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 />
vulnerability (which may be a result <strong>of</strong> the fi rst four, but also encompasses ill health,<br />
disability, human traffi ck<strong>in</strong>g and suffer<strong>in</strong>g related to the armed confl ict and the debt<br />
load <strong>of</strong> generations). A system <strong>of</strong> <strong>we</strong>ll-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>g was <strong>in</strong>troduced, under which<br />
every CFUG is required to identify the extreme poor. (The current term used is<br />
bipanna, rather than garib which refers to economic poverty. Ho<strong>we</strong>ver, some<br />
consider the term to be derogatory, and favour the term disadvantaged<br />
mean<strong>in</strong>g socially discrim<strong>in</strong>ated poor people - garib tatha upekshit.) It is important<br />
that the <strong>we</strong>ll-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>g is discussed thoroughly by the CFUG members, and<br />
the identifi cation <strong>of</strong> the bipanna or disadvantaged agreed <strong>in</strong> a general assembly, as<br />
this enhances “ownership” and acceptance. The bipanna usually fall <strong>in</strong>to the SDC<br />
category <strong>of</strong> disadvantaged groups (DAGs) – persons who are both economically<br />
and socially disadvantaged. This means that they are socially discrim<strong>in</strong>ated, and<br />
economically <strong>have</strong> food suffi ciency for less than six months <strong>of</strong> their annual food<br />
requirements from their own production and a daily <strong>in</strong>come <strong>of</strong> less than 1 US $ per<br />
capita.<br />
Hav<strong>in</strong>g identifi ed the bipanna with<strong>in</strong> their membership, the CFUG members are<br />
expected to explore options for improv<strong>in</strong>g their livelihoods, tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to account<br />
all potential assets (economic, physical, biological, human, social, and<br />
political) <strong>in</strong> a manner based on a livelihood systems analysis, but modifi ed to local<br />
circumstances 11 . The requirement for CFUGs to set aside a part (35%) <strong>of</strong> their<br />
“<strong>in</strong>come” (how this is calculated is subject to varied <strong>in</strong>terpretation, whether<br />
<strong>in</strong>come or expenditure and over what period) to benefi t the poorest members –<br />
identifi ed accord<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>we</strong>ll-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>g - is now a mandatory one, enshr<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> the<br />
government Community Forestry guidel<strong>in</strong>es (see section on forest policy<br />
contribution). It is nevertheless not easy to <strong>in</strong>stitutionalise; by 2010, 83%<strong>of</strong> the<br />
CFUGs <strong>in</strong> the project area had conducted a <strong>we</strong>ll-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>g and all <strong>have</strong> made<br />
some sort <strong>of</strong> provision for the bippana or disadvantaged. Well-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>g has<br />
become widely accepted by other agencies as a reliable means <strong>of</strong> identify<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the poorest <strong>in</strong> the <strong>community</strong>. At the same time, the project recognises that <strong>we</strong>llbe<strong>in</strong>g<br />
rank<strong>in</strong>g gives a “snap-shot <strong>in</strong> time”, and does not fully capture the dynamics<br />
<strong>of</strong> poverty. The bipanna are chronically poor, but other dynamics – which<br />
households are slipp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to poverty, and which are pull<strong>in</strong>g themselves out <strong>of</strong> it<br />
– are not recorded. Repeat <strong>we</strong>ll-be<strong>in</strong>g rank<strong>in</strong>gs after several years are desirable<br />
<strong>in</strong> this respect, and would also potentially provide a good means <strong>of</strong> monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
changes, although it has not been possible to <strong>in</strong>troduce this widely as it would<br />
be too expensive. Changes are <strong>in</strong>stead tracked through case studies and<br />
observations <strong>of</strong> sample households.<br />
11 The project uses the acronym FREELIFE plus H2O as a way to remember all aspects to be covered. They<br />
are funds (loans at reasonable <strong>in</strong>terest rates), representation <strong>in</strong> leadership positions, tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for employment,<br />
educational scholarships, access to <strong>community</strong> forest land, pro-active <strong>in</strong>clusion <strong>in</strong> decision mak<strong>in</strong>g processes,<br />
equitable access to forest products and the opportunity to participate <strong>in</strong> forest-based enterprises. The additional<br />
H2O refers to health, humanitarian aspects and support from other organisations.<br />
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