Submitted to Hariyo Ban Program WWF Nepal P.O. Box 7660, Baluwatar, Kathmandu Hariyo Ban Program Livelihood Interventions (FINAL REPORT) Knowledge and Learning Document 26 June 2019 39- Prachin Marga, Naya Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal; Tel: +977 (1) 4463021; Fax: +977 (1) 4483427 Email: [email protected] Visit us at: www.narma.org.np Final report Hariyo Ban Program Knowledge and Learning Documentation of Livelihood Interventions 26 June 2019 NARMA Consultancy Private Limited 39- Prachin Marga, Naya Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal P.O. Box 13536, Kathmandu Nepal Tel: +977 (1) 4463021 Fax: +977 (1) 4483427 Email: [email protected] Visit us at: www.narma.org.np Table of Contents ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................... I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................II 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 1 1.3 APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 1 1.3.1 Study framework and areas of inquiry .................................................................. 1 1.3.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 2 1.4 COVERAGE ............................................................................................................. 4 1.5 LIMITATIONS ........................................................................................................... 4 1.6 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ................................................................................... 5 2. LIVELIHOOD INTERVENTIONS IN HARIYO BAN ...................................................... 6 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 6 2.2 THEORY OF CHANGE ............................................................................................... 6 2.3 TYPES OF ENTERPRISES SUPPORTED ....................................................................... 7 2.4 NATURE OF SUPPORT .............................................................................................. 7 3. KEY FINDINGS: LEARNINGS FROM THE LIVELIHOOD INTERVENTIONS ............. 9 3.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 9 3.2 LEARNINGS BY AREAS OF INQUIRY ........................................................................... 9 3.2.1 Appropriateness of interventions .......................................................................... 9 3.2.2 Inclusiveness and equity ...................................................................................... 13 3.2.3 Effectiveness of market-based intervention vis a vis equity-based model ..... 15 3.2.4 Market linkages including the involvement of the private sector ..................... 16 3.2.5 Collaboration, linkages and partnerships ............................................................. 18 3.2.6 Outcomes & effect of interventions ..................................................................... 21 3.2.7. Sustainability of interventions ............................................................................... 22 4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................. 26 4.1 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................... 26 4.1.1 Reduced threats to target species ....................................................................... 26 4.1.2 Market based livelihood alternatives developed and promoted ....................... 27 4.1.3 Community readiness to adapt and benefit from climate change increased .. 28 4.2 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................. 28 LISTS OF DOCUMENTS CONSULTED .............................................................................. 30 ANNEXES .......................................................................................................................... 31 ANNEX 1: AREAS OF INQUIRY AND INDICATORS ............................................................. 32 ANNEX 2: LIST OF ENTERPRISES AND GRANTS STUDIED ................................................ 33 ANNEX 3: STUDY ENTERPRISES .................................................................................... 35 i Acronyms and Abbreviations ACA : Annapurna Conservation Area BZCFUG Buffer Zone Community Forestry User Group BZUC : Buffer Zone User Committee CARE : Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere DCPA : District Coffee Producers Association CF : Community Forestry CFUG : Community Forestry User Group CHAL : Chitwan Annapurna Landscape FECOFUN : Federation of Community Forestry Users in Nepal GoN : Government of Nepal HH : Households NCPA Nepal Coffee Producers Association NTNC : National Trust for Nature Conservation PS : Private Sector PWBR : Participatory Well Being Ranking RF : Revolving Fund RM : Rural Municipality SGP : Small Grants Program SBKI : Sagar Bee Keeping Industry TAL : Terai Arc Landscape WBR : Well Being Ranking WWF : World Wildlife Fund i Executive Summary Hariyo Ban phase two is a five year programme implemented in the Chitwan Annapurna Landscape (CHAL) and Tarai Arc Landscape (TAL) with the objectives of improving conservation and management of CHAL and TAL landscapes and by reducing climate change vulnerability in these landscapes. Livelihoods intervention or development of market based livelihood alternatives is an expected result under the biodiversity objective intended to contribute to this objective by raising the economic status of the beneficiaries and weaning them off of their dependency on forest. This study consisted of studying the commercial enterprises implemented as part of the livelihood interventions and review of relevant reports to document knowledge and learnings The overall objective of this task is to produce a valuable document on livelihoods interventions supported by the Hariyo Ban Program with strong ownership of the partners and stakeholders. A study framework was developed and applied to guide the steps of a participatory and reiterative methodology that focused on the processes initiated to determine and implement the interventions, inputs applied, intended as well as unintended outcomes achieved and the lessons learnt therein. The study adopted an inductive inquiry method, where semi-structured questionnaires were administered in the form of Focused Group Discussion (FGD) and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. The FGDs and KI interviews were guided by the seven areas of inquiry: Appropriateness of interventions (relevance to Hariyo Ban goal) Inclusiveness and equity Effectiveness of market based model vis a vis equity based Market linkages and involvement of private sector Collaboration, linkages and partnerships Outcomes/effects of intervention Sustainability of interventions Out of a total of 59 enterprises implemented, 16 enterprises under regular program and 2 enterprise supported under Small Grant Projects (SGP) were studied. The enterprises studied included 9 small, 5 medium and 2 large enterprises as per the definition of Hariyo Ban. This included 7, 4, 3 and 2 enterprises implemented by WWF, NTNC, FECOFUN and CARE Nepal respectively. The SGP were implemented by WWF engaging Sagar Bee Keeping Industry and Organic Valley Private Ltd. The enterprises were situated in Banke and Kanchanpur Districts of TAL landscape and Kaski, Tanahu, Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts of TAL landscape. All the interventions or enterprises were implemented through NRM based oragnisations such as the CFUGs and BZFUGs located adjacent to biodiversity hot spots like Panchase Protected Forest, Chitwan National Park and Shuklaphanta National Park. As a result, majority of beneficiaries and participants of the enterprises were from poor and forest dependent households (HHs) among which most were women, including women from dalit, ex Kamaiya and ethnic minorities. Hariyo Ban support to these enterprises were in the form of financial support through grant and establishment of a revolving fund. Technical support was provided for skills development and operation and management capacity building in the form of trainings (on site and off site) and learning visits to relevant ongoing projects/activities elsewhere. Support modality also included material inputs such as seedlings, manure, tools and equipment. Some of the key findings from this study are that due to a parallel development of increased income from the implementation of the enterprises, improved transportation system in the rural ii areas and increased availability of LPG and biogas access and affordability to use LPG and biogas, dependency of the peoples on forest resources has decreased. Likewise, increased planting of fodder trees and grasses in and around own farm as well as in leased land has also drastically reduced the need for these beneficiaries to depend on forest for livestock. The study revealed that by providing alternative livelihood opportunities