The Nepal-Swiss Community Forestry Project (NSCFP) has been in operation since 1990 supporting implementation of the Community Forestry Programme of His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) to make Forest User Groups and grassroots organisations more equitable and sustainable. The project operates in three hilly districts of central Nepal (Dolakha, Okhaldunga and Ramechap).
The project is implemented by Intercooperation, a Switzerland-based non-profit organisation. The major areas of intervention include:
- the sustainable management of forest resources;
- a forest-dependent poor-focused programme;
- pro-poor enterprise development; and
- the establishment of good forest governance of Government forest organisations, non-Government organisations and community-based Forest User Group organisations
The Project works follows a multi-partnership approach with Government, non-Government and private sector agencies.
As well as the implementation of a regular Community Forestry programme through different partners, the project, in a pilot scale, designs and implements action research activities in major development issues such as:
- Sustainable forest management;
- Forest governance;
- Pro poor livelihood improvement;
- Promotion of forest resources and forest-based pro-poor enterprise;
- Policy development.
Overall Goal
The Project, through strengthened Community Forestry, contributes to the four pillars of HMGN Government Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper:
- Forest-based economic growth
- Social and human development
- Improved livelihoods of the poor
- Improved governance
In recent years, the project has focused on gender, social equity, peace building and poor people's livelihood issues under the umbrella of Forest User Groups. A pro-poor entrepreneurship approach was initiated to bring poor people into forest product-based enterprises and business to provide them with extra economic opportunities. Active and productive forest resource management and good governance at all levels are the foundation for pro-poor activities in FUGs.
Project Website