Community Forest Group in Nepal Sets Benchmark for Development Through Conservation Efforts

Banke. The Ashok Community Forest Consumer Group located in Madui, Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality-2, Banke, has been setting a model example for the holistic development of the local community alongside forest conservation. By investing the income generated from the sale of timber and firewood into village infrastructure and social sectors, this group has strengthened the link between the forest and development.

The group covered 50% of the cost for constructing a water tank under the Kachnapur Drinking Water and Sanitation Project to provide drinking water facilities to the village, including laying pipes to consumers' homes and installing meters. Furthermore, the group successfully illuminated the village of Madui by investing 20% in rural electrification and installing streetlights along three kilometers of road. According to Bhagana Tharu, the group's chairman, the main objective of the group is to partner in every infrastructure project in the community and provide necessary support to the members and their families.

In the agricultural sector, the group provides a 50% subsidy for purchasing motors and pipes for irrigation to provide relief to local farmers. Investment in education is equally encouraging.

The group provided 30 sets of benches-desks and a smart board for modern teaching to the local Laxmi Secondary School and also provided financial support for the construction of the school building. Arun Gautam, the group's joint secretary, stated that educational support of NPR 3,000 annually is provided to students studying in Grade 10 to encourage them.

The forest group's activism in health services is also highly commendable. The distribution of annual incentive allowances to two village volunteers, nutritious food to pregnant mothers, and warm clothing for infants has increased a sense of ownership among the locals.

A provision has been made to provide interest-free loans of up to NPR 25,000 for three months to members facing a shortage of funds for treatment when they fall ill. According to Min Bahadur Sejuwal, the group's treasurer, about 50 people have utilized this facility so far.

To end unemployment and promote self-employment, the group provides interest-free loans of up to NPR 100,000 to consumers. Twenty consumers have already started their own businesses using this amount, which is to be repaid within two years.

Forest conservation and management have also provided direct employment to locals. By prioritizing local consumers for work such as clearing bushes, cutting timber, and managing depots, one consumer can earn up to NPR 60,000 in one season. The group spends NPR 700,000 annually just on clearing bushes, which creates an environment where money stays within the village.