that is protected by the Thenhyayan village.

The team consisted of Dr. Florian Wieneke, PM KfW, Sangeeta Agarwal, Senior Sector Specialist, KfW, and Kishor Agrawal, CTA, Supongnukshi IFS, Project Director, FBMP, K Libanthung Lotha IAS Retd., Com & Secy. Team Leader NEEPED, Dr. Chonbenthung Kikon, Nat. M&E Expert, Takum Chang Dy. Director, NEPED, Zulukumzuk Pongen, Biodiversity Management Expert, and Er. Renbenthung Humtsoe, PIA, NEPED.