Programme Components

A. Leasehold Forestry and Group Formation

This component will have five sub-components

District Planning and Coordination will include mapping and participatory planning exercise to prioritise areas, communities and sites for programme implementation. This process will involve a systematic analysis offorest and socio-economic data, prioritisation and selection of priority sites where there are large areas of degraded forest with poor communities living close by. There will be regular coordination of the program's forestry and livestock activities both at district and field level.

Group Formation and Forest allocation will include. (i) demarcation of potential leasehold forest; (ii) identification and formation of leasehold forestry groups; (iii) participatory preparation and periodic review of operation plans for the leasehold forests; and (iv) formal registration and handover of groups and leases.

Social mobilization. Female group promoters recruited from amongst the target group, trained and supported will be the main agents of social mobilization and for women empowerment. A group promoter will provide intensive support to a group for up to three years, after which occasional support may continue for a maximum of another two years.

Land and Forest Development will follow the prescriptions of the site-specific operational plan. Site management start by ending free grazing and preventing bush fires. Pilot development will include planting improved varieties of grasses and leguminous fodder/forage crops, multi-purpose trees, etc. depending upon the priorities of the group and the suitability of the site Farmer and staff training will also be provided.

Forestry Implementation support. The programme will provide incremental temporary staff for the districts and transport, train the existing and additional staff and finance operating costs

B. Livestock Development

Activities can be grouped under three sub-components.

1. Goat Production development. Leasehold households that fulfill certain criteria will receive two mature female goats and eligible groups -one buck.
2. Livestock Training and services. Most village livestock assistant will be a woman. They will be trained to deliver simple extension messages to the leaseholders and to carryout simple animal health procedures, provided the community agrees to pay subsequently for simple veterinary services e.g. vaccinations and drenching.
3. Livestock Implementation Support. The programme will provide incremental temporary staff for the districts, equipment and transport, train the existing and additional staff and finance operating costs.

C. Rural Financial Services

The programme through a service provider will support saving and credit activities of the leasehold groups and subsequently those of the village finance associations formed by the 9-10 leasehold groups within a cluster. The leasehold groups and associations will provide saving and credit services to their members. Leaseholders receiving goats will make a compulsory deposit of NRs 1000 per goat 18-24 months after the receipt of the goat to their group fund.

D. Programme Management and Coordination

Leasehold Forestry and Livestock Programme

Leasehold Forestry Division.(Proposed) The programme through the Leasehold Forestry Division within the Department of Forests will (i) finance the costs of managing forestry programme activities at national level; (ii) coordinate programme activities at the regional and national levels; (iii) monitor and evaluate program implementation. .
Department of Livestock Services. The programme will finance the cost of managing the livestock component at national level through the Department of Livestock services.