Dalit Alliance for Natural Resources

A summary report of Economic Empowerment and Leadership Development of Dalit Community July 2015

Economic Empowerment and Leadership Development of Dalit Community Project Background Community forests after 20 years in Nepal are well grown up, growing its crown cover and density. It is becoming a role model in the world. The sixth national community forest workshop which was organized by department of forest in June 16-18, 2014 has decided in declaration to the job creation, employment and ultimately poverty reduction. Similarly, interim constitution has also focused for poverty reduction of 2, 28,000 poor household. Similarly, the national forest policy also has focused for green job and increasing the crown cover of the barren land of forest. But on the other hand, Nepal’s deforestation rate is increasing. Forest and shrub land covers about 5.83 million hectares, equivalent to 39.6% of the total land area in Nepal. Deforestation rates are estimated at 1.7% per annum based on forest assessment studies conducted in 1978/79 to 1994. Total stem volume in Nepal is 388 million cubic meters, making the mean stem volume at 178 cubic meter/hectare. The ministry of forest aims to maintain forest area 40% of the total land. So reducing the dependency of forest is becoming very challenges. The poor, Dalits and women are forest dwellers too. Therefore, it was realized to improve Dalit leadership and economic condition through empowerment project. In this regard, Dalit Alliance for Natural Resources (DANAR)-Nepal has targeted to improve Dalit livelihoods and their leadership position in CBFM with the main objectives to empower livelihoods of Dalit on economic perspective through livelihood promotion activities and on the other hand developing their leadership capability for active participation in community forest management. Hence, the project entitled “Economic Empowerment and Leadership Development of Dalit Community” was conducted by DANAR Nepal with financial project funds from Multi Stakeholders Forestry Program (MSFP), acting through the Services Support Unit (SSU) of Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal. www.danarnepal.org.np

Dalit Alliance for Natural Resources (DANAR) – Nepal

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Working framework/ process adopted/ Mission of DANAR for conducting this project The main working base under which DANAR has completed the project is Community Forest Land Allocation for creation of jobs to poor, disadvantage socially excluded Dalits household. This has followed the good practices that have been initiated by Livelihood and Forestry Program (LFP). The allocate land were used for plantation purpose from which they got support for the livestock promoting activities as well as other economic benefits from the forest product as per return for good management of the forest.

Brief on Community Forest Land Allocation: Many Community Forests have plots of land without forest cover that are often unmanaged by the group members. In the original concept for Community Forestry, it was expected that members of the CFUGs would manage this land as plantations. However, in reality, the lack of clarity regarding which members would actually do the work has resulted in these pieces of bare land being unmanaged. In CF Land Allocation, the members of the CFUG agree to allocate a defined area of the Community Forest land for use by a specified group of the poorest community members. Most groups require in-depth discussion and orientation to understand and accept the concept. CF Land Allocation has been added to the CFUG Operational Plans as a means of poverty reduction. The purpose of the CF Land Allocation is to promote the effective management of barren land in the Community Forest and by increasing its productivity, improving the livelihoods of the poorest CFUG members, especially women and Dalits who live in poverty. The duration of the CF Land Allocation is usually limited to the duration of the CFUG Operational Plan, usually five or ten years. The shorter duration is also often because the CFUG members are often unwilling to offer the land for a long duration of more than a decade.

Criteria for CF Land Allocation Selection of Forest Land Household selection

Selection of plantation species

Community Forest land without trees

Should give tangible benefits and a quick return on investments

Poorest households in wellbeing and wealth ranking

within one year Suitable condition and area for cultivation

Disadvantaged people: poor Dalits and poorest women

Accessible to poorest households Appropriate number of households for the land available

Linked to market demand

Facilities for the cultivation of species: water and shelter

Linked to capabilities of beneficiary households

Beneficiaries should live close together and be able to function as a group

At least 1 ha/ 4 households

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Linked to providing benefits for raising livestock


Must not be annual crops, but can be perennial species, such as asparagus or fruit trees www.danarnepal.org.np


Benefits of CF Land Allocation The poorest people have an opportunity to access the resources of a piece of land,such as grass, NTFPs, with which to improve their livelihoods. Consequently, a Community Forest will have less pressure on the land with forest cover and more effective use of the bare land. Raise awareness of CFUG members regarding the needs of the poor. Confidence development of poorest community and be capable of organizing themselves to work as a group to improve their situation as of the project i.e. livestock promoting activities. Opportunities of getting involved in forest based enterprises and jobs. The poorest members feel included in the CFUG and ownership of the CF program. This results in increased participation by poor users in the CF process.

Project Objectives The goal of this project is to develop a thorough understanding on the current situation of Dalit’s role in CBFM so as to ensure the economic empowerment and leadership development and use this finding for further strategic plan with appropriate interventions.

Specific objectives To support Dalit community for economic empowerment To build leadership capacity of Dalits to contribute in having positions in CBFM. To establish demonstration plot for GESI and economic prosperity.

Methodology The site selected for the project was Pragatisil Community Forestry User Group of Lekhnath Municipality, Ward no-13, of Kaski district which is located in western regional part of the country Nepal. Total household within this community forestry is 397 and forest total hector is 48.87. As Kaski stands in 3rd position regarding highest Dalit population district having number of cases related to Dalit exclusion on participatory forestry program along with availability of barren land within it, the site was selected.

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Table 1: Population and forestry statistics of study district Details

District: kaski

Region

High hill

No. of VDC

43

Total Area

2,017 km2

Population

Community based Forestry Regimes

Total Population

397,368

Percent of Male

51%

Percent of Female

49%

Total HHs

60,942

Dalit population

60,532 (15%)

No of CFUG

468

No of BZCF, CAMC

7 CAMC

Total CF HHs

43,183

Total Area of CF

17,227.72 Ha

(Source: CBS 2011, DOF 2012)

Project Approaches and Methodologies Approaches

Methodologies

Partnership and Participatory Approach

Site selection

Leadership and Local Capacity Building

Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

Leadership and Local Capacity Building

Key Informants Interview (KII) Observation and monitoring visits Downward Planning

Findings of the project

Female Male

Dalit

S.N

Ethnicity

Female

Male

Total

1.

Brahmin/ Chettri

12

4

7

2

Indigenous

11

1

4

4.

Dalit

31

8

8

5.

Total

54

13

67

Indigenous Brahmin/ Chettri

Lack of education and capacity is one of the main barrier hindering dalits from taking leadership role in CFUGs Inadequate access to economic resources is one obstacle hindering the participation of Dalits in leadership role in CFUG as their involvement in CFUG means less time for work earning an income.

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Project Activities: Table : Table showing project activities along with major input and outputs Activities details Project Advisory and monitoring committee

Major Inputs Meeting conducted that forwarded project advisory committee

Major Outputs Quantitative outputs

Qualitative outputs

Project advisory committee formed with following members

1. Technical feedback and suggestion formulated to implement the project.

Bhola Bhattrai Sunil Kumar Pariyar Saraswati Pariyar

Project site selection

Consultation with the targeted beneficiaries and stakeholders, KII, FGD

Identification of target group and leadership building training.

1. Pragatisil community forestry user group, Lekhnath-13, Kaski selected for project implementation.

1.Inclusive and poor CFUG members are selected

1.22 household selected for economic promotion activities both Dalits and poor economic background. (see annex for list)

1. DAG household selected for income generating activities in barren land of community forestry.

Project launching and capacity building training.

Program conduction 1. Conducted project in two phase launching workshop and capacity building training with 25 participants.

1. Project objectives and methodology presented.

Community forestry land allocation for livelihood.

Identified and suggested proper utilization of barren land within the community forest.

1.5.64 hector barren land of Pragatisil CFUG selected for livelihood promotion activities.

1. Started local level awareness campaign in selected household.

Economic Promotion Program

Selecte 5 most needed DAG HH and provide with livestock

5 goats provided to each member of selected DAG HH along with 1 buffalo each to two members for income generating activities through livestock development.

Involved DAG HH in income generating activities for better livelihood.

Plantation

Various plants species has been planted within the barren land of CF

2500 Saplings of bamboo, Plantation conducted and amriso and other tree species monitoring responsibility has been planted handed to the 25 member committee.


2. Multi stakeholder CBOs, local leaders and CFUG members gave feedback to further implement the program.

2. Allocated seed grant Rs 25000 from the funds to poor household.


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4. Program Achievements: 67 participants including 60% from poor and disadvantage group have been capacitated through economic empowerment and leadership development training. Right based approach disseminated in the training has increased the access of Dalit over forest resources and forest related programs. Piloting 5 DAG HH is now involved in the income generating activities. Enhanced Dalit leadership and improved governance of local forest user groups. Document as of project activities and learning document has been published. 2500 Saplings of bamboo, amriso along with other tree species has been planted.

5. Lesson Learned While implementing the project activities in grass root level, project team has following lesson learned: Project team has experienced that revolving fund mobilization through cooperative was found effective as they empower group in financial management, business development service, and credit mobilization. In some cases due to inadequate technical skill, beneficiaries were facing the problems in rearing livestock in systematic way. So it has been good learning to project team, basic technical training if provided for such beneficiaries through the related resource person would have been best way for the future. It was realized that only advocacy and training to the participants won’t enhance the economic and social status, so advocacy program with economic activities is necessary to bring synergetic effect on the program. As the project duration was short for evaluating the remarks of the activity conducted, the project with long time span with specialized activities should be forwarded. Project team found, participation of media is a good way for disseminating the good practices of the project in a wider scale. Coordination and collaboration is the best tool to link with local community people. Project would be possible through only multi stakeholder participation of local leaders and local community based organizations at local level.

6. Conclusion CF barren land is one of the best options for Dalit and marginalized community to uplift their livelihood through various incoming generating programs. Economic empowerment of Dalit is very necessary to establish the equal access for Dalits in various resources and opportunity. This small initiative would be a greater and sustainable milestone for Dalit’s social inclusion in community forestry.

7. Recommendations Concerned local authority should forward capacity building training for initiating alternative income source

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A summary report of Economic Empowerment and Leadership Development of Dalit Community July 2015 Collaboration of local bodies and co-operatives within the community will be more effective in organizing any incentives. Enough budgets should be allocated for supporting business related program for locals. Inclusion of Dalits, poor excluded community, women should be priority of the participants in any program for its success in grass root level. 67 participants including 60% from poor and disadvantage group have been capacitated through economic empowerment and leadership development training. Right based approach disseminated in the training has increased the access of Dalit over forest resources and forest related programs. Piloting 5 DAG HH is now involved in the income generating activities. Enhanced Dalit leadership and improved governance of local forest user groups. Document as of project activities and learning document has been published.

8. Program Achievements: A case story of Buddhi Maya B.K: Buddhi Maya B.K of Lekhnath -13, Kaski shares her happiness for providing the livestock incentive. She bears no land at all and was not ready to be part of program for livestock rearing. She after having knowledge on Community forest land allocation and the project incentives with utilization of CF for poor and excluded group like her she extends her hand to be part of this program. The picture of Buddhi Maya expresses her happiness to be part of the program wher she was provided livestock incentive worth Rs 6000 and by now have earned Rs 2000 by then through this activity A case story of Shanti Gayak: Shanti Gayak a resident of Lekhnath-13, Kaski is a typical housewife of age 49. Traditional music which is the main source of income has serving 5 family members. They have only 2 anna of land on which they depend for their food. As, the traditional music has been getting extinct at this era they have been worried about the way they would carry their livelihood as they have no other source of income. She express her happiness for being selected for this project and said that this project has provided support on which she can dream of continuing her life. She has expressed her interest to care the livestock in proper way and if it gets worked she would love to involve other women in this work initiating a small business and she suddenly laughs on her dream….. By now she has been living this dream through earning 6000 with this activity. But we are really proud that we have provide this opportunity who bears vow to do work with strong commitment and look forward for the dream of Shanti to come true.

9. Lesson Learned While implementing the project activities in grass root level, project team has following lesson learned: Project team has experienced that revolving fund mobilization through cooperative was found effective as they empower group in financial management, business development service, and credit mobilization. In some cases due to inadequate technical skill, beneficiaries were facing the problems in rearing livestock in systematic way. So it has been good learning to project team, basic technical training if provided for such beneficiaries through the related resource person would have been best way for the future. It was realized that only advocacy and training to the participants wont enhance the economic and www.danarnepal.org.np


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A summary report of Economic Empowerment and Leadership Development of Dalit Community July 2015 social status, so advocacy program with economic activities is necessary to bring synergetic effect on the program. As the project duration was short for evaluating the remarks of the activity conducted, the project with long time span with specialized activities should be forwarded. Project team found, participation of media is a good way for disseminating the good practices of the project in a wider scale. Coordination and collaboration is the best tool to link with local community people. Project would be possible through only multi stakeholder participation of local leaders and local community based organizations at local level.

10. Conclusion CF barren land is one of the best options for Dalit and marginalized community to uplift their livelihood through various incoming generating programs. Economic empowerment of Dalit is very necessary to establish the equal access for Dalits in various resources and opportunity. This small initiative would be a greater and sustainable milestone for Dalit’s social inclusion in community forestry.

11. Recommendations Concerned local authority should forward capacity building training for initiating alternative income source Collaboration of local bodies and co-operatives within the community will be more effective in organizing any incentives. Enough budgets should be allocated for supporting business related program for locals. Inclusion of Dalits, poor excluded community, women should be priority of the participants in any program for its success in grass root level.

DANAR-Nepal Dalit Alliance for Natural Resource-Nepal

Anamnagar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977-1-4227643 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.danarnepal.org.np

Supported by:

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