ILAM | 15 OCTOBER 2026
Central Tea Cooperative Federation Limited (CTCF Nepal) successfully participated in the 12th General Assembly of the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), held from 13 to 15 October 2026 at Hotel Cambodiana in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The assembly brought together more than 70 delegates representing 20 member organizations from 14 countries including 3 Participants from CTCF Nepal. Chairperson, Harka Bahadur Tamang, General Secretary Rabin Rai and Young farmer Krishna Shrestha from CTCF Nepal took participation in the AGM. It provided a regional platform for farmer organizations to exchange experiences, discuss shared challenges and strengthen cooperation to advance farmers’ rights, family farming and sustainable rural development.
During the gathering, young farmers Krishna Shrestha shared the CTCF Nepal’s intervention on youth and women farmer. Similarly, Rabin Rai shared CTCF Nepal’s experience and intervention Nepal’s tea cooperative, small holder family farming, climate resilience and sustainable agriculture. AGM Participants also discussed land rights, sustainable agriculture and agroecology, recognizing the importance of resilient and inclusive farming systems in responding to climate change and supporting family farmers.
The General Assembly elected AFA’s new officers for the 2026–2030 term. Khamoune Xaymany of the Lao Farmer Network, Lao PDR, was elected Chairperson, while Nurullo Qahhorov of NADF, Tajikistan, was elected Vice-Chairperson. Mohashina Khatun of KKM, Bangladesh, was elected Chairperson of the Regional Young Farmers’ Committee (RYFC), and Aggie Tseden-ish of NAMAC, Mongolia, was elected Chairperson of the Regional Women Farmers’ Committee (RWFC).
During the AGM, CTCF Nepal presented a Token of Love to Ms. Esther Penunia, Secretary General of AFA, in recognition of her upcoming retirement in December and as a heartfelt tribute to her inspiring leadership and unwavering commitment to empowering smallholder family farmers across Asia. CTCF Nepal expressed its sincere gratitude and appreciation for her invaluable contributions, dedicated service, and continued support to CTCF Nepal since 2014. The gesture was a token of appreciation for her remarkable leadership and lasting contributions to the family farming movement in the region.
CTCF Nepal remains committed to strengthening tea cooperatives, empowering smallholder family tea farmers and contributing to a more sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient tea sector in Nepal. The federation looks forward to continuing its engagement with AFA and fellow farmer organizations to share learning, build partnerships and advance the interests of family farmers across the region.
