WWF Nepal and the Ministry of Land Reform and Management signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to join hands for the development of a comprehensive land use policy and plan for the country.

The memo stresses establishing a working relationship between the two organisations to undertake mutually beneficial activities like developing the capacity of the people engaged in formulating and implementing the land use policy through trainings, visits and sharing of knowledge besides implementing programmes of mutual importance.

The two organizations also agreed to review its activities periodically to fit the strategic path being undertaken by the country considering the state restructuring process.

The agreement comes just a day after the government’s decision to implement the first ever land use policy that envisages different measures for scientific utilization of land.

The memo will be effective for five years and will promote conservation and enhance the productivity of land resource through appropriate allocation and entitlement.

Joint secretary at the ministry Madhav Prasad Regmi and WWF country representative Anil Manandhar signed the memo.

“I believe this understanding will help the two organizations to learn a lot from each other which will strengthen the relationship between us in the days to come,” said Minister for Land Reform and Management Dambar Shrestha.

“The understanding reached between us is very important for us, and WWF Nepal is determined to accomplish the objective of this understanding,” said Manandhar.

source: Kathmandu Post(2010),"WWF, Govt sign land use cooperation agreement",The Kathmandu Post,2 Aug 2010