Sustainable Development Project (NEP/95/G52/01)

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Project Details & Results

The project is implemented in Kota-tulsipur, Ramshikharjhala and Sandepani VDCs in Kailali district of Far-western Region of the country. The Ghodaghodi lake, one of the most diverse wetlands in the country, harbours many floral and faunal species. The major inhabitants of this place are the Tharu's, one of the most underprivileged tribes in the lowland Nepal.
The project is aimed at conserving the depleting biodiversity of the area with special emphasis given to restoring threatened floral and faunal species through community mobilization process.
The project focuses on the climate change mitigation as well as biodiversity conservation issues. The project is supporting the local communities in regenerating Rattan species and in reducing their tremendous firewood demand by introducing biogas and improved cook-stoves. The project has supported the communities to transform (1)a traditionally firewood energy-based Prithvipur village into a Model Eco-village, and (2)Chherahi village into a Model Village for improved cook-stove.

Notable Community Participation
All the project acitivities are carried out through community mobilisation approach. Participating communities form groups in each hamlets and/or settlements and these community groups eventually transform into Community Organisations. These groups and/or organisations mobilise their resources by meeting weekly and by generating their savings and labour. They plan, execute and monitor the activities themselves with the technical support from the grantee NGO.

Capacity - Building Component
Community-based groups and the grantee NGO mutually identify and organise training programmes for selected community members. Exchange visits and or study tours for the community members to selected project sites are organised in order to observe and share each others experiences and knowledge.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project has created a Revolving Fund named as Community Environment Trust Fund (CETF)and allocated 60 percent of the total grant fund (i.e. $30000) to CETF. Participating community members can easily get this money through their respective CBOs (Community-based Organisations) as a loan on the basis of social collator. The CETF is moblised specially for small-scale green enterprises or livelihood activities.

Gender Focus
Community groups and/or organisations are of three kinds -- men, women and mixed of men and women. Formation of these kinds of group is solely depended upon the interest and decision of the community members themselves.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
Tharu tribes, one of the most underprivileged lowland indigenous groups in the country are the major participants of the project.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
The project is of demonstration type and hence the site is very much accessible for visitors in the Far-western Region of the country. A lot of visitors visit the site and learn and share their experiences and therby promote generate the awareness of global environment.

Project Results
The project is instrumental in generating the awareness regarding the importance of the Ghodaghodi lake, which is later designed as Ramsar Site in 2003 with the active initiation from Department of National Park and Wildlife Reserve and IUCN. A total of 66 CBOs with 2296 members (1617 men and 679 women members) has been formed, who has been instrumental in the conservation of forest area which surround the lake. The project had supported the communities to transform (1)a traditionally firewood energy-based Prithvipur village into a Model Eco-village, and (2) Chherahi village into a Model Village for improved cook-stove. Being the pioneer project, the experience gained from the social mobilisation was found effective in replicating in other SGP funded projects. The format used in meeting minutes and micro credit management were also used in other project.

Ghodaghodi Lake with the forest at the background

Group Meeting in Kailali