GFP Activities in Nepal, 2010.Progress Report August - October 2010

In August 2010 an internal agreement was signed between the IUCN ARO (ARO) and the IUCN Forest Conservation Programme (FCP). The purpose of the IA was to set out the  responsibilities of the ARO and FCP as part of the implementation of the above mentioned project funded by the World Bank.

The ARO through IUCN Nepal subsequently contracted the Growing Forest Partnerships (GFP)  Nepal Consortium (the Consortium), comprising ForestAction, the Federation of Community  Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN), the Nepal Foresters’ Association (NFA) and ASMITA Nepal,  to enable the Consortium to jointly implement the project “Catalyzing Forest Sector  Restructuring in Nepal through Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues at Local and National Levels” as a component of the GPF. The contract was signed on 23 August 2010 and the Consortium started work.

Progress to date has been good with each of the Consortium members leading on a specific
area of the project. However, one reflection worth noting is the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders in terms of gaining legitimacy and enriching deliberation. This hasn’t been as successful as anticipated, particularly in the Regional workshop in Pokhara.