Australia Awards South and West Asia

Her Excellency Leann Johnston, Australian Ambassador to Nepal, recently met with 15 Australia Awards Fellowship recipients from Nepal. The Fellows, who represented Fellowship Round 20, had just returned home after completing the in-Australia component of their training.

The cohort’s Fellowship, titled ‘Strengthening Capacity to Respond to Climate-Induced Forest Fires in Nepal’, was designed for Nepali professionals in technical and operational roles who are directly engaged in forest fire prevention, preparedness and response, particularly those working closely with local communities. The program is being delivered by the Australian Himalayan Foundation in collaboration with ForestAction Nepal and Australian fire management experts.

Fellows pictured with HE Ambassador Leann Johnston (front row, fifth from right), Dylan Jones-Virma, Head of Development at the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu (front row, fourth from right), other staff from the Embassy, and the Australia Awards – Nepal team at the event.

The Fellows travelled to Australia to take part in a month of in-person activities in Sydney and Melbourne from 3 October to 3 November 2025. These activities focused on building technical understanding of forest fire risks, prevention strategies, practical tools and techniques, inclusive fire incident management mechanisms, indigenous fire management practices, and strengthening institutional partnerships between Nepal and Australia in forest fire management.

During their time in Australia, Fellows gained hands-on fire response and fuel management training, using Australian equipment and field simulations. They made site visits to Australian fire and emergency agencies to understand operational structures and coordination mechanisms. Fellows also learnt about digital tools and weather technologies for fire forecasting and field response, and inclusive community-based emergency and response systems. Furthermore, they engaged with Indigenous-led cultural burning practices, with opportunities to reflect on traditional fire knowledge in Nepal.

While the cohort was in Sydney, they met with Dr Anne Ally, Australia’s Minister for International Development, who congratulated them on their participation in the course. The Fellowship participants and the Australian Himalayan Foundation were featured on SBS World News.

The Hon Dr Anne Aly MP (centre left), Minister for International Development, meets with Fellowship participants in Sydney (photo courtesy of DFAT).

The Fellows are now continuing the remainder of the program in Nepal. The Fellowship will conclude in February/March 2026 with post-program engagement held locally.

Addressing the Fellows on 4 November, Ambassador Johnston said, “This Fellowship focuses on a critical issue for Nepal’s long-term sustainability: forest fire management. In 2024, Nepal experienced more than 4,500 forest fires. These fires are becoming more frequent and severe. Limited planning, response capacity and technology make the challenge harder each year.”

She also said, “Australia shares these challenges and has deep experience managing large-scale bushfires. These fires have affected our environment, people, economy and biodiversity. We have developed strong systems and community-based approaches to manage them.”

Fellow Ranita Baral, Forest Officer at Kavrepalanchowk Division Forest Office, sharing her experiences.

During the meeting with Ambassador Johnston, Rahul Karki, Executive Coordinator of ForestAction Nepal, provided an overview of the Fellowship. Two Fellows—Ranita Baral, Forest Officer at Kavrepalanchowk Division Forest Office, and Govinda Prasad Dahal, General Secretary of Nepal Foresters’ Association— shared their experiences from the Fellowship, highlighting each of their sectoral learnings, as well as their cultural immersion in Australia.

Rahul Karki, Executive Coordinator of ForestAction Nepal, providing an overview of the Fellowship.

Ambassador Johnston emphasised to the Fellows that the prestigious Australia Awards Fellowship is an endorsement of their potential to drive positive change for their country and people. She encouraged them to make the most of this opportunity and investment.

Australia Awards Fellowships provide opportunities in Australia that advance development outcomes in partner countries by increasing the capacity of officials in the region who are positioned to lead priority development and foreign affairs outcomes in partnership with Australia, and by developing and strengthening institutional partnerships and people-to people links across the region and beyond.

Feature photo: HE Ambassador Leann Johnston (right) interacting with Fellow Reena Chaudhary (left), Environment Inspector, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority during the gathering.