Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
Two decades of community forestry in Nepal: What have we learned?
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<strong>Two</strong> <strong>decades</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>community</strong> <strong>forestry</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Nepal</strong>: <strong>What</strong> <strong>have</strong> <strong>we</strong> <strong>learned</strong>?<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the chairperson, Ms. Mira Devi Sunuwar,<br />
“Women and Dalits got the opportunity to come <strong>in</strong>to leadership positions and developed<br />
skill <strong>in</strong> manag<strong>in</strong>g more funds and staff. After Dikidabre started work<strong>in</strong>g as a lead CFUG two<br />
years ago, there are also <strong>in</strong>clusive executive committees <strong>in</strong> the other CFUGs that it has<br />
led.”<br />
Mr. Chattra Bahadur Sunuwar, Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal <strong>of</strong> the local school-Gokulganga Secondary<br />
School remarked, “Thirteen CFUGs <strong>in</strong> Rasnalu <strong>have</strong> improved their account keep<strong>in</strong>g<br />
system after Dikidabre became the lead CFUG. Coord<strong>in</strong>ation with the VDC, DFO, groups<br />
supported by Poverty Alleviation Fund and other organisations has also improved which has<br />
contributed greatly <strong>in</strong> the pro-poor livelihood improvement programmes.” Ho<strong>we</strong>ver,<br />
some members <strong>of</strong> non-lead CFUGs <strong>have</strong> compla<strong>in</strong>ed, question<strong>in</strong>g why a lead CFUG<br />
should be more privilaged than the others.<br />
A complementary coord<strong>in</strong>ation mechanism for oversee<strong>in</strong>g the effectiveness <strong>of</strong><br />
the fl ow <strong>of</strong> development funds is through a multi-stakeholder framework <strong>of</strong> local<br />
governance bodies, notably through an all-party coord<strong>in</strong>ation mechanism. In<br />
order to promote the effectiveness <strong>of</strong> such a mechanism, the project piloted a<br />
Village Level Development Plann<strong>in</strong>g process <strong>in</strong> six VDCs (Byrne and Chhetry,<br />
2011). Ho<strong>we</strong>ver, with Village Development Committees (VDCs – the local<br />
adm<strong>in</strong>istrative body) hav<strong>in</strong>g no elected representatives 7 , there has been no body<br />
with a democratic mandate through which to operate - although a temporary<br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutional arrangement is <strong>in</strong> place (see section on governance).<br />
“Lead CFUGs <strong>have</strong> helped <strong>in</strong> the exchange <strong>of</strong> experiences among CFUGs and <strong>in</strong>creased<br />
their l<strong>in</strong>kage with other <strong>in</strong>stitutions.”<br />
Sitakunda CFUG committee members, Dolakha<br />
“The programme implementation through lead CFUGs has enhanced their capacity <strong>in</strong> fund,<br />
staff and programme management.”<br />
Usha Dahal, NSCFP<br />
“If fund<strong>in</strong>g is not through local government (accountable bodies), this raises a question<br />
over the long term susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>of</strong> the system.”<br />
Peter Branney, Project Adviser, LFP<br />
An aspect <strong>of</strong> project management that has been given considerable attention<br />
under NSCFP is the monitor<strong>in</strong>g and evaluation <strong>of</strong> project activities. The project<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s a database with key output level <strong>in</strong>dicators for all CFUGs <strong>in</strong> the project<br />
area – now number<strong>in</strong>g over 1,026 <strong>in</strong> the three ma<strong>in</strong> project districts 8 – and has<br />
particularly detailed data on 116 sample CFUGs and 178 cluster CFUGs 9 . All staff<br />
members meet on a bi-annual basis to review progress, discuss successes and<br />
7 Local elections last took place <strong>in</strong> 1998 and the mandate <strong>of</strong> the elected VDC <strong>of</strong>fi cers expired <strong>in</strong> 2002.<br />
8 In addition, NSCFP has been work<strong>in</strong>g with 266 CFUGs <strong>in</strong> Khotang district. The total number <strong>of</strong> CFUGs <strong>in</strong> all four<br />
districts at the end <strong>of</strong> July 2010 was 1,292.<br />
9 The 116 CFUGs comprise all those <strong>in</strong> the cluster areas that <strong>we</strong>re formed prior to 2000, and thus <strong>have</strong> a level <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutional maturity. Self monitor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> CFUGs takes places <strong>in</strong> every 2-3 years with the facilitation <strong>of</strong> local NGOs.<br />
The orig<strong>in</strong>al records are kept by the respective CFUG committee, but the copies are forwarded to the project <strong>of</strong>fi<br />
ce for entry <strong>in</strong>to the database. The 178 cluster CFUGs comprise all the CFUGs <strong>in</strong> the cluster areas – <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
those formed after 2000.<br />
11