| Author | Bishwakarma, Dandi Ram |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.RD-02-20 |
| Subject(s) | Watershed management Nepal Citizen participation
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | People centered management approach has been emphasized in several integrated
watershed development and management projects in Nepal, including the Bagmati
Integrated Watershed Management Program (BIWMP). Due to differences in abilities,
attitudes and perceptions of watershed settlers, securing active and equitable participation
from all caste/ethnic groups has been a growing matter of concern for development workers
and researchers. This research examined socially disadvantaged group's participation in
community organizations, planning and implementation and in benefits sharing of activities
implemented by BIWMP in Palung sub-watershed of the northern Makawanpur district.
Both qualitative and quantitative information were collected through secondary and
primary sources. A total of 217 households from all caste groups were surveyed through
questionnaire, group discussion and key informants survey conducted over a period of three
months.
Findings of the study revealed that the socio-economic status of the settlers closely
follows the caste/ethnic hierarchy. Dalits, who lay at the bottom of the hierarchy, were
minority populace and the most disadvantaged. Their traditional occupations were gradually
deteriorating and they had less access to development resources. Their involvement in
community organizations was low, they remained to be silent followers of the rules,
regulations, and decisions made by the majority caste/ethnic groups. Most of the groups
were not helped much by the project for their capacity building. The majority of project
activities were planned and implemented based on informal contacts. The project staffs were
their own target oriented. Thus there was a gap in people's preferred and implemented
activities. Several foot-trail construction projects that could not help to improve the
economic condition of Dalits were implemented. Irrespective of caste/ethnicity, people's
participation was mostly limited to labour contribution, which provided some income
earning opportunity to settlers. The project did not pay attention to activities enabling to
improve their household economy. Activities like saving and credit scheme, income
generation activities and awareness raising training and extension service could not provide
much benefit to Dalits. Most of them did not get as they had no idea how to use it and their
risk bearing capacity was very low as compared to other caste/ethnic groups. Dalits could
not collect even wood required for charcoal making, as they were deprived from the
membership of the project supported community forest user groups. The project had not
properly disseminated information about its health and sanitation activities. All these
combined with the project's inability to address disadvantages groups' problems hade led to
deprivation of Dalits from most benefits of the watershed management project.
Nevertheless, there are possibilities to improve the socio-economic status of Dali ts
so as to enable them to contribute to watershed management. This entails empowerment of
Dalits is essential through the provision of special package program consisting of income
generating activities suitable for Dalits, promotion of pro-Dalit community organizations,
strengthening capacity of community groups, participatory project planning and
implementation, participatory monitoring and evaluation, and promotion of prodisadvantaged
attitude among the project staff |
| Year | 2002 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Rural Development, Gender and Resources (RD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Thapa, Gopal B. |
| Examination Committee(s) | Zoebisch, Michael;Dale, Reidar |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Danish International Development Assistance
(DANIDA) |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 |