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Nepal Wool Felt Producers’ and Exporters’ Association recently celebrated its 17th anniversary in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, the association felicitated its founder Sagar Thapa in recognition of his work. 

Thapa identified the need for a coalition of felt producers and traders for the betterment of the industry, and took the initiative to set up the association, which was founded in 2007.

“This association, which has been helping, not only the felt entrepreneurs, but the workers, in their business, is a brain child of Thapa,” said Sarada Rijal, founding president of the association. 

Thapa is considered a pioneer in felt production and export, who inspired many people to join the association by training them. He also helped many traders to participate in exhibitions in Europe.

Despite his contribution to the Nepali felt industry, Rijal said Thapa never insisted on taking any position in the association.

Nepali felt products are exported in over 20 countries and the association regularly participates in trade fairs held in around 15 countries. Nepal exports felt products worth Rs 11bn annually.

Amrit Khadka, former president of the association, said: “Felt is among rare products which get exported from Nepal. But the government has imposed a five percent tax and 13 percent VAT in felt products which should be reviewed.”

Felt industry provides employment to over 20,000 people and over 90 percent of them are women which is helping to maintain good living standards. 

Naresh Lal Shrestha, president of the association and owner of Bagmati Handicrafts, praised the family-like relations in the association.

“We treat the people involved here as family members. That is why there hasn’t been any election in the association in these 17 long years. I can proudly say that no other association has unity like us,” he added.

Biswas Shrestha, owner of Hopp Creation Industries Pvt. Ltd., said felt products are among the few items being exported from Nepal. “To further increase the export, we need to have raw materials produced in Nepal,” he added.

Shrestha’s industry employs around 400 women, who make different kinds of felt products out of wool imported from New Zealand. The finished products are exported back to New Zealand.

“If we can have a massive sheep farm here, we can keep 100 percent of the foreign currency income in Nepal,” said Shrestha.
The association’s president and the owner of Bagmati Handicrafts, Naresh Lal Shrestha, said though Nepali felt industry add 50–60 percent value addition to the business, they can do better with the government help. “This industry has the capacity to cater to all the Nepalis who want to return home from foreign employment,” he added.

Thapa’s brainchild

Sagar Thapa, general secretary of Nepal-Israel Chamber of Commerce started the business of felt handicrafts in 2001 and is still continuing to contribute to the industry. He promotes Nepali felt products globally through Panchakanya Nepal Enterprises where he has kept his workers as his business partners.

In these 23 years in the industry, he has provided services to over 2,000 SME entrepreneurs through international tarde fair participations. The services not only include business and trade but also training and knowledge sharing classes. “I also help newcomers to seek the market,” said Thapa. Till 2024, he hopes to produce 500 skilled youths in the exportable business.

“I wanted to form an association of felt producers as it would help the businesspersons to convey their voice boldly and help laborers advocate for their rights,” he says that he is inspired by a concept of many in bodies, one in mind.

Thapa has also contributed to various social and charitable works including the Bagmati Cleaning Campaign. “It gives me 100 times more happiness when I get to work and help others from the background,” he said. “I’ll continue my constructive and positive work.”

Thapa added if the government provides a better environment and infrastructure, in 10 years, Nepal’s Rs 11bn felt export industry can become a Rs 80bn industry.

“I am happy that even after 17 years, the association has not forgotten my work,” said Thapa. “The association’s founding Vice-president Rajan Karmacharya has also equally contributed to this initiative.”

Japan has provided mammography equipment to Nepal Cancer Care Foundation, a specialized medical organization focused largely on women’s cancer screening.

A handover ceremony was held at the foundation’s office in Satdobato, Lalitpur, on Monday. On the occasion Ambassador of Japan Kikuta Yutaka praised the foundation for its works in the field of cancer treatment. 

“The Embassy of Japan hopes that this initiative will further contribute to strengthening medical services and foster deeper friendship and cooperation between the people of Japan and Nepal,” he said.

The mammography equipment was provided under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GPP). Since the start of GGP in 1991, it has successfully completed over 200 projects in Nepal. 

Ambassador Yutaka expressed optimism that the sophisticated mammography technology would result in early detection, thereby enhancing the health and quality of life for people, families, and communities throughout Nepal.

“Nepal Cancer Care Foundation has already conducted breast cancer screening for more than 500 women using the equipment provided by GGP, showcasing the immediate impact of the project on enhancing medical services,” said Yutaka.

The foundation was established in 2011 with the goal of  reducing the cancer burden through screening and counseling services, particularly for breast and cervical cancers. Its services are provided at their diagnostic center in Lalitpur, as well as through screening health camps in rural areas across the country.

“We are sincerely thankful to everyone who has contributed to the success and growth of this foundation. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Japanese Embassy for their generous donation of a mammography machine, a significant contribution that will undoubtedly improve the lives of thousands of Nepali women, enabling them to lead healthier and better lives,”  general secretary of the foundation Dr Sarita Ghimire.

The Board of Trustees of the Isa Award for Service to Humanity, chaired by Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, the special representative of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, stated that the Isa Award for Service to Humanity reflects the King’s unwavering commitment to supporting humanitarian work. They emphasized that the award was established as a tribute to the late Amir of Bahrain, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who devoted his life to serving humanity.

This announcement took place during the opening of nominations for the sixth edition (2023/24) of the Isa Award for Service to Humanity. The award was initially launched by the King in 2009 and aims to honor outstanding individuals and organizations that provide exceptional services to humanity.

In the fifth edition, the award was presented to the esteemed Nepali ophthalmologist, Dr Sanduk Ruit, in recognition of his remarkable contributions to human service through eye treatment.

Ali Abdullah Khalifa, the Secretary General of the Isa Award, highlighted that the Kingdom of Bahrain, through the establishment of this Award, has become a leading supporter of pioneering global initiatives that serve humanity. He further pointed out that the award stands as the first Arab award to globally recognize initiatives dedicated to serving humanity, gaining international recognition and acclaim.

“A jury of experts from around the world will judge the nominees’ work. The winner of the award will be presented with a Royal Certificate of Appreciation, a medal made of pure gold, and $1m at a ceremony in the Kingdom of Bahrain in June 2025,” the Secretary General said.

Nominations will close at the end of Jan 2024.

South Asian nations are facing challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to ending hunger, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. Malnutrition is described as the greatest form of violence and a weapon of mass destruction. Shakeb Nabi, Country Director of Nepal of Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) says, “Two millions people die around a year globally of hunger i.e. 5,500 people per day die of hunger.”

The regional consultation meeting on “Promoting Nutrition sensitive Agriculture for improving Nutrition security and Health of Smallholders in South Asia” was held for a two-day period on 12-13 July 2023 in Kathmandu, with the goal of addressing malnutrition and food security as well as identifying major Nutritional Sensitive Approaches (NSA) in South Asia. 

The event, organized by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH), brought together stakeholders from the food and agriculture industries, government representatives, and experts in the field to discuss nutrition-sensitive approaches in the region.

Dr Tamanna Ferdous, the Regional Nutritional Advisor, emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach to combat child malnutrition in South Asia. She provided alarming statistics on global hunger and malnutrition, highlighting the insufficient consumption of necessary food groups by children in South Asia. “According to the Global Hunger Index research, world hunger is increasing and most children in South Asia do not consume enough of the necessary food groups,” she said that over 7m individuals experience regular hunger, and 2 out of 3 women who are of reproductive age have at least a micronutrient deficiency worldwide. Globally, 50m  children are wasted, 150m children are stunted, and 30 percent of women of childbearing age have an iron deficiency. 

Bedu Ram Bhusal, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development, attended the event as a special guest. Stephan Russek, Head of Development Corporation and Economics at the German Embassy, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts and a multi-sector approach.

Minister Bhusal said that we should focus on indigenous crops to minimize hunger and malnutrition issues.

During the event, country representatives presented papers on the nutrition situation in their respective nations. Issues such as poor meal diversity, lack of micronutrients, improper cooking techniques, and increased marketing of unhealthy food were discussed. Progress reports showed improvements in reducing underweight, child wasting, and anemia in Nepal. However, challenges such as poor policy implementation, lack of coordination among stakeholders, unregulated pesticide use, and pre- and post-harvest losses still hinder Nepal’s nutrition-sensitive approaches.

Sujan Dhungel, senior monitoring and evaluation officer, presented a progress report on the state of anemia, stunting, and wasting. Within a five-year period, the prevalence of underweight decreased from 48 to 19 percent, child wasting decreased from 11.3 to eight percent, while anemia among children under the age of five decreased from 53 to 43 percent. 

Sachin Jain, Secretary Bikash Samiti of Madhya Pradesh in India, highlighted the significance of nutrition-sensitive micro planning and community engagement. He emphasized the importance of equal participation, prioritization, implementation, and continuity in the community. Project Coordinator of WHH Nepal, Deependra Chaudhary, shared insights on a behavioral change approach to address malnutrition, specifically discussing a successful 15-day nutrition camp that educated the community on health and nutrition.

In a panel discussion, Sabnam Shiwakoti, Joint Secretary of Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, identified weak strategic implementation, sectoral funding distribution, and inadequate reporting and monitoring as obstacles to improving nutritional security programs. Dr Dipika Agrahar, Principal Scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), highlighted the lack of value placed on micronutrients in South Asia due to financial constraints.

The conference celebrated the collaborative multi-sectoral strategy called ‘Nutrition Smart Community,’ involving various stakeholders. It also resulted in new policies and recommendations to promote nutrition security in South Asian countries, taking into account the contextualized nutritional status of each country and the challenges discussed during the event