Deal #10825

Based on the stakeholder engagement plan. Looking at the distribution of caste/ethnic population in the project area, the largest ethnic group is Terai Middle Caste (32 percent) followed by Terai Janajati (12 percent), Terai Dalit (12 percent), Hill Janajati (12 percent) and Muslim (10 percent). In Province 2, the largest group is Terai middle castes (48 percent), second largest is the Terai Dalit castes (18 percent) while third largest is the Muslim population (12 percent). Fourth largest population in Province 2 is the Terai Janajati (9 pecent). In Province 5, there is much more ethnic spread with no single caste/ethnic group larger than 20 percent of the population. Hill Janajati are 19 percent and Terai Janajati are 16 percent. Terai middle caste is the third largest group (13 percent) with hill Dalits 10 at percent. Field visits and stakeholder consultations undertaken during the project preparation phase indicate that indigenous peoples--mainly Tharu and Magar, followed in population size by other ethnic groups--as well as other vulnerable communities such as Dalits2 and landless forest dependent local peoples (both women and men) are residing in the proposed provinces for project implementation, i.e. in Province 2 and Province 5, and have expectations from the proposed FFP project. The project area is also home to other disadvantaged or vulnerable groups (Dalits) such as Chamar, Musahar, Pasawan, Dom, Sarki, Kami, Damai, Badi and religious minorities such as Muslims and other forest-dependent poor people whose livelihoods are dependent on forest to a greater or lesser extent and who may be affected while implementing proposed project interventions such as establishment of plantations, forest protection and sustainable harvesting of trees and NTFPs from community managed forests.

Community right over community forests is recognized. The project leverages the existing success of Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) in Nepal. Additionally, the project will transfer user rights of an additional 15,000 ha of national forest to approximately 100 new CBFM groups, composed of around 10,000 rural households. Beyond CBFM, the project recognizes the role of Public Land Management Groups (PLMGs) in the Terai region. These groups, formed by disadvantaged farmers, will manage 1,350 ha of public land for agroforestry.

Based on the stakeholder engagement plan: Altogether 36 focus group discussions, 35 key informant interviews, 28 one-to-one Interviews, 2 interaction meetings, 3 validation workshops (2 at the province level and 1 at the federal level) and finally 2 ESMF and draft project design work sharing and disclosure workshops were held in each province recently on February 12th in province 5 and on February 14th in province 2. Stakeholders raised their problems/issues, gaps, and opportunities, and the results of discussions that were held during community/Local Government level consultations were compiled before provincial validation workshops in each province and in the separate interactive workshops held for enterprise-related stakeholders. The federal- or national-level validation workshop was organized after compiling issues, gaps, and opportunities and identification of potential Project activities from the provincial validation workshops and the final outcome of the stakeholder consultations were incorporated into the draft Project Appraisal Document (PAD) considering FFPP objectives, areas of intervention and the available budget. Based on the updated SEP: Four "preliminary stakeholder engagements" conducted in preparation for additional financing for the Forests for Prosperity Project (FFPP).

There are not much news report other than press releases for this project. Based on a release after an event, the community member were happy with this project. https://www.wocan.org/news/world-bank-progreen-project-women-leaders-exposure-visit-2/ Based on the revised stakeholder plan, other community members raise concerns about the pace of implementation, benefit distribution, loan interest rates, and the need for more targeted support, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Very few media coverage on the project and most of them read like a press release, so not much info on this.

Very few media coverage on the project and most of them read like a press release, so not much info on this.

Very few media coverage on the project and most of them read like a press release, so not much info on this.

No damages involved, in fact the project focuses more on providing user rights of national forests to community.

Economic Benefits ● The project aims to create temporary and permanent jobs in sustainable forest management, forest-based enterprises, and related sectors. ● The project aims to improve community forest management practices, expand private and public land plantations, and enhance the productivity of community-managed forests. This is expected to lead to increased supplies of forest products, such as fuel wood, timber, fodder, and medicinal plants, which would directly benefit community livelihoods. ● The project prioritizes the inclusion of marginalized groups, including women, Dalits, and indigenous peoples, through targeted interventions like land allocation inside community forests, public land management in the Terai, and pro-poor leasehold forest management. The project also includes provisions to ensure equitable benefit sharing among different community members. ● The project provides grants to community-based forest management groups (CBFM) and farmers to support sustainable forest management practices, plantation establishment, and enterprise development. The project also pilots a credit line to support the establishment and improvement of forest-based SMEs. Environmental Benefits ● The project aims to enhance forest productivity through sustainable management practices, leading to greater yields of timber and non-timber forest products. ● The project contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation by promoting sustainable forest management and increasing carbon sequestration. The increased forest cover and improved watershed management also contribute to enhanced resilience to natural disasters. ● Improved forest management and increased forest cover contribute to enhanced ecosystem services, such as soil stabilization, water regulation, and habitat provision for biodiversity. Social Benefits ● The project supports community-based forest management, providing communities with greater control and ownership over forest resources. It also builds the capacity of local communities to engage in sustainable forest management and benefit from forest-based enterprises. ● The project promotes transparency and accountability in forest management by strengthening community institutions, enhancing government capacity, and establishing grievance redress mechanisms. ● The project includes comprehensive capacity-building programs for government officials, CBFM groups, and entrepreneurs on sustainable forest management, enterprise development, financial management, and social and environmental safeguards

● Based on the Implementation Status by WB, the project has resulted in an increase of 1,748.96 hectares of national forest being brought under sustainable forest management plans ● The project reports 7 new Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) formed and operational plans renewed for 38 existing CFUGs. This expansion encompasses various types of community-based forest management, including Community Forest, Collaborative Forest Management, and Leasehold Forest, demonstrating the project's efforts to promote diverse approaches to sustainable forest management. ● There have also been various exposure visits for CFUGs members.

● Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs): These groups manage forest resources under the CBFM model and are key beneficiaries of the project ● Leasehold Forest User Groups (LFUGs): These groups manage forests under the leasehold forestry model, often targeting poorer households ● Collaborative Forest Management Groups (CFMGs): These groups engage in collaborative forest management, working together with government agencies or other stakeholders ● Public Land Management Groups (PLMGs): These groups are involved in managing public land for agroforestry plantations