Dr Shyam, a forester by profession, has over 20 years of International experience in Natural Resources Management and Sustainable Development. He has a long experience in bamboo sector development. He had also served as a Senior Program Officer at International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) from 2002 to 2011. During his career, he has developed and managed numerous bamboo ecology and value chain development projects in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is also passionate about helping local communities by engaging them in the value chain system of locally available commodities, such as bamboo and has continued his contribution to improve bamboo sectors around the world.

Mr Badri Adhikari (Community Leader) is a native resident of Dhaneshwari Village of the Kavrepalanchok district. He has been leading the Dhaneshwari Baikiwa Community Forestry as a Secretary ever since it was formulated in 2005 and was appointed as a community facilitator for the Moso Bamboo plantation plot of 0.5 hectares managed by Department of Forest Resource and Survey in 2008. Mr Adhikari has participated in bamboo related trainings conducted by Nepalese and Chinese government. He had also represented Nepal in International bamboo training in Tripura of India. Currently, Mr Adhikari operates a Moso bamboo nursery which was established after importing Moso seeds from China in 2017.

Apsana Kafle (Coordinator- Nepal) is a graduate student from Nepal who pursued her undergraduate degree in Forestry from Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry. Throughout her university life, she had participated and led multiple conservation campaigns, outreach, and research activities related to landscape restoration and community resilience against natural disasters. She is leading a conservation campaign named “Generation for Restoration” where she mobilizes youth towards restoration of urban green spaces. Apsana wants to promote research, conservation and awaneress of the bamboo sector in Nepal, a country where bamboo has a significant role as a natural resource and cultural resource. She believes that bamboo sector promotion is absolutely necessary to upscale the economy and resilience of the country towards the roadmap of Sustainable Development Goals.