IT News
Imphal, Jan 8:
Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Awangbow Newmai today launched website for the Community-based Sustainable Forest Management for Water Resource Conservation in Manipur (COSFOM) www.cosfom.mn.gov.in at the main conference hall, Forest Headquarters, Sanjenthong.
COSFOM is a component under the Indo-German Programme ‘Climate Change Adaption in the Himalaya’ with a focus on sustainable community forestry, soil and water conservation. A project of the Government of India supported by the Federal Government of Germany through KfW, a German development bank in Frankfurt with Manipur Forest Department as the executing agency and managed by the Community Forestry and Water Conservation Society-Manipur (CF & WCS).
The project combines a community-based and watershed approach to improve and conserve water resources. It aims at improving or restoring climate resilience of upper watershed ecosystems and the adaptive capacity of forest dependent communities through sustainable forest management, close-to-nature stream management, spring shed development and biodiversity conservation. At the same time, it seeks to strengthen sustainable livelihood strategies, income generation opportunities and peace & conflict assessment. Every transaction and activities have to be done with the approval/consent of the community.
Speaking as the chief guest of the function today, Minister Awangbow Newmai congratulated the entire team and hoped that the website will facilitate the project. He requested the officers concerned with the project to work tirelessly as it will provide help to many people. Although the project is in the initial stage covering the two districts (Ukhrul and Kangpokpi divisions), he expressed his hope that the project will cover all the districts in the near future.
Kereilhouvi Angami, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force (PCCF and HoFF), also the Vice Chairman of the COSFOM said that it for the first time in the Government of Manipur under the Forest Department that the department is implementing a Forestry based project which is funded from the external sources. Stating that the implementation process of the project took almost 4 years, he said that the department was persistent and consistent in pursuance of the project trying to fulfill all the needs and conditions put in by funding agency.