Forests for the Future: Family Planning in Nepal's Terai Region
A transformation is taking place in the Khata areas of rural Nepal: People dependent on forests are learning new ways to protect the source of their livelihoods. Farmers are now the front-line stewards of the environment—and enthusiastic advocates for integrating population-health-environment (PHE) programs into their community activities. Co-authors Leona D’Agnes, Judy Oglethorpe, Sabita Thapa, Dhan Rai, and Tara Prasad Gnyawali describe a World Wildlife Fund program that combines family planning and community-based forestry within Nepal’s Terai region.
M a r c h 2 0 0 9 M a rIssue0 0 9 ch 2 18 FOCUS on population, environment, and security Forests for the Future: Family Planning in Nepal's Terai Region By Leona D'Agnes, Judy Oglethorpe, Sabita Thapa, Dhan Rai, and Tara Prasad Gnyawali A transformation is taking place in the Khata areas of rural Nepal: People dependent on forests are learning new ways to protect the source of their livelihoods. Farmers are now the front-line stewards of the environment--and enthusiastic advocates for integrating population-health-environment (PHE) programs into their community activities. "Family planning and health issues have become an integral part of our community forestry program. Prior to the introduction of the population, health, and environment concept, we hardly had any clue on the linkages between forest management and family planning. Now we work hard to conserve forest resources and are encouraging everyone to use alternative energy and family planning so there will be forest left for future generations," says Krishna Pariyar, secretary of Khata Community Forestry Coordination Committee, a consortium of community-based organizations that manage a swath of forest within Nepal's Terai region. John Pielemeier 1 FOCUS on population, environment, and security Poverty and Population Dynamics in Nepal Despite significant improvements in economic and social indicators over the past two decades, Nepal remains among the poorest countries in the world (ADB, 2007). The vast majority of Nepalese live in rural areas, where they depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods and suffer almost double the rate of poverty (44 percent) of their urban counterparts (ADB, 2001). In less than a century, Nepal's population increased more than five-fold, to 27 million people (PRB, 2008). Population density is high in the fertile river plain known as the Terai, where 48 percent of the country's population lives in 17 percent of its total land mass (CBS, 2001). Due to high birth rates and internal migration from the highlands, the Terai registered the highest regional population growth rate (2.86 percent) in the 2001 census, significantly higher than the nationwide annual growth rate of 2.1 percent (CBS, 2001; PRB, 2008). The high birth rates are largely due to early marriage (42 percent of Nepalese girls aged 15-19 are married), which has a cumulative effect on fertility (De Silvade Alwis, 2008). Forests and Biodiversity Under Threat: Nepal's Terai Region The majority of Nepal's population is heavily dependent on the country's natural resources, especially its forests. However, this essential resource has declined dramatically since the 1950s, and deforestation continues. Between 1990 and 2005, Nepal lost 1.2 million hectares, or about 25 percent of its total forest cover (FAO, 2005). Grazing, human settlement, and firewood collection are the major threats to the forest. Almost 80 percent of Nepalese rely on firewood for heating and cooking, and most still use inefficient traditional stoves (WWF-Nepal, 2006). Many people graze their livestock in forests, which are also used for food, animal fodder, building materials, medicine, and income generation. Nepal is a treasure trove of biodiversity: Its 0.1 percent of the world's landmass hosts 2 percent of the world's flower species, 4 percent of its mammal species, and 8 percent of its bird species (MOPE, 2001). The Terai is home to flagship species such as the Bengal tiger, wild Asian elepha