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Use of Sustainable
Livelihoods Approaches
The
Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP) focuses on forestry as a vehicle to improve
the lives of the rural poor. Sustainable livelihoods approaches are used in the
following ways:
Pre-feasibility
(options) study preparation; LFP has taken some of the best practice of the
previous DFID forestry project in Nepal - the Nepal
UK Community Forestry Project - and is using this best practice to shape our
work. This best practice was drawn from a very comprehensive 'Issues and Options'
study which also hightlighted the Sustainable Livelihoods approach (Shepherd and
Gill, 1999). LFP
was designed using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. Much emphasis
was placed on improving access to resources and reducing vulnerability in poor
rural communities. Much of our work is innovative and requires our staff to learn
by doing, testing new ideas and finding out if they work in the local context.
Our monitoring and evaluation work combines an array of methodologies in
order to show livelihood impacts. We are at present undertaking two large-scale
surveys: - The
Terai Baseline survey. Strategically, the Terai region in the South of Nepal
has the greatest economic potential for the forest sector. LFP seeks to move forest
management from its current resource focus to a more people centred focus, based
on poor peoples needs from forestry. In order to understand what poor peoples
needs are with respect for forestry, a baseline survey is being undertaken. This
information will then be used to write strategic forest management plans incorporating
the needs identified.
- The
Hills Baseline survey. LFP is in the final design stages of a livelihoods
baseline survey in the hill districts where we work. The survey will define the
forestry-livelihood linkages in the districts where LFP works. It will highlight
the priority areas for forestry, helping LFP keep on track, it may also provide
new ideas for the project. LFP hopes that the survey will emphasise where key
strengths are in relation to forestry, we can then build on these. It may also
draw attention to bottlenecks in peoples' livelihoods. LFP and its partners can
then work on releasing these to maximise the potential for livelihood improvement.
The survey incorporates livelihood assets analysis; vulnerability context analysis;
livelihood strategies analysis; and livelihood outcomes analysis. The survey
has been separated into quantitative and qualitative aspects and locally recruited
personnel will implement it. When the survey is finished and the information analysed,
tracer studies will be designed in order to measure trends.
Through
both of these surveys, LFP has needed to be dynamic - changing plans, redesigning
the survey to suit changing political contexts. LFP will be responsive to the
information, which is gathered through the surveys. It may need to refocus its
work on different areas, or incorporate new ideas into our work plan.
LFP aims to strengthen linkages between service delivers and communities.
It is doing this through the Animation Programme. Local people (animators) are
recruited through local NGO's and trained to work with their local Community Forestry
User Groups (CFUGs.) Animators will define and prioritise the challenges faced
in these CFUGs and work with the CFUGs to alleviate them. They will try and build
better relationships with service providers to ensure better service delivery.
This is one example of how LFP is addressing sustainability. Instead of
working directly in the communities and recruiting staff, we are working through
local NGOs in order to build their capacity and encourage the continuation of
the programme when LFP no longer funds it. LFP is working to create a district
enabling environment, it works at the grassroots level with both communities and
government forestry staff, building capacity at this level. LFP also works on
policy, institutions and processes. LFP endeavours to challenge behaviour
and power relations on many levels - at the national, district, local and FUG
levels. In particular LFP is working on how policies are interpreted and applied
at the different levels. LFP also tries to improve the linkages between levels,
making policies more responsive and realistic. At the local level, the Animation
Programme addresses CFUG internal management system and social processes. It also
works to improve linkages and communication with service providers, including
district forest offices. LFP
is also working with District Forest Coordination Committees. These comprise district
stakeholders and provide a platform for planning, sharing ideas, and building
partnerships within and outside the forest sector. They also play a key role in
getting messages from the district level to the national policy level. Finally,
LFP is working on caste, ethnicity, gender and power relations on many levels.
CFUGs face many challenges related to these complex issues. Social exclusion of
disadvantaged castes by elites is a widespread issue which LFP is trying to address
in its work, principally through the Animation programme. By using the livelihoods
approach we are trying to understand why they are excluded so that we can target
initiatives that improve their access to the benefits that forestry can offer.
Understanding policies and institutions and the processes by which they interact
is important for understanding why and how the poor are excluded. For
more information on the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme in Nepal please see
their website http://www.lfp.org.np/ |
