Assam: Two agri-entrepreneurs from Kaziranga landscape honoured

A CORRESPONDENT

BISWANATH CHARIALI: In a celebration of grassroots environmental leadership, Neelam Dutta from Biswanath Chariali and Roopjyoti Gogoi, two agri-entrepreneurs from the Kaziranga landscape, were awarded the prestigious Assam Green Ambassador Awards 2025 on Tuesday. The awards recognize their outstanding, community-driven contributions to biodiversity conservation, sustainable farming, and environmental stewardship, aligning seamlessly with the values of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).

The awards were presented at the Assam LiFE for Nature Summit, organized by CMS VATAVARAN in collaboration with The Habitat Trust and supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) India, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), #NatureForAll, and UN World Food Programme (WFP) India.

          The Assam Green Ambassador Awards honour Assam residents with at least five years of dedicated work in environmental or conservation action. The honourees must demonstrate long-term, voluntary impact in areas such as biodiversity and wildlife conservation, wetland, forest, grassland restoration, climate adaptation or mitigation, sustainable natural farming, environmental education, wildlife rescue, or community stewardship. Winners were selected based on evidence-based documentation of results, underscoring community-led initiatives with measurable outcomes.

             Neelam Dutta who hails from Biswanath Chariali, a pioneer in organic agriculture, established Pabhoi Greens-India's first organic seed initiative and the leading seed company in Northeast India. Through extensive research and hands-on experience, he empowers farmers as custodians and propagators of pure, replicable seeds, eliminating the need for annual purchases and promoting self-reliant, sustainable farming practices. Recognized for his outstanding contribution to reviving indigenous seed varieties lost during the Green Revolution, and for empowering small farmers in Northeast India with reproducible, organic seed systems, his pioneering work at Pabhoi Greens has strengthened ecological farming, biodiversity conservation, and rural livelihoods.

Roopjyoti Gogoi, a visionary housewife on the fringes of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, has innovated plastic waste upcycling into eco-friendly woven products. Her efforts combat pollution in this biodiversity hotspot while creating sustainable livelihoods. By training and motivating local women, she fosters environmental awareness, economic independence, and community resilience in harmony with Kaziranga's conservation goals. Honoured for her innovative and community-driven work in upcycling plastic waste into woven utility products in the Kaziranga landscape, her initiative not only reduces pollution but also empowers local women by providing sustainable livelihood opportunities linked to conservation-conscious enterprise.

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