Role of Community Managed Forest on the Upliftment of People's Living Standard: (A Case Study of Badahare Patal Community Forestry User Group, Lamjung District)
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Department of Rural Development
Abstract
The study entitled ''Role of People Managed Forest on the Upliftment of People's Living Standard: A Case Study of Badahare Patal Forest User Group in Jita VDC of Lamjung District'' done in the issues of socio-economic status of Badahare Patal Forest User Group, people's participation in community forest management & factors affecting to people's participation. Community forest is the people's participatory approach in whichthe local users of the forest are involved in planning, development, protection, productionand use of forest resources. The concept of CF came into practice in Nepal in the lateseventies (1978). At present, the CF programme is launched in most of the parts of Nepal.
Community forestry is people oriented forest program in Nepal. The effectiveness of CFin relation to people's participation is very crucial. Still, the primary forest user group(women) is not participatedproperly in the CFM. This study focused on the participationof people in decision making, implementation, monitoring & evaluation and benefitsharing, effecting factors relation to people's participation in CFM. To fulfill theseobjectives, Badahare Patal Community Forest of Jita VDC of Lamjung district wasselected as study area. Badahare Patal Forest Grouphas 94 households,among them29households i.e. 30 percent households were selected as sample unitschoosing by simplerandom sampling without replacement method. To meet the objectives of the study,primary & secondary data were collected from the field survey. These data are analyzeddescriptively & analytically with the help of computer software programme.
The study has showed that the community forest is dominant by Brahmin castes (53.35percent) followed by 11.16 percent Kami, 9.08 percent Damai and 7.59 percent Sarki. So,Brahmin has occupied vital posts of committee members. The educational status of therespondents was not seen satisfactory, only 24.14 percent female respondents areliterate. 25 households have very little amount of Bari from which they could producethemselves food for only six months. 31.03 percent of the households are directly
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engaged in traditional agriculture and 6.9 percent households are participating in smallbusiness besides agriculture.
The study has revealed that 31.02 percent people are strongly agree on the statement fuelwood is more sufficiently available after CF. 44.83 percent people are agreed on timberismore sufficiently than before. Most of the people are agreed on the statement aboutquality of fodder has improved. 15.38 percent of female are strongly agree on thestatement forest product is less time consuming and 34.14 percent of female are agree onthe statement on the process of forest product collection is easier than before. Most ofthe male (46.15 percent) are agree on the statement agriculture implements are moresufficiently than before. While taking the increasing population of wild animals due tocommunity forestry, 86.78 (92.31 percent female) percent people are strongly agreed onthis statement. 76.92 percent of the female are strongly agree on the statementenvironmental quality has been maintained due to formation of community forest.
The study has revealed that the involvement of people in CFM is limited. Access ofordinary people in decision making is found lower. Women's participation in FUGgeneral assemblies & regular meetings was not active & decisive. It was found that fromthe FUG record, only 25 percent of female are actively participate in general andregular meetings. Only 35.58 percent people are strongly agree on the statement womenare to be encouraged to participate in CF activities.But in the case of benefit sharingaccess of both sexes was found almost equal. There is no gender based forest resourcedistribution system. Only Executive Committee members take part in monitoring andevaluation aspect. Women EC members was less active in vital discussion & in takingdecision. The educational level was found influential factor in active participation. Thepeople who are less participate & are less active are found less aware & less motivated.Lower caste users are far behind in participation in CF activities.Therefore, trainingshould be conducted to make active to all users for higher participation. In overall, thisCF was found a moderate condition but, some major changes should be made to improvepeople's participation in Community forestry management & development.