For Environment, Democracy and Livelihoods
As part of the Building Agroforestry-Based Adaptation Plans for Resilient Floodplains (BAGAR) project, ForestAction Nepal facilitated Agroforestry Guideline Validation Workshops for Marin Rural Municipality and Gadhimai Municipality at Bardibas and Rautahat, respectively, during 21–26 December 2025.
The validation workshops aimed to ensure that the draft municipal agroforestry guidelines were technically sound, locally relevant, and aligned with municipal priorities and existing policy
frameworks. Members of the municipal-level Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Forums, comprising elected representatives, municipal officials, technical staff, and key stakeholders, actively participated in the review and validation process.
During the workshops, participants examined key provisions of the draft agroforestry guidelines, discussed proposed implementation mechanisms, and provided constructive feedback based on local floodplain contexts, prevailing land-use practices, and climate-related risks. The discussions highlighted the role of agroforestry in strengthening climate resilience, enhancing sustainable livelihoods, and improving ecosystem services in riverine and flood-prone landscapes.
As an outcome of the process, the Gadhimai Municipality formally approved and validated the Agroforestry Guideline, while Marin Rural Municipality endorsed the guideline for finalisation. The validation process resulted in the endorsement of priority recommendations for refining the guidelines, including some clarification of institutional roles, implementation modalities, and
mechanisms for integration into municipal planning and budgeting processes. These validation workshops mark an important milestone in strengthening local ownership and institutionalisation of agroforestry practices, contributing to long-term climate adaptation and sustainable land-use planning in the project areas.
