scholarly journals Corpo-bureaucratizing Community Forest: Commercialization and Increased Financial Transaction in Community Forestry User Groups in Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Paudel ◽  
Dil Bahadur Khatri ◽  
Govinda Paudel
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Community Governance ◽  
Economic Decisions ◽  
Ethnographic Studies ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Poor Outcomes ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Financial Transactions

Based on the analysis of financial transactions and decision making procedures in Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Nepal, this paper argues that community forestry is adapting techno-bureaucratic and corporate culture, replacing indigenous ways of community governance and by placing market elements into existing hierarchies and power asymmetries of local communities. It also argues that the trend of commercialization in community forestry has increased not because of the rational economic decisions made not on the basis of increased demands and surplus supply but because of a combination of economic and non-economic factors that create conditions necessary for commercialization as the next possible step in community-managed resources. In doing so this paper attempts to understand the dynamics, mechanisms and extent of CFUGs’ financial transactions through conceptualizing links of community forestry with extra-local economic forces, and also provides alternative ways of managing community resources for increased pro-poor outcomes. This study is based on in-depth analyses of national and district databases of CFUG funds, and ethnographic studies of 8 selected CFUGs from different parts of the country.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v9i1.8587 Journal of Forestry and Livelihood Vol.9(1) 2010 1-15

scholarly journals Pro-poor Institutions: Creating Exclusive Rights to the Poor Groups in Community Forest Management

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushma Bhattarai ◽  
Prakash Kumar Jha ◽  
Niraj Chapagain
Keyword(s):  
Community Forestry ◽  
Community Forest Management ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Degraded Land ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Community Forests ◽  
The Poor ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Forest User

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

scholarly journals Maoist Conflict, Community Forestry and Livelihoods: Pro-poor Innovations in Forest Management in Nepal

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
KBK Nirmal ◽  
Ravi K Shrestha ◽  
Sudil G Acharya ◽  
Abdul S Ansari
Keyword(s):  
Community Forestry ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Institutions ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
Marginalised Groups ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Poor Outcomes ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Equitable Outcomes ◽  
Violent Conflicts

Violent conflicts are quite often perceived as a destructive and negative phenomenon, and there is little understanding of how they also offer opportunities for a positive change in the society. In particular, little is understood about how violent conflicts and development processes interact and create positive changes in local institutions and practices. This article focuses on such interactions observed amongst the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in the Koshi Hills of Nepal, as the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP) worked through the conflict period. It demonstrates that the Maoist conflict contributed in several ways to enhance the pro-poor outcomes of development actions. We show that the conflict helped empower the marginalised groups, improve their access to community resources, and bring about important changes within the local institutions and practices, contributing to equitable resource management. We suggest that there are positive sides of a violent conflict, where development interventions need to focus on. We also argue that development brings about equitable outcomes if it is complemented with local level advocacy in favour of the poor and marginalised groups. Full text is available at the ForestAction websiteDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v8i2.2311 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 8(2) February 2009 pp.93-100

scholarly journals Looking women seriously: what makes differences for women participation in community forestry ?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
P. K. C. Bhandari ◽  
P Bhusal ◽  
B. B. Khanal Chhetri ◽  
C. P. Upadhyaya
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Traditional Beliefs ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Women Participation ◽  
Forest User

Women participation has been in discussion for long in community forestry in Nepal - a successful programme in participatory forest governance. Despite having ample of policy instruments to address the women concern in community forestry decision making activities several pragmatic issues have been encountered. This paper examines on the women participation in different community forestry decision making activities and identifies the factors influencing participation in such activities. The evidences were generated from five community forest user groups in Kaski district. The analysis was based on the household surveys that included the random sample of 213 respondents (107 females and 106 males). Similarly, regular triangulation and verification of the data were made through series of interviews, discussions and observations followed by the analysis of CF documents. Three ordered logit regression models were deployed to examine the determinants of women participation in decision making in forest management, resource utilization and participatory activities. The analysis showed lower participation of women in community forest decision making activities. Gender had the significant association with the participation in all decision making activities. The men with higher education, who are the member of executive committee and have access to community forestry fund, had participated significantly more than women in community forestry decision making activities. Low participation of women was associated with lower representation in user group committee, social and traditional beliefs and preoccupied assumption that women cannot lead which may result in unfair implication of community forestry.

scholarly journals Transforming Agency and Structure for Facilitating Pro-Poor Governance in Community Forestry

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mani Ram Banjade ◽  
Netra Prasad Timsina ◽  
Hari Raj Neupane ◽  
Kamal Bhandari ◽  
Tara Bhattarai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
The Hill ◽  
Agency And Structure ◽  
Forest User

Nepali society is differentiated by hierarchical and discriminatory social structures struggling for transformation. This culture is also reflected in the practices of Community Forestry. Community Forestry is expected to contribute to improved livelihoods within communities through forest management, ensuring social justice through the provision of better spaces and positions to poor and disadvantaged groups. Based on the lessons of nine Community Forest User Groups of seven districts of the hill and Terai regions of Nepal, we propose a more inclusive and interactive process, known as ‘Social and Transformative Learning' or ‘Action and Learning', which has greater ability to transform both agency and structure to ensure deliberative and pro-poor governance. Key words: agency and structure, pro-poor governance, transformative learning, community forestry doi: 10.3126/jfl.v5i1.1978 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 5(1) February, 2006 pp.22-33

Bureaucratic recentralisation of Nepal's community forestry sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Basnyat ◽  
T. Treue ◽  
R.K. Pokharel
Keyword(s):  
Community Forestry ◽  
Community Forest Management ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Community Forests ◽  
Forest Policies ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Forest User Groups ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Forest User

This paper explores the forest bureaucracy's practices of implementing community forest policies in Nepal and how this shapes the realities of community forestry for forest user groups. To this end, we conducted a content analysis of community forest management plans; surveyed 74 community forest user groups; conducted intensive field observation in six community forests and interacted with executive committee members and forest bureaucrats from two western hill districts. Our results show that forest user groups were hardly aware of their formal rights, including the obligations of forest bureaucrats to deliver free-of-charge services and technical support. Nobody holds forest bureaucrats accountable for failing to fulfil this part of their official duties. Rather, the forest bureaucrats have established different legal and extralegal processes and mechanisms through which they regain and maintain control over community forest resources. We call this 'bureaucratic recentralisation', and it allows forest bureaucrats to reap personal benefits, including unofficial revenues for delivering statutorily no-cost services.

scholarly journals Participatory assessment of biodiversity conservation in community forestry in Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.P. Acharya ◽  
K.R. Goutam ◽  
B.K. Acharya ◽  
G. Gautam
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Community Forest Management ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Participatory Assessment ◽  
Community Forest User Groups

The Community Forestry has been the most effective means of managing common forest resources in Nepal. Besides rehabilitating degraded hills, improving environment and contributing to the rural livelihoods, community forestry is claimed to be a major means of biodiversity conservation. It is also argued that the prevalent approach of community forest management threats to the conservation of biodiversity. This paper is based on the findings from two community forest user groups from Central Nepal and argues that the users’ innovative practices of active forest management favor biodiversity conservation. The study has documented users’ innovations to conserve biodiversity in community managed forests. Key words: Nepal, community forestry, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods Banko Janakari Vol.16(1) 2006 pp46-56

scholarly journals Maoist People’s War and Community Adaptation: A Case of Community Forest User Groups Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-61
Author(s):  
Nirmal Kumar BK
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Forest User Groups ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Rural Institutions ◽  
Conflict Period ◽  
Forest User

The ten year long armed conflict between the state and the Maoists in Nepal had tremendous impact on all sectors and communities in the rural area. However, based on the study of three Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) of Eastern Nepal, it is argued that CFUGs were less vulnerable than other rural institutions. The paper further discusses how CFUGs adapted their coping strategies and functioned more effectively than other village level institutions during the conflict period. It was observed that due to adjustments of the Maoists agendas for CFUGs planning, such as issues surrounding poverty reduction, social inclusion and caste/ethnic/gender-based discrimination, the Maoists did not adversely affect the CFUGs. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v9i1.8594 Journal of Forestry and Livelihood Vol.9(1) 2010 57-61

Determinants of participation in community forest management in Nepal

1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-29
Author(s):  
Buddi Sagar Poudel ◽  
Maneesha Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Community Forest Management ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Socioeconomic Condition ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Forest User Groups ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Forest User

This article attempts to determine the effects of socio-economic factors in participation in community forest management. The empirical data for this study was collected from six forest user groups of Syangja, Kaski and Tanahun districts. The selection of study sites and households was done by preparing a stepwise sample design to identify firstly, the forest user groups and secondly, the household units. A logistic regression model is used to determine the effect of socio-economic characteristics upon participation, where participation is considered as a function of caste, gender, and wealth ranks. It suggests that the wealthier and higher caste individuals are involved in higher level of decision making as opposed to poorer and lower caste individuals who participated in lower levels. Higher caste and rich individuals have got most of the opportunities. This paper thus concludes that the access and control of poor women and disadvantaged individuals in decision making process is minimal. Key words: Participation; socioeconomic condition; community forestry; forest user group; decision making Banko Janakari Vol.16(2) 2006 pp.25-29

Investments in different taxonomies of goods: What should Nepal's community forest user groups prioritize?

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 24-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sony Baral ◽  
Bir Bahadur Khanal Chhetri ◽  
Himlal Baral ◽  
Harald Vacik
Keyword(s):  
Community Forest ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Forest User Groups ◽  
Community Forest User Groups ◽  
Forest User
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document