Over 40% of Nepal's population, with high percentage of poor, women, Dalit castes and other marginalised groups, reply on forest products and associated ecosystem services for their daily sustenance and income. However, with the increasing climate change effects and impacts, it has exacerbated challenges for the forest dependent communities. Such issues coupled with policy gaps in forest management have led to the underutilisaton and degradation of forest resources, limiting their potential to support rural livelihoods and economic development.
Noting the urgency for a structured approach to strengthen policy engagement and to foster multi-stakeholder dialogue, CLARE R4I has collaborated with ForestAction Nepal for technical assistance to develop evidence-based policy briefs and enhance communication strategies that advocate for sustainable forest management and green enterprises development in Nepal.

Project Objectives

To facilitate knowledge exchange and policy engagement, contributing to sustainable forest management while strengthening local economies, and building climate resilience among Nepal's forest-dependent communities.

Project Activities

• Collation of information for Policy Briefs: 24 years of research findings of FAN will be collated and analysed to develop two draft policy briefs. The content of these two policy briefs will focus on two aspects: Linkage between forest management/forest restoration and its ecological and economic outcomes; and how adoption of research findings can help improve adaptation and resilience through forest-based enterprises.
• Consultation Workshops/Meetings: Three Ban Chautari events will be held; one at the local level and two at the federal level (Kathmandu). Both levels of Ban Chautari will include senior forest officials, community representatives, local government, civil society leaders and forest entrepreneurs who will convene to discuss policy and regulator issues pertinent to promoting forest-based enterprises and forest management in Nepal.
• Stakeholder field visits: A stakeholder field visits will involve observing forest enterprises, interacting with enterprise managers, entrepreneurs and understanding how certain regulatory provisions have supported or hindered them. ForestAction will organise a field visit comprising of senior policy makers, forest entrepreneurs and civil society leaders to selected enterprises that can offer good insights on what works and what does not.
• Publishing and wide sharing of the knowledge: The final policy briefs (in English and Nepali) will be printed and shared widely with the Federal and Provincial government officials. These policy briefs will not be a standalone product and will be based on a series of activities like consultations with various stakeholders, discussions during Ban Chautari Forums (Forest Forums), field visits and discussions with the local communities.
• Video documentary: A short video documentary (5-7 minutes) will be prepared documenting prospects of forest-based enterprises to support local livelihoods and enhance climate change resilience, operational experiences of some selected enterprises, and methodological innovations in policy deliberations promoted in this project and people’s voices on suggested policy corrections.