EMPLOYMENT and PEACE BUILDING through LOCAL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (EmPLED)

RAMECHHAP DISTRICT L.E.D. STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP

DDC Conference Room, Manthali & Junar Cooperative Offices, 9 October 2007

SUMMARY REPORT

EmPLED STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT, 9 OCTOBER 2007

1. WORKSHOP BACKGROUND markets need to be developed/strengthened for extension services and financial services. Following the EmPLED Ra mechhap Dis- trict Stakeholders’ Orientation Workshop held in Manthali on 31st August 2007, and 2. WORKSHOP CONTENT in subsequent consultation with the interim The stakeholder entry-point and kick- Ramechhap LED Forum (the recently ex- start workshop was held at the DDC confer- panded District Enterprise Development ence room, Manthali, from 07.30-13.00 Committee), it was agreed that the ILO hours on Tuesday, 9 October 2007. A total would conduct a TDIM study with stake- of 50 LED stakeholders from a wide range of holders for early and long-term economic public, private and civil society interest development action planning. groups attended of which 13 were women. Because of logistical difficulties in ac- The workshop agenda is provided in ANNEX cessing many parts of the District during 1 and the full list of participants is provided the monsoon season, the TDIM work com- in ANNEX 2. pleted up to the entry-point and kick-start The objective of the workshop was to workshop facilitated interim LED hypotheses identify relevant short-term/quick-win pri- for discussion by stakeholders at the work- orities for the remainder of 2007, and LED shop. ILO will continue to gather related in- strategies and activities for development formation through the workshop Local Com- during 2008. The workshop was facilitated petitive Advantage (LOCA) follow-ups. The by LOCA consultants from IEDI. final TDIM including LOCA results will be In his introductory remarks, Gerry Mc presented at a stakeholder LOCA results Carthy, EmPLED CTA, said “the overall goal and 2008 action planning workshop to be of local economic development and the Em- held in late November. PLED project is to support Millennium De- Given the seasonal calendar timing and velopment Goal Number One, which is to the importance of cash crops to local eco- move people out of poverty”. During initial nomic development, the interim TDIM hy- floor questions and answers on the LED potheses suggests targeting the Junar overview presentation, Mr. Surya Prasad (sweet orange) sub-(including many women Shrestha, CDO, urged participants to “focus as well as indigenous nationalities) for ma r- on comprehensively pursuing one or two keting systems improvements for the forth- key LED opportunities with a pro-poor out- coming year-end harvest. Junar can be reach of scale, since it is not possible to do intercropped with other cash crops, espe- everything”. cially herbs and spices. Following discussion on the interim TDIM Rapid market research in Kathmandu hypotheses, the participants were divided conducted by ILO during the TDIM suggests into the following four priority groups to dis- that larger buyers may be interested in es- cuss and report back opportunities, chal- tablishing long-term relationships with Ra- lenges and short-long-term actions: mechhap producers founded on competitive · Cash crops. price and product quality. Prolonging the · Livestock and animal products. shelf-life of the orange through the intro- · Fishing and infrastructure. duction of intermediate technology storage · Non-Timber Forest Products. is important for taking advantage of better The findings of the working groups are market prices after the seasonal glut. Or- summarized in ANNEX 3. There was active chard management techniques to be ad- discussion on each group’s presentation. dressed include harvesting and pruning Following the morning workshop, the while other quality issues to be addressed IEDI consultants facilitated a mini-workshop include grading and packing. Cooperatives with over forty Junar sub-sector stake- need to be established and strengthened to holders from four VDCs at the Okhreni Co- allow more farmers to take advantage of operative pre mises in the rural mid-hills. local competitive strengths. Foundation The issues raised confirmed those presented in ANNEX 3.

2 COMPILED BY THE ILO EmPLED TEAM FOR RAMECHHAP LED STAKEHOLDERS EmPLED RAMECHHAP DISTRICT STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT, 9 OCTOBER 2007

3. FOLLOW- UP In conclusion of the morning workshop, stakeholders agreed to a LOCA follow-up process on specific opportunities and target groups/locations to be prioritized by the LED Forum. This will be facilitated during Octo- ber and November by IEDI and ILO with a results and 2008 action plan workshop to be held in Manthali later in November. IEDI and ILO will facilitate the LED Fo- rum and stakeholders in identifying pilot groups and locations for Junar quick-win activities during the remainder of 2007. Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) kindly offered to take the facilitation lead in non-timber forest products as they already supporting this sector.

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ANNEX 1: WORKSHOP PROGRAMME

Workshop Title: Ramechhap LED Stakeholders Kick-Start Workshop Facilitators: Kabya Niroula and Shree Wasti, IEDI Day/Date: Tuesday, 9 October 2007 Venues: (1) DDC Conference Room, Manthali; (2) Okhreni Junar Cooperative

Time Activity Title Resource Persons Pos/Organization 07.30 Registration and Breakfast

08.00 - Welcome and Introduction Mr. Kumar P. Kafle LDO, Ramechhap - Workshop Objectives Gerry Mc Carthy CTA, ILO EmPLED

08.30-09.15 - LED & EmPLED, a brief overview Prem Neupane EmPLED Programme - Interim Ramechhap TDIM Hy- Manager, Ramechhap potheses, questions and answers

09.15-10.00 - Introduction to LOCA, questions Kabya Niroula & Shree LOCA Facilitators, IEDI and answers Wasti - Key pro-poor priorities and organi- zation of break-out working groups to discuss related issues

10.00 Tea Break

10.30-12.00 Breakout Working Groups Participants 12.00-12.50 Breakout Working Group Presenta- Kabya Niroula & Shree LOCA Facilitators, IEDI tions & Discussions, and Follow-Up Wasti

12.50 Closing Remarks & Thanks Mr. Hira Raj Regmi Under-Secretary (HRD), MLD

13.00 Lunch

14.45 Drive Manthali-Okhreni

15.00-17.30 LOCA Junar (sweet orange) sub- Kabya Niroula & Shree LOCA Facilitators, IEDI sector initial discussion group with Wasti stakeholders from 4 VDCs at Okhreni Junar Coop Offices

17.30 Return to Manthali

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ANNEX 2: LIST OF WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS SN PARTICIPANT’S NAME ORGANIZATION POSITION 1 Mr Komal Pd. Kafle DDC- Ramechhap LDO 2 Mr Surya Prashad Shrestha Dist. Admin. Office CDO 3 Mr Hira Raj Regmi Ministry Of Local Dev. Under Secretary 4 Mr Gerry McCarthy ILO- EmPLED CTA 5 Mr Mahesh Chandra Neupane Dist. Technical Office Chief Dist Engineer 6 Mr Bhupal Baral DDC- Ramechhap Planning Officer 7 Ms Radha Rupakheti Women Development O ffice Chief WDO 8 Mr Saha Dev Yadav Dist. Agril. Officer For Chief ADO 9 Dr Narayan Bdr. Shrestha Dist. Vet. Officer For Chief DLDO 10 Mr Dinesh Thakur Dist. Forest Officer Ranger 11 Mr Rajesh Maharjan Agril. Dev. Bank Manager 12 Mr Prithbi Ram Cottage & Small Industry Dev. Prajapati Board Chief CSIDB 13 Mr Narayan Dash Shrestha Consumers Forum Chairperson 14 Mr Kedar Nath Bhatta SDC-RHDP Project Manager 15 Mr Gobinda Ghimire Tamakoshi Sewa sSamittee Director General 16 Mr Dhurba Subedi Manthali Saving & Credit Co- operative Chairperson 17 Mr Suhird Chapagain SDC - Kathmandu Enterprise Dev. Specialist 18 Ganesh Poudel FNCSI Chairperson 19 Mr Narayan Karki FECOFUN Chairperson 20 Ms Jit Maya Moktan FECOFUN Member 21 Mr Nirmal Panta PAF Ramechhap Portfolio Manager 22 Mr Mahesh Jaisi APPSP Ramechhap 23 Mr Birendra Parajuli DLGSP- 24 Mr Himal Dhungel Journalist Association Chairperson 25 Mr Bal Bdr Magrati Dalit Association Vice Chairperson 26 Mr Bhakta Bdr Balampakhi Indigenous Nationalities 27 Shyam Shrestha NGO Federation 28 Ms Jit Maya Moktan NGO Federation 29 Mr Padma Bdr Lama Junar Association 30 Ms Kumari Lama Junar Association 31 Ms Krishna Kumari Moktan Junar Association 32 Ms Sani Maya Tamang Junar Association 33 Mr Krishna Babu Panta DEPROSC 34 Mr Milan Ghising NGO Federation 35 Ms Dhuma Moktan EDSS Chairperson 36 Mr Chhatr Bir Shrestha EDSS Member 37 Ms Himala Khatri EDSS Member 38 Krishna Pd Dahal Co-operative Secretary 39 Mr Gunja Bdr Karki D-MEGA Ramechhap Chairperson 40 Ratna Devi Mainali D-MEGA Ramechhap Member 41 Amala Shrestha D_MEGA Ramechhap Member 42 Ms Sunita Ghimire Women Business Professional 43 Ms Rekha Aryal WEAN Co-Operative 44 Mr Prem Raj Neupane ILO-EmPLED 45 Mr Ganga Chaudhary ILO-EmPLED 46 Mr Kabya Niroula IEDI 47 Mr Shree Ranjan Wosti IEDI 48 Mr Bharat Bhandari FECOFUN Member 49 Ms Kumari Lama Junar Association member 50 Mr Saroj Lama Junar Association Secretary 5 COMPILED BY THE ILO EmPLED TEAM FOR RAMECHHAP LED STAKEHOLDERS EmPLED RAMECHHAP DISTRICT STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT, 9 OCTOBER 2007

ANNEX 3: SUMMARY OF WORKING GROUP PRESENTATIONS

MAIN COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROBLEMS & POSSIBLE ACTIONS FOR LOCA ELABORATION AREAS IMPORVEMENT DIFFICULTIES SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM GROUP 1 – CASH CROPS (COVERING SWEET ORANGE, MANDARIN ORANGE, POTATO, ORTHODOX TEA, VEGETABLES): Participants = Saha Dev Yadav, Padma Lama, Saroj Lama, Jit maya, Samjhana Pabitra, Kumari Lama, Lila Kumari Tamang, Tara Mo ktan, Gunja Bdr Karki

Current Production: - Rain water harvesting linked to - Marketing systems - Training in quality issues - produc- Short-term actions 1.Okhreni - 1& 9 small-scale irrigation schemes - Lack of farmer aware- tion and marketing plus: 2. – 4 & 9 - Improved orchard manage- ness of market require- - Orchard management skills training - Rain water harvesting 3.Bhaluwajor - 9,3,5 ment including improved pro- ments - Institutional capacity development and small-scale irriga- 4.Ramechhap - 9,4,2,1 duction quality skills training - Many farmers perform and strengthening tion schemes 5.Salu - 3,1,2 - Farmer cooperative strength- inefficiently as individuals - Intermediate technology cool stor- - Feeder road network 6. - 1 ening – representation, services (not in cooperatives) age and collection centres expansion to more 7.Rampur - 5 ,6,7,8 and outreach to improve farmer - Lack of access to fi- - Support to provide appropriate production areas and 8.Phulansi - 3 & 8 entrepreneurship nance technology and infrastructure devel- markets 9. - 1,2 - Construction of cool sto rage - Limited technical skills opment work and production of qual- - Value added products Potential Areas: and collection centres and extension services ity products enterprises GothGauon - 1,2,3,6 - Improved marketing – grading, - Quality issues - Increased availability of financial - 6,8 packing and labeling/branding - Traditional farming and services - 8 - Local value addition expansion practices - Increased availability of extension- Duragauon - 8 and start-up services - 9 - Skills and markets for inte r- Bamti - 1 cropping other cash crops with - 8 Junar (e.g. ginger, capsicum, Rasnalu - 8 turmeric, chili and vegetables) - 6,7,8 - Access to extension services - 3 & 6 and technology Lakhanpur - 6 & 8 - Competitive transportation. Rakhathum - 4 & 5 , Puranagauon, Pinkhuri & Gelu GROUP 2 – LIVESTOCK & ANIMAL PRODUCTS: Participants = Kumar, Radha, Dhuma Moktan, Chhatra Bir Shrestha , Tanka Shrestha

Cattle & Buffalo: - Roads - Lack of chilling vat, - Establishment of dairy coop- Continuation of short Khimti, Pharpu, Tilpung, - Service Centre - Improved breed erative in Khimti term Plan and expan- , Phulansi, Khatha- - Improved Grass - Co-operatives - Improved business skills sion of services and jor, Betali, Manthali, - Market - Transport - Increased availability of skilled skill and chilling vat. , Bhaluwajor, Su- - Traditional enterprise - Improved grass veterinary services narpani - Biogas - Skills training - Women cooperatives - Entrepreneurship - Collection centres establish- - Discrimination in caste ment

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MAIN COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROBLEMS & POSSIBLE ACTIONS FOR LOCA ELABORATION AREAS IMPORVEMENT DIFFICULTIES SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM GROUP 2 – LIVESTOCK & ANIMAL PRODUCTS (Cont’d/-):

Goat: Build on strengths: - Limited business skills - Entrepreneurship awareness - Financial Support to Manthali, Bhaluwajor, - Availability of pasture land - Lack of vet services, - Provide improved breed of sheep target groups. Bhatauli, Ramechhap, Suka- - Traditional knowledge - Lack of improved breed and goat - Ma rket management jor, Salu, Okhreni, Rampur, - Good demand for meat - Lack of financial ser- - Skill training & networking , Kathajor, Su- - Groups and cooperatives vices - Technology narpani, formed - Lack of appropriate - Transportation is simple technology, - No plantation of im- proved grass Sheep: TO BE ADDED DURING LOCA PROCESS Gumdel, Bamti, , , Pirti, Gupteshwor, Rasnalu, Gowasara Yak/Chouri TO BE ADDED DURING LOCA PROCESS Pig TO BE ADDED DURING LOCA PROCESS Poultry TO BE ADDED DURING LOCA PROCESS Angora Rabbit TO BE ADDED DURING LOCA PROCESS

GROUP 3 – INFRASTRUCTURE & FISHING Participants = Gobinda Ghimire, Milan Ghising, Mahesh Chandra Neupane, Himala Khatri, Sunita Ghimire, Babu Krishna Panta, Gyanu, Amala, Rejendra

MULTIPLE - Rain water harvesting - Poor farmers have no - Irrigation - Processing Industry - Small irrigation schemes investment means - Dam making in Koshi River so Ma- - Machines and equip- - Dam making, jhi communities can get involved in ments - Cold and cellar store fish keeping business - Collection centers - Ponds - Feeder roads - Post fero cement reservoir - Road/bridge link to Sindulhi - Cold Store - Sustainable and community - Collection Centres ownership - Close relationship with produc- ers, price and market - Active participation from bene- ficiaries - Fish and irrigation two sectors can take together - Can include socially excluded community

7 COMPILED BY THE ILO EmPLED TEAM FOR RAMECHHAP LED STAKEHOLDERS EmPLED RAMECHHAP DISTRICT STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT, 9 OCTOBER 2007

MAIN COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROBLEMS & POSSIBLE ACTIONS FOR LOCA ELABORATION AREAS IMPORVEMENT DIFFICULTIES SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM GROUP 3 – INFRASTRUCTURE & FISHING (Cont’d/-):

- Multiple for irrigation - Rain water harvesting - Poor farmers have no - Irrigation - Processing Industry - River valleys and mid-hill - Small irrigation schemes investment means - Dam making in Koshi River so Ma- - Machines and equip- stream locations for fishing - Dam making, jhi communities can get involved in ments and mountain trout respec- - Cold and cellar store fish keeping business tively - Collection centers - Ponds - Feeder roads - Post fero cement reservoir - Road/bridge link to Sindulhi - Cold Store - Sustainable and community - Collection Centres ownership - Close relationship with produc- ers, price and market - Active participation from bene- ficiaries - Fish and irrigation two sectors can take together - Can include socially excluded community Manthali, Khimti, Bhatouli, - Increase area of irrigation as a - Lack of infrastructure - Irrigation canal, - Construction of cold Sukajor, Chisapani, Pakar- result cultivation of cereal crops, and capital - C onstruction of dam store and chilling vat bas, Chuchure, , vegetables, and rearing of fish - Reservoir & Water Pump Okhreni, Bhuji - Rain water harvest - Rustic Store - Market management through storage of milk, potato and Junar in chilling vat and cold store respectively Ramechhap, Bijulikot, - Marketing can be done through - Lack of equipments and - Establishment of collections centre - Establishment of Doramba, , Ma n- establishment of Collection cen- processing houses for market promotion processing houses thali, Sanghutar, Lubhu, tre Okhreni, Dadhuwa, Rasnalu - Value add by establishing of processing centres GROUP 4 – NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS: Participants = Bharat Bhandar, Phrithivi Ram Prajapati, Rajesh Kumar, Bhakta, Chhatra, Suhrid Chapagain, Na rayan Karki, Janak, Ganesh Poudel, Gyanu

1.Rohdodendron Juice, Squash - Policy for collection - Quality (Packaging, Storage, Proc- - Policy Improvement Rasnalu, Namadi, Betali, - Technology (Production, essing) - Machine & Equip- Saipu, Duragaugon, Ra- Machine, Equipments, & - Marketing ments kathum, Khaniyapani, technical skill) - Protection and ex- Bethan, , Dimi Pok- pansion hari, Lakhanpur, Gunsi, - Marketing

8 COMPILED BY THE ILO EmPLED TEAM FOR RAMECHHAP LED STAKEHOLDERS EmPLED RAMECHHAP DISTRICT STAKEHOLDER KICK-START WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT, 9 OCTOBER 2007

MAIN COMMERCIAL AREAS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROBLEMS & POSSIBLE ACTIONS FOR LOCA ELABORATION IMPORVEMENT DIFFICULTIES SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM GROUP 4 – NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS (Cont’d/-):

2. Bael (wood apple): Juice, Jam, Squash, Powder Bhirpani, , Majhuwa, Khaniyapani, Bethan, , Bhatauli, Chisapani, Rampur, Ramechhap, Sukajor, Bhaluwajor 3. Bamboo: Mudha, Rack Bag, Doko & - Collection - Skill Training As per rhododendron Saipu, Gothgauon, Duragauon, Decorated items - Skills - Commitment above Gupteshwor, Tilpung, Okhreni, - Marketing - Financial Support Khaniyapani, Bethan - Appropriate technology - Quality & equipments - Marketing 4. Allo: Fibre Production, - Government Policy As per bamboo above As per bamboo above Saipu, Duragauon, Bamti, Gupt- Weaving Cloth - Others per bamboo eshwor, Rasnalu, Those, Na- above madi, , Dadhuwa, Doramba, Gupteshwor 5. Resin: Resin, Oil, Resin & Turpen- - Legal Policy (Price of 30 , , Okhreni, tine years) Salu, Rampur, HimGanga, Ra- - Resource mechhap, Bhaluwajor, Khimti, Namadi, Pharpu, Phalansi, Ra- kathum, Bethan, Hiledevi, To- karpur 6. Lokta/Aurgheli Nepali Paper, Resource conservation, - Machine, Equipment Saipu, Duragauon, Namadi, Handicrafts Technology, Marketing - Conservation Rasnalu, Chuchure, Bamti, - Market expansion Gupteshwor, Gumdel, Those, Khubhukasthali, Gowasawara, Tokarpur, Lakhanpur, Doramba, Dadhuwa 7. Nettle Nettle Powder, -Resource Conservation - Machine, Equipment Gowasara, Tokarpur, Doramba, Cloth -Technology, - Conservation dadhuwa, , HileDevi, -Marketing - Market expansion Bethan, Khaniyapani, Saipu, Duragauon, Those, bamti, Gum- del, Kubhukasthali, Rasnalu, Chuchure

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