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Summary:

The Government of Australia initiated work in sub-watershed management in Nepal in 1994 by supporting the Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management of the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation for implementation of field activities in the Districts of Kabhre Palanchok and Sindhu Palchok. Whereas initially support focused on construction of infrastructure to help farmers to maintain or improve agricultural productivity, with the start of the Nepal Australia Community Resource Management Project the focus shifted to the development and testing of methodologies for participatory sub-watershed management. This paper discusses some of the results of the testing work.

Communities were organised into Community Development Groups and underwent a bottom-up process for preparing community development plans. The process focused specifically on participation by women, the poor and the disadvantaged. Community development plans, once prepared, outlined a range of human and resource development priorities, as well as target groups, available internal resources, support requirements, support institutions and a time schedule. For implementation of community development plans, priority was given firstly to funding by internal resources and, if unavailable or insufficient, seeking support from local service providers. While NGOs facilitated the planning process and provided support for social mobilisation and institutional strengthening of Groups, the District Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Office provided technical support for the implementation of soil conservation related activities. Procedures were developed outlining how groups could access Project funds and how construction work was to proceed.

Networking with other groups in the sub-watershed to promote communal management of natural resources, as well as institutional strengthening of community groups, were key activities. The paper highlights the potential role Community Forest User Groups can play as organisations generating funds (from sales of surplus forest products) for investment in community development, thereby increasing sustainability of the participatory sub-watershed management approach.