The two-day State-Level Workshop of the Forest and Biodiversity Management Project (FBMP), Nagaland, on the theme "Community Conservation: Celebrating Success and Charting the Future" successfully concluded on 4th November 2026 at Golden Jubilee Hall, Cathedral, Kohima. The valedictory session was hosted by CTA, PMC, FBMP, Nand Kishor Agrawal, and graced by Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (DEFCC) & Chairman NSBB, Y. Khikheto Sema, IAS, as the special guest.

Addressing at the valedictory session, the Special Guest, Y. Khikheto Sema, IAS, expressed his delight at witnessing the enthusiastic participation of communities representing various districts of Nagaland. He appreciated the exhibition stalls, describing them as a reflection of the collective efforts and active involvement of various agencies working towards the development and welfare of the people of the State.

He particularly acknowledged the active participation of community representatives, who shared their experiences and highlighted conservation initiatives undertaken at the village level. He observed that such interactions provide valuable opportunities to understand grassroots realities, identify practical solutions, strengthen stakeholder coordination, and inform future conservation planning and policy development. Drawing a reference from the Book of Genesis and the account of creation, he emphasised that human beings were entrusted with the responsibility of being custodians of nature and its resources, rather than agents of their destruction. He called upon everyone to recognise this responsibility and work towards the sustainable management and protection of the natural environment.

Expressing concern over the declining forest cover in the State, he stressed the need for active community participation in safeguarding forests and biodiversity for future generations. He also highlighted the special constitutional safeguards enjoyed by Nagaland and urged the gathering to utilise these provisions constructively for the overall development and progress of the State. Addressing the representatives of the 64 participating villages, he encouraged them to become ambassadors and advocate biodiversity conservation at the grassroots level. He urged them to carry forward the message of conservation and disseminate the knowledge gained during the workshop through various community platforms, thereby translating the deliberations into meaningful conservation initiatives at the village level.

The summary of the workshop proceedings and the way forward was presented by Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) & Project Director, FBMP, Sidramappa Chalkapure, IFS. He shared that the concept of this workshop was conceived in the month of May, and resultant to this, the workshop was successfully launched and concluded today and highlighted and summarized the activities of the first day. He drew attention on the importance of sustained collaboration among government departments, technical experts, research institutions, and local communities in addressing key challenges relating to biodiversity conservation and management. He encouraged the villagers to take back and trickle down their learnings from this workshop to their respective villages.

The highlight of the function was the community voices delivered by representatives of the participating villages, where they shared the success stories in the activities implemented by the FBMP in the form of equipment distribution, Entry Point Activity, Institutional Connectivity and Conservation Measures initiatives. The project is a booster to all villages for restoration of the forest and improvement of economic life through sustainable livelihood interventions. The opportunity and platform for protection of environment provided by this project have ignited the inner thought and outlook of the villagers to a new trend to learn, protect and strengthen community stewardship for protecting the rich biodiversity.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Deputy Project Director, FBMP, Dr. Rokhu Savio Krocha, who expressed gratitude to all the participants and Officers of all ranks, resource persons and the management of the Jubilee Hall, Cathedral campus for successful completion of the workshop. The workshop reaffirmed the shared commitment of stakeholders towards strengthening community-based conservation and advancing a collaborative, inclusive, and sustainable approach to biodiversity and landscape management in Nagaland.