What we did
We initiated a programme whereby communities take on the management of under-utilised public land with immediate benefit going to the poor Dalits  (ex-untouchables) and people of minority ethnic or religious groups. In addition money from income generating activities goes into a fund from which loans are given to the poorest members and longer-term benefits are shared more widely in the community.

The process entails Community Facilitators seeking the backing of the local development authority in encouraging local people to use ‘barren’ land more productively. Simultaneously the Facilitators explain the idea to local people and work on group formation. Once authorised, the groups prepare land-use plans detailing what will be planted or constructed, who does the work and how the benefits are shared. They plant trees, grow vegetables, dig or repair fishponds or grow grasses for fodder, thatch and handicrafts.

Why we did it
Little of the original rich forest remains in the Terai plains of Nepal. In the southern Terai there are no forests and people have no access to the forests further north.  Gender Development and Human Development Indexes are very low. Thus we sought to increase the access of the poorest and most marginalised people in Terai communities to forest products through more productive use of currently ‘barren’ public land.

Benefits

• Increased access to forest resources in the southern plains. 
• Improved income and nutrition of the poor. 
• Increased social status of landless poor people with the access to public land resources. 
• Through working together group members have a sense of unity, increased confidence and renewed hope. 
• Poor and excluded people learn through doing how to have greater voice and agency. 
• Increased access to credit for poor households.

Voices
“Public land was allocated to the ten poorest households in the village.  The group realised they needed training and asked for it in each hamlet. Then they planted seedlings of timber, herbs, and bamboo. As it will be a long time before there is any production, the households grow vegetables between the trees.  They didn’t realise, that they can grow vegetables on wasteland.  Though it is only one month since they started, they have started to sell seedlings.” Dhanda Pari Kanal, Community Facilitator

“We became members of a Public Land Management group. Before the land was empty. We made a constitution and a plan, planting trees on half, agro-forestry on some and we improved the pond. We are poor people, Muslims and Hindus. We learnt to speak out. We are earning income from vegetable growing and fish farming. We grow fodder for the animals and this year each of the 15 women got a quintal of firewood. Before we had to walk very far. When the Maoists wanted to take it away we defended this as our land for community benefit.”  Meena Pariyar (Dalit),  from an interview for a local radio programme broadcast in Awadi and Nepali.

The Janjagati Group of poor and excluded women fought a legal battle for the right to use public land:

1. “The elites had encroached the land, but the poor knew it was public land.  When the social mobilisation started, they discussed how to access the land and make income by starting a plantation on the land.  They formed a group and the women went to the CDO and then to the district court. All 30 women went to the court.  They won the case and they planted vegetables and non-timber forests plants and dug the fishpond.” Rama Shankar Pandey, Community Facilitator
2. “It was not until we started the group that we had the confidence to go to the Chief District Officer and the court, to work for our own benefit. Before only the men would come to community meetings or meet outsiders.  We women had to stay in the house.  Before, we women never met.  Now we talk about our problems, have knowledge, and have planted the land.” Sagara Khatun, chairperson.