The Nepal-Swiss forestry project aims to achieve sustainable improvements in the living conditions of forest users and disadvantaged families in four of Nepal’s poorest districts. In the past few decades, the NSCFP’s contribution to the spectacular recovery of forest resources in community forests has earned international respect, and this programme sets the direction of future efforts to improve carbon storage by forests.

Background
The nationalisation of natural resources after Nepal became a modern state in the 1950s led to a situation where the local population destroyed or seriously degraded the forests through inefficient and rapidly expanding agricultural and livestock farming practices. This resulted in severe erosion, soil dehydration and falling agricultural income.

With the encouragement of Switzerland and other donor countries, forest policy was changed at the end of the 1980s and responsibility for forest management was transferred to local committees of forest users in many regions. These committees reorganised the exploitation of their agricultural, livestock and forest resources and were supported in setting up democratic structures. Today the forest resources, which had almost disappeared, again play an important role for the local people, and in particular for the women and disadvantaged social strata. The forests now generate income again from wood and other forest products, and provide fuel for energy, timber for housing materials, fodder for animals in the form of shredded tree and shrub materials, fruit, mushrooms and medicinal herbs.

Approach
The project supports the local user committees with contact persons and formal training in transparent management, the development of new sources of income, and value chains, and also oversees their implementation. At the same time it promotes a dialogue with the forestry administration and politicians in an effort to adapt the laws and forestry policies to meet the challenges of a democratically organised and community-focused forestry industry.

Results achieved

• The average timber reserves and thus the amount of carbon stored by the community forests have improved significantly.
• New decrees make it possible for local communities to manage their own forests.
• Understanding of the principles of self-government and democracy among the population has increased noticeably, specifically also with regard to land use.
• The people’s average income from land and forests has improved dramatically thanks to the distribution of part of the income from forestry activities.
• Poor families are supported by the community.
• Community funds were used to build new public infrastructure facilities.