Tirtha Maya Nepali, a woman of 44 and mother of 3 children belongs to lower caste family occupying the post of committee member of Chandramukhi community forest (CF), Sindhuli. Her family has less than 0.20 hectare of land, 10 goats and 2 buffaloes as properties. She generates income by selling milk in hotel goats in the market, tapari (plate made up of leaves) for which CF resources are most important. Her husband works as a labor in forestry and agriculture related works due to lack of their own sufficient land. The family is sustained by the mutual income of husband and wife. Tirtha Maya with her smiling face told that in spite of belonging to lower caste and lower economic standard, she became able to arrange marriage of elder daughter by her own hands. The couple is still supporting the study of 2 children in bachelor level. The family is maintained well as per their effort and economic standard.
Likewise, Chankha bahadur Nepali, the neighbor of Tirtha Maya has the similar beneficial experience from Chandramukhi CF. He is also one of the committee member of this CF.
Although the Nepalese community forestry is heavily blamed of discrimination that only upper caste and rich person chairs on the vital posts of Community Forest Users Groups (CFUG) women nad other marginalized groups are given less priority in decision making process. But this CF has stood itself as an exception. There is the good participation of different genders, classes, castes of society in the different stages of forest management. The members are getting timber, fuel wood/firewood and fodder for their livestock as benefits. They are also enhancing their agriculture and livestock farming through this forest. However, the forest users told that they were unable to identify and use medicinal herbs of forest due to lack of knowledge about these herbs and expressed their bitter words that district forest office (DFO) has not provided them any training related to these locally available herbs yet. "Because of this knowledge gap, the forest users are using these forest treasures herbs as fodder for livestock", one of the forest user said. The Community Forestry (CF) of Nepal bears great potentialities to alleviate poverty, if such treasure are identified and used properly by the users. The Nepalese CF is doing very well to lessen rural poverty. Indeed, both the CF and their users must be enhanced more scientifically by eliminating the gap between researchers and the users. The district forest offices and the related organizations must act as bridge to connect these two stakeholders and the locally significant findings must be communicated to the true forest users. There must be regular training about the proper forest management and its resources use in the actual user's level. This will certainly improve our forest based entrepreneurship and ultimately strengthens the natural resource based economy in transforming situation of our country. This will really make us glad on the phrase, "Green forestry is the treasure of Nepal".
11 Comments
It's so glad to see Dhiroj's friends from Nepal. Go Dhiroj!! :-)
Posted 02-11-2012 13:32
Nice reporting!really green forestry iz the treasure of nepal
Posted 31-10-2012 09:47
Nice reporting dhiroj keep it up
Posted 29-10-2012 08:20
The details are follows
My Real Name: Dhiroj Prasad Koirala
Study: B.Sc forestry in Institute Of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal
Very interested in researches
My research paper on community forestry and youth mobilization in Nepal was selected on Top 10 list for The First Southeast Asia Forest meeting
Secured Distinction marks in SLC and first division in +2 examination of Nepal.
Posted 26-10-2012 17:09
I need recommendation before the last of October because November 1st is the last date to apply. My email address is koirala1dhiroj@gmail.com.......please please christy
Posted 26-10-2012 16:28
Also the organization to which I'm submitting my proposal is The explorers Club Of USA . Christy Please I need it before last of october to submit because 1st November is the last date
Posted 26-10-2012 16:20
Great article.
First of all, I need to the detail of the event you mentioned ^)
Posted 26-10-2012 14:34
Hi christy !Actually I'm a student of wildlife and want to conduct research on Tiger population in Chitwan National park of Nepal. It is a world heritage site. So it will be my super pleasure if you helped me to get a recommendation letter froM TUNZA ecogeneration. I need it before first november. Please christy help me in this situation
Posted 25-10-2012 16:51
Thanks Kehkashan
Posted 25-10-2012 16:24
The woman in this photo with me is Tirtha Maya.........................
Posted 25-10-2012 16:23
Nice report Dhiroj .
Posted 25-10-2012 16:21