This paper analyses participatory forest policy and the ways it has influenced the relationships between people as it relates to the forest resource management. This case study was conducted in the middle hills of Nepal, and information was collected through direct observation, individual interviews, group discussion and secondary information analysis. It substantiates a few examples of how the community forestry programme can be used as a means to promote the participation of the women, the poor and dalit (untouchables) in forest resource management, as well as enhancing social justice and improving the forest resources in their locality. However, it also demonstrates that though the community forestry programme has a positive impact, it faces several constraints and challenges. The local Forest User Group is controlled by a few élites making the poor and disadvantaged vulnerable to further marginalization. The results of the case study strongly indicate that community forestry processes must address the political, economic and social needs of the forest users, and also provide a neutral platform on which the poor can present their cases.
Nepali society is differentiated by hierarchical and discriminatory social structures struggling for transformation. This culture is also reflected in the practices of Community Forestry. Community Forestry is expected to contribute to improved livelihoods within communities through forest management, ensuring social justice through the provision of better spaces and positions to poor and disadvantaged groups. Based on the lessons of nine Community Forest User Groups of seven districts of the hill and Terai regions of Nepal, we propose a more inclusive and interactive process, known as ‘Social and Transformative Learning' or ‘Action and Learning', which has greater ability to transform both agency and structure to ensure deliberative and pro-poor governance. Key words: agency and structure, pro-poor governance, transformative learning, community forestry doi: 10.3126/jfl.v5i1.1978 Journal of Forest and Livelihood 5(1) February, 2006 pp.22-33
Urbanisation in Kathmandu Valley (KV), comprising the capital city Kathmandu, accelerated after the restoration of democracy in the 1990s, as the neoliberal economic policy adopted by the country opened doors for investments in infrastructure development. Urbanisation further accelerated during the Maoist insurgency and heightened after the conflict resolution in 2006 and since then, the country has gone through multiple (spatial, demographic, political, and economic) transitions. With better access to education, hospitals, jobs, businesses, politics, Kathmandu Valley attracts people from all over the country, resulting in the densification in the core cities and an uncontrolled urban sprawl thereby unplanned growth of built-up areas in the periphery. This paper, taking reference of Lalitpur Metropolitan City in the valley with a focus on Khokana (Ward 21) analyses (1) the trend of urbanisation in KV with a reference to urban growth and land use change and (2) examines the contradictions and contestations brought by the centrally planned development and constructional projects as part of the drivers of the urbanisation process in and around Khokana. We examine how the infrastructural imperatives and real estate boom is shifting the core to the periphery and the periphery again is transforming into a new core due to the expansion of capital and market. The planned infrastructural projects, additionally, have also increased the risk of delinking local communities from their land, which is the main cause of community dissatisfaction. We, therefore, conclude with the policy suggestion to ensure the participation of local people and prioritisation of urban development projects based on local needs to achieve a resilient tomorrow’s cities.
Abstract:Reducing poverty through equitable and sustainable community-based natural resource management, particularly through programmes that accord attention to the issue of social inclusion, is the major objective of development projects related to natural resource management. At the local level, many innovations have been developed and are being put in place to enhance the pro-poor approaches, which specifically focus on the issues of livelihoods and inclusion. Livelihood Improvement Process (LIP) is one of the innovations arising to address this end. This paper presents the concept, process of implementation, and impacts of the LIP, as well as the opportunities and challenges it faces based on the experiences gained in Kabhrepalanchok and Sindhupalchok districts of Nepal. It concludes that the LIP can be an appropriate tool for reaching the poor, as it helps to sensitise and inform all actors about the need of pro-poor and inclusive development process.
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