Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods
The Community Forestry Program in Nepal is a global innovation in participatory environmental governance that encompasses well-defined policies, institutions, and practices. The program addresses the twin goals of forest conservation and poverty reduction. As more than 70 percent of Nepal's populati...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
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International Food Policy Research Institute
2009
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161840 |
| _version_ | 1855523453817323520 |
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| author | Ojha, Hemant Persha, Lauren Chhatre, Ashwini |
| author_browse | Chhatre, Ashwini Ojha, Hemant Persha, Lauren |
| author_facet | Ojha, Hemant Persha, Lauren Chhatre, Ashwini |
| author_sort | Ojha, Hemant |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The Community Forestry Program in Nepal is a global innovation in participatory environmental governance that encompasses well-defined policies, institutions, and practices. The program addresses the twin goals of forest conservation and poverty reduction. As more than 70 percent of Nepal's population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, community management of forests has been a critically important intervention. Through legislative developments and operational innovations over three decades, the program has evolved from a protection-oriented, conservation-focused agenda to a much more broad-based strategy for forest use, enterprise development, and livelihood improvement. By April 2009, one-third of Nepal?s population was participating in the program, directly managing more than one-fourth of Nepal?s forest area. The immediate livelihood benefits derived by rural households bolster strong collective action wherein local communities actively and sustainably manage forest resources. Community forests also became the source of diversified investment capital and raw material for new market-oriented livelihoods. Community forestry shows traits of political, financial, and ecological sustainability, including emergence of a strong legal and regulatory framework, and robust civil society institutions and networks. However, a continuing challenge is to ensure equitable distribution of benefits to women and marginalized groups. Lessons for replication emphasize experiential learning, establishment of a strong civil society network, flexible regulation to encourage diverse institutional modalities, and responsiveness of government and policymakers to a multistakeholder collaborative learning process. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace161840 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| publishDateRange | 2009 |
| publishDateSort | 2009 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1618402025-11-06T06:02:48Z Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods Ojha, Hemant Persha, Lauren Chhatre, Ashwini food security community forestry civil society The Community Forestry Program in Nepal is a global innovation in participatory environmental governance that encompasses well-defined policies, institutions, and practices. The program addresses the twin goals of forest conservation and poverty reduction. As more than 70 percent of Nepal's population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, community management of forests has been a critically important intervention. Through legislative developments and operational innovations over three decades, the program has evolved from a protection-oriented, conservation-focused agenda to a much more broad-based strategy for forest use, enterprise development, and livelihood improvement. By April 2009, one-third of Nepal?s population was participating in the program, directly managing more than one-fourth of Nepal?s forest area. The immediate livelihood benefits derived by rural households bolster strong collective action wherein local communities actively and sustainably manage forest resources. Community forests also became the source of diversified investment capital and raw material for new market-oriented livelihoods. Community forestry shows traits of political, financial, and ecological sustainability, including emergence of a strong legal and regulatory framework, and robust civil society institutions and networks. However, a continuing challenge is to ensure equitable distribution of benefits to women and marginalized groups. Lessons for replication emphasize experiential learning, establishment of a strong civil society network, flexible regulation to encourage diverse institutional modalities, and responsiveness of government and policymakers to a multistakeholder collaborative learning process. 2009 2024-11-21T09:58:42Z 2024-11-21T09:58:42Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161840 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Ojha, Hemant; Persha, Lauren; Chhatre, Ashwini. 2009. Community forestry in Nepal. IFPRI Discussion Paper 913. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161840 |
| spellingShingle | food security community forestry civil society Ojha, Hemant Persha, Lauren Chhatre, Ashwini Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title | Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title_full | Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title_fullStr | Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title_short | Community forestry in Nepal: A policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| title_sort | community forestry in nepal a policy innovation for local livelihoods |
| topic | food security community forestry civil society |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/161840 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ojhahemant communityforestryinnepalapolicyinnovationforlocallivelihoods AT pershalauren communityforestryinnepalapolicyinnovationforlocallivelihoods AT chhatreashwini communityforestryinnepalapolicyinnovationforlocallivelihoods |