The FAO recognized Narayan Kaji Shrestha from Nepal and Kurshida Begum from Bangladesh for capturing the spirit of Wangari Maathai in their work promoting community participation in forest conservation and management.
The prizes were the first from the Wangari Maathai award, established by the Collective Partnership on Forests (CPF) in honor of Maathai.
27 September 2012: The UN has announced that Narayan Kaji Shrestha is the recipient of the first Wangari Maathai award, established by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) in honor of Maathai, a prominent Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Kaji Shrestha is being recognized for promoting community forest management in Nepal, where he established the country’s first community forest group.
In awarding the prize, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) noted Kaji Shrestha’s innovation in reaching out to marginalized groups and women.
Also honored was Kurshida Begum, who was awarded a special Honourable Mention for helping women in her village in Bangladesh form a community patrol group to prevent poaching and illegal logging in the Tenkaf Wildlife Sanctuary.
Both prizes were awarded during a ceremony held at FAO headquarters. [UN Press Release]