For Environment, Democracy and Livelihoods
Community forestry is one of Nepal’s most celebrated development achievements, yet its economic potential remains largely untapped. To reflect on how Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) can move beyond protection-oriented management toward viable enterprise development, ForestAction Nepal organised a 24-hour residential sharing and reflection workshop bringing together community representatives, government officials, private-sector actors, civil society, development partners, and researchers.
Drawing on findings from an FAO–Forest and Farm Facility (FFF)–commissioned study, discussions focused on three key institutional challenges: weak entrepreneurial capacity within CFUGs, limited economies of scale, and inadequate community–private sector partnerships. Participants examined policy and institutional reforms needed to transform CFUGs into dynamic enterprise actors, strengthen collaboration and aggregation mechanisms, and foster equitable partnerships with the private sector. The workshop concluded with strong commitments from government and stakeholders to advance strategic actions for strengthening Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs) and enhancing their contribution to Nepal’s green economic transformation.
