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 />
moved to Kathmandu as a freelance social mobiliser and data collector. She is now the<br />
national treasurer <strong>of</strong> a Dalit network devoted for Dalits’ rights over natural resources,<br />
DANAR. Much <strong>of</strong> her <strong>in</strong>come goes to support her younger sisters (one <strong>of</strong> whom suffers from<br />
depression), but she is very conscious <strong>of</strong> the personal opportunities that she has had through her<br />
studies. “As a young girl, I thought that my whole life lay <strong>in</strong> the village, but now I <strong>have</strong> been<br />
outside, I <strong>have</strong> a very different view on what I can do <strong>in</strong> my life.”<br />
Key issues for the future<br />
• The pre-SLC scholarships for girl children and other disadvantaged groups<br />
could be widely replicated, given the potential that it has for grassroots<br />
empo<strong>we</strong>rment. It should be carefully monitored, both to ensure transparency,<br />
and to follow-up on the effects <strong>of</strong> the education received.<br />
• NGO service providers now <strong>have</strong> a clear, widely recognised role <strong>in</strong><br />
provid<strong>in</strong>g support and capacity build<strong>in</strong>g to CFUGs. There are suffi cient<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional NGOs <strong>in</strong> the project area to meet current demand, although it<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>s to be seen how far CFUGs will be prepared to pay for this. NGO<br />
service providers outside the project area that <strong>have</strong> not been exposed to<br />
similar donor support may need considerable capacity build<strong>in</strong>g to reach similar<br />
standards, but this is a service that the more mature NGOs from the project<br />
area might be able to <strong>of</strong>fer.<br />
• Given the setbacks to work opportunities and staff morale dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
confl ict period and the gap <strong>in</strong> hands-on, practical experience <strong>in</strong> <strong>community</strong><br />
<strong>forestry</strong>, selective needs-based tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g could be <strong>of</strong>fered to Forest Department<br />
staff. This might focus on participatory approaches and tools such as <strong>we</strong>alth<br />
rank<strong>in</strong>g, livelihoods opportunities assessment and governance coach<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
• CFUGs are likely to need further support <strong>in</strong> manag<strong>in</strong>g their affairs on a<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>able basis, and ideally they should be able to draw such support from a<br />
mixture <strong>of</strong> NGO and government (Forest Department) services.<br />
• Future project-based support for FECOFUN should be carefully discussed<br />
with the leadership <strong>of</strong> that organisation, to ensure that payment for its local<br />
level services does not underm<strong>in</strong>e its national-level credibility <strong>in</strong> advocacy. The<br />
establishment <strong>of</strong> two separate fund<strong>in</strong>g mechanisms under two separate<br />
branches <strong>of</strong> the same organisation might be considered.<br />
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