scholarly journals Community Forests Ensuring Local Governance and Livelihood: A Case Study in Sunwal VDC, Nawalparasi, Nepal

2011 ◽  
pp. 33-42
Author(s):  
Devi Prasad Paudel

This paper analyses local governance in forest resource management through people's participation and the ways it relates to the contribution in securing livelihood. This case study was conducted in Sunwal VDC of Western Tarai, Nepal, and information was collected through direct observation, household survey, key informant interview, focus group discussion and analysis of secondary information. It discusses a few examples of how the community forestry programme can be used as a means to promote participation of the women, the poor, disadvantaged and marginalized group in forest resource management, as well as enhancing livelihood and improving the forest resource management in their locality. It is found that though the community forestry programme has positive impacts, it faces several constraints and challenges. The results of the case study clearly indicate that community forestry processes must address the political, economic and social needs of the forest users, and also provide a neutral platform on which the poor and disadvantaged group can express their voices.The Geographical Journal of Nepal, Vol. 8-9, 2010-2011: 33-42

2005 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mani Ram Banjade ◽  
Hemant Ojha

This paper discusses the use of a deliberative approach to governance of environmental resources at the local-level. Used in conjunction with external facilitation, a deliberative approach to governance at the local-level can be used to build dialogue between diverse perspectives, interests, knowledge, and ideas of different stakeholders. A case study of a community forest user group (CFUG) in the central hills of Nepal is used to analyse the application of deliberative processes for promoting deliberative governance. The findings indicate that there is great potential for deliberative processes to make local governance of community forests more democratic and inclusive. Effective governance at the local-level can contribute to the creation of social equity and to the sustainable management of community forests. Key words: Nepal, deliberative democracy, community forestry, Participatory Action Research, external facilitation


2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushma Bhattarai ◽  
Prakash Kumar Jha ◽  
Niraj Chapagain

In spite of the widely accepted success of Community Forestry in reviving degraded land, it is still seen as being unable to provide tangible benefits to the poor. This paper illustrates that through continuous sharing, deliberation and negotiation among the poor and non?poor members of Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), management of community forests can be made far more equitable than the usual scenario. Drawing from the experience on the processes and outcomes of Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP), this paper brings empirical evidence of how facilitation support has enabled the poor to have more equitable access to community forests. Three key pro?poor institutional arrangements resulting from the facilitation process include: a) establishing special use rights arrangements within CFUGs for the poor, b) pro?poor silvicultural practices, and c) equitable forest product and benefit distribution mechanisms. The paper suggests some changes in policy and practice to institutionalise these outcomes. Full text is available at the ForestAction websiteDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v8i2.2304 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 8(2) February 2009 pp.1-15


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