Regional Coordinator for South Asia
Based in India. Neema was born in a small Himalayan village community in India and currently lives in and manages her family-owned urban farm forest in Pune in India. She has studied environmental science and holds a postgraduate diploma in wildlife management. She is a member of Kalpavriksh and coordinates the Conservation and Livelihoods programme. The focus of her work has been on advocating for decolonised and alternative forms of conservation through research & documentation, mobilising communities & facilitating on the ground community self-strengthening processes, and facilitating networks, consultations & policy interventions at all levels. This includes support and advocacy for ICCAs – territories of life & recognition of access, use, management and conservation rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. She has compiled a Directory of Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) in India and is part of the core team building an online portal on ICCAs in South Asia. She is an advisor to the team that coordinates the South Asia Chapter of ICCA Consortium. At a personal level Neema is a student of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy and psychology and attempts to practice Buddha’s teachings.
