Contribution of Small Farmers in Agriculture and Economic Development

Case of: Women Groups of Badeli Dumrighari Leasehold Forestry
in Baluwa VDC, Kavrepalanchok District

Bharat Shrestha
Director, MODE Nepal

1. Location, Program and the Group

Located in Baluwa Village Development Committee (VDC) of Kavrepalanchok district, two leashold forestry groups named Badeli Dumrighari, is in access by a 2.5 km earthen road from Piple bazar at about 35 km east of Kathmandu .

The area falls in mid-hill region and inhabited by the trital danuwar community of about 60-70 households. Average land holding of the community is less than 0.4 ha, dominated mainly by the unirrigated maize-based upland. Irrigated lowland in the area is paddy-potato based.. Entire danuwar communities depend on agriculture wage labour for their livelihood.

The Hills Leasehold Forestry and Forage Development Project (HLFFDP) with twin objectives of raising income of families and contributing to improve natural resources through leasing blocks of degraded forest land to the group of poor household having private land less than 0.5 ha and/or annual per capita income less than Rs.2500 was on effect from 1993 with financial support of IFAD. Female headed households and ethnic/tribal groups were specially targeted depending upon their existence in the area.

Badeli Dumrigari of Baluwa VDC was among the potential area selected and leased the degraded available forest blocks to the TWO women groups of this village. There are 18 members in 2 groups. A total of 13 ha of land has been leased to them in 1994/95, and group number 2 has about 6.5 ha.

Group 2 of leasehold forestry consists of 8 women (6 danuwar and 2 brahamin). They were all trained during 2 days of training in the leasing process on land use and management. After leasing process was taken place, the group as suggested/guided by the technicians (the rangers/agriculture assistants) of the project, planted eucalyptus, bakaino, dalberzia sisso, for timber, fodder and fuelwood and stylo, molasses for livestock forage.

Except eucalyptus, about 50 percent of other tree crops were survived for which they replaced in the next rainy season. Dry soil of the area and lack of knowledge in making pits and its management for plantation were the realized problems of the groups for low survivability of saplings. The group has the plan to allow regeneration of Sal bushes (shorea robusta) and other mixed tree crops currently available in the forest.

Each of the group members is responsible to patrol their leased land. One member almost spend 3-4 hrs a day in patrolling and harvesting the grasses and forage crops. During winter they harvest a great amount of thatch grass both for immediate livestock feed and for hays to be used during dry season (March-May). Group has a rule to attend in the meeting every month in which they discuss about lease land, monthly fund raising, investments of fund and other problems.

2. Value of Study

(a) Group Value - women coming together after group formation has the feeling of solidarity, cohesiveness, and strong feeling on the success of collective work; changes in their values and norms in helping their members and neighbours; development of leadership pattern; change in personal nature.

(b) Increase Income - women have effect on their personal/family and group income; personal/family income through obtaining credit from the bank in 17% interest for goat, cow or buffaloes by which they have been able to sale the product in the market; currently among others, one member of the group was able to earn about US$ 1.25/day from milk.

Availability of fodder and grasses from their leased land has made possible for livestock feed.

Leaf litter and grasses as feed both have positive effect on agricultural productivity due to increased level of compost in low cost.

(c) Empowerment - women can now speak straight forward and can use words without hesitation, articulate; decision making capability both at home and in group, free mobility for development, family management; women have been respected by men and by the society; developed self-confidence, leadership, have faith on them from others; increased habit in saving and mobilization through which they have been able to purchase things for themselves without depending on their husband and the money lenders as before.

3. Main Issues:

(i) Low survivability of crops has hampered the group to raise income in the long run.

(ii) Lack knowledge on land management in terms of understanding the type of soil, selection of crops suitable to the soil.

(iii) Lack legal clarification of leased land.

(iv) Lack knowledge on the processes, procedures, collateral for group loan for livestock.