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Land policies, land management and land degradation in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. Nepal Study Report
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2000 |
| Authors | Nepal, Socioeconomic and Ethno-Political Research and Training Consultancy Ltd, |
| Journal Title | MFS Case Study Series - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development |
| Pagination | viii + 98 |
| Key Words | land degradation; environmental degradation; land management; land policy; decentralization; agricultural development; forestry; government; land ownership; national parks; poverty; property; rights; resource management; sustainability; tenure systems; wi |
| Abstract | This study concerns government land policies and their impact on land utilization and management and on land degradation in Nepal. Land policies in Nepal, in general, are found to have a negative impact on the majority of the population and cause land degradation. It is a mutually reinforcing process in which degradation has aggravated poverty and poverty has further exacerbated degradation. A review is first made of the overall national framework for guiding development efforts with due regard given to sustainability and maintenance of the environment. The various perspectives on land degradation are discussed and five key areas of concern are studied (agriculture; property and entitlement; forestry; national parks and wildlife; and decentralization). Performance in the country's leading economic sector, agriculture, is found to be unsatisfactory, while achievements in forestry and protected area management are mixed. Land ownership and tenure entitlements are unfavourable from both equityand efficiency perspectives. Finally, while there has been considerable rhetoric regarding participatory and bottom- up processes of resource management and decision-making, empowerment of local bodies through decentralization remains inadequate. |
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