Category: News

In between 2012 and 2014 Multi Stakeholder Forestry Program (MSFP)supported more than 40 forest based enterprises in Koshi Hill Districts, namely Dhankuta, Tehrathum, Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha. Of these, 10 enterprises (7 Lokta Handmade paper producers, 2 bamboo handicraft producers, and 1 Dhup producer) were further supported and facilitated for market linkage visits in different parts of the country. The visit was conducted in three different groups between April and May, 2014 (two for Lokta entrepreneurs and one for Bamboo entrepreneurs). The key individuals of the enterprises visited, observed and discussed with buyers, traders and exporters of the particular product. The innovative approach adopted behind this market linkages was to provide a platform where all the value chain actors of the particular products could introduce each other, share their problems, issues, concerns, demands, expectations, and aspirations. The approach adopted was found to be fruitful in terms of developing direct linkages, trusts, beliefs and relations among value chain actors, especially among the producers, traders, buyers, processors, and retailers.

ForestAction Nepal in collaboration with the partners from six working districts (Aadharbhoot Gramin Bikash Sewa and Kalika Self Reliance Service Centre -Kapilvastu, Tulsi Mehar Unesco Club – Gorkha, Sahamati -Nawalparasi, Social Workers Group- Udaypur, Forum for Public Awareness- Arghakhachi, Nari Ship Srijana Kendra- Makwanpur) organized an inception workshop entitled “organizing and empowering farmers and civil society organizations for national agricultural policy influence” on 9 and10th May at Sap-Falcha, Babarmahal , Kathmandu with a common understanding to develop, agree and refine the project activities. Additionally, a short exposure visit to Panchakanya Prangarik Krishi Saharakri Sanstha, Kavresthali and the Department of Agriculture, Hariharbhawan was carried out for the participants to provide insights about the ongoing practices of organic farming in Kathmandu. The meeting reviewed last year’s progress and achievements and also drew lessons to improve this year’s deliveries.

One day inception workshop was carried out to understand the prevalent conflict over natural resources in three geographic settings of Terai, Mid-hills and Mountains. On 25th April 2014, an inception workshop was carried out in Nawalparasi to address the natural resources based conflict on Terai particularly on access rights on Buffer Zone Community Forest, issues of landless and distance users. Likewise, on 2nd July 2014, inception workshop was carried out in Kavre to understand the induced dynamics of growing market on outskirts of capital, changes in forest resource use pattern and elite capture in community forest. Similarly, on 5th July 2014, an inception workshop was organized in Dolakha to understand the conflict about local herders and CFUGs and introduced conservation area and questionable status quo of community forest. The workshop observed the participation of Community Forest User Group (CFUG) executive committee, FECOFUN-district and village level representatives and ForestAction Nepal researchers. The workshop encouraged each CFUG to draw out workable plan for each sites.

ForestAction Nepal being one of collaborating partners and lead of the community forestry theme of Enhancing Livelihood and Food Security from Agro-Forestry and Community Forestry in Nepal (EnLiFT project) it has been actively engaged in different field actions of the project like the revision of operational plan , testing the silvicultural appraisal and so on. In this regard, operational plan revision of Aapchaur and Lampata community forestry user groups (CFUGs) of Lamjung and Narayansthan CFUG of Kavre was carried out. Similarly, the silvicultural appraisal in six sites of the project- Jita Taksar, Dhamilikuwa, Nalma, Chaubas, Dhungkharka and Methinkot CFUGs was also carried out for the quick assessment of the forest condition with focus on species composition, species richness and forest site condition including soil characteristics. The appropriate silvicultural option will be tested at the project sites in the near future.

ForestAction Nepal in collaboration with the Portland State University (PSU) and the World Bank organized a technical workshop on 23-24th June, 2014 in Dhulikhel. The workshop was primarily aimed at sharing the findings of the research on REDD+ jointly implemented by ForestAction Nepal and PSU, supported by the World Bank. A total of eight papers were presented, out of which four were based on the research supported by this project. The two day workshop was divided into different sessions which were moderated by experts representing different institutions. The presence of Mr. Resham B. Dangi, Chief REDD Forestry and Climate Change Cell under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation as a participant created a platform to better understand the government priorities and plans on community forestry and REDD+.

The Sixth national community forestry workshop was organized by the department of forest on 16-18th June 2014 at Staff College, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur with the broad motto “community forestry for sustainable development and prosperity”. The workshop provided the platform to discuss the issues, challenges and their potential solutions to formulate a short, medium and long term action plan for community forestry to pave the way towards sustainable development of the country. Five researchers from ForestAction Nepal – Dr. Naya Sharma Paudel, Dr. Krishna Paudel, Mr. Govinda Paudel, Ms. Sujata Tamang and Mr. Shurid Chapagain presented their papers under different themes of the workshop.

During this workshop, ForestAction Nepal organized a side event entitled “Protection or production: exploring the prospects and challenges of sustainable forest management in community forest (CF) in Nepal”. Prominent figures in forestry sector participated in the event as panel members namely, Academician/Conservationist Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, Community rights advocate Mr. Momamad Kar Khan (FECOFUN), Forest Officer Mr. Vijay Raj Subedi (Govt. of Nepal), and Timber entrepreneur Mr. Kapil Adhikari (FenFit). The discussion primarily focused on scientific forest management (ScFM) intervention in CF and its challenges on addressing the concerns of different stakeholders. The side event became a platform to inform the participants with diverse opinions and stands on ScFM and contributed to develop its understanding and role in increasing forest productivity, improving livelihoods and food security.

ForestAction contributed and jointly published a commentary on proposed Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) of Nepal. The main aim of the commentary was to demand for the revision of ADS particularly on the issues related with the smallholder, landless farmers and woman farmers.

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A sharing program was organized by ForestAction Nepal on ‘Analysis of economic value and employment opportunity of timber from Nepal’s community forests’ on 24th Dec 2013 from 2-5 pm at Indreni Foodland, Baneshwor.

A two days meeting was organized on 20-21 December 2013, at High View Resort, Dhulikhel, to discuss with the key representatives of Civil Society Organizations and professionals working in Natural Resource Management (NRM) sector to reflect on the ongoing NRM practices and changing political context.

ForestAction organized a half day workshop to share the research findings of ongoing research on two separate aspects of REDD+ in Nepal: a) REDD+ and media; and b) politics of REDD+ policy making (policy network analysis). The objective of the workshop is to foster discussion for participatory and inclusive REDD+ policy process in Nepal. The program was held at Indreni Foodland, Baneshwor from 8 am to 1 pm on 12 December 2013.

The GAFSP Steering Committee met in Washington on June 7-8, 2011, and awarded total US$46.5 million to Nepal to enhance household food security in the poorest and most food insecure regions through increased agricultural productivity, household incomes and awareness about health and nutrition in the mid-western and far-western development regions.