Collaborative Forestry Program
Collaborative forestry in Nepal decentralizes management, development and use rights of forests to groups of entire users. Access to forests is important because more than 80 percent of Nepal’s population of 23 million is dependent on agriculture (CBS 1995:219, 229). Fuel wood supplies over 75 percent of the country’s total energy requirements. Moreover, forests play a critical role in the agro-ecological cycle of cropping patterns, animal husbandry and forest products that sustains agricultural production.
In Nepal, the emergence of the concept of collaborative forestry in the mid-2000s could be correlated with a number of local and regional events. These include a reorientation in development paradigms and forestry approaches that focused attention on more participatory, inclusive and community-based development, as well as highly publicized reports about deforestation in terai and siwaliks. Influenced by this scenario, the government of Nepal took a ministry level decision to implement a most participatory and inclusive forest management system in Terai, inner terai and siwaliks. This decision was taken under the forest law and national forestry plan of Nepal.
An implementation level of truly collaborative approach to forestry program only started to take hold in the last of 2003. Currently, even it is its initial stage; collaborative forestry is facing many interferes and challenges. But the reality is that there are examples of better practice to involve excluded users for their own original rights on forest resources. It is demonstrating a better model of inclusion by a strategy of involving traditional users in the management and utilization of forest. ACOFUN is currently working with forest user groups to increase the number of “model” groups realizing good forest governance through real and holistic equity, participation and transparency.
Activities
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Advocacy and co-ordination for management, development and promotion of collaborative forest.
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Co-ordination with resource organizations for conduction and implementation of relevant activities related to collaborative forest.
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Advocacy and co-ordination for the formulation of collaborative forest development act and to make it familiar amongst users.
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Handover of knowledge and skills acquired from international organizations and networks to affiliated groups/networks.
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Arrangement of aid and supports for relevant development and management of human resources for collaborative forest management.
This network is contineously helping to implement following programs and activities:
Agro-forestry Programs
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Private Agro-forestry
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Public Land Agro-forestry
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Depot operation for distribution of fuel wood and timber
Renewable Energy
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Briquette Promotion Program
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Improed Cook Stoe Installation Program
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Bio-gas construction Program
Empowerment Program Network Extension
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Awareness, Mainstreaming and Empowering programs for Collaborative Forest Management
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Formation of district ad-hoc committees
Income Generation Programs (for deprived communities)
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Forest based livelihood support program
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NTFP production program