Nepal’s forests provide a multitude of goods and services to rural communities. If utilised in sustainable manner these can reduce poverty, promote livelihoods, ensure food security, improve health, mitigate conflicts and create new jobs and income. Similarly, sustainable forest management can improve the host of environmental services that have a direct impact on the economy and quality of life (e.g. biodiversity, hydropower, drinking water etc.). Therefore, the role of forests in adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts in Nepal is increasingly gaining recognition.

Forests are an integral part of Nepal's rural households' livelihood (about 80% of the total population) as they provide daily subsistence needs (fuel wood, fodder and timber) and generate income from the collection, sale and utilisation of a diverse range of timber and non-timber products. To this end, SNV works with local organisations in an effort to improve the value chain of selected forest products, supporting Nepal’s efforts for deliberative forest governance by promoting all forest management regimes based on community participation, and value-addition in the form of forest-based carbon businesses to help mitigate climate change impacts in Nepal has been a key addition to SNV’s focus on sustainable forest management.

Our Objectives:

• Reducing poverty by supporting value chain development of selected timber and non-timber forest products which have a potential of “economies of scale” for increased income and employment opportunities (Pro-poor forest products Value Chain Development)
• Ensuring the continued practice of sustainable forest management by promoting resource conservation that uses incentives (cash in-kind) to influence environmental services through a concept of Pro-Poor Payment for Environment Services (Pro-poor Forest Carbon services)
• Policy influencing on good forest governance so that enabling framework for promotion and impact-oriented forest products-based value chains is operational (Enabling framework for value chains)

Our Programmes:

• Commercialisation of High Value Non-Timber Forest Products: Value chain and enterprise development of selected NTFPs including Kurilo, essential oils and Aloe Vera.
• BISEPT-ST and Timber Value Chain: Working to enhance the value chains of eucalyptus, Alnus and Gmelina.
• Industrialisation of Bamboo based enterprises: Supporting the establishment of commercially viable supply chains for existing bamboo industries in Nepal for the development and commoditisation of pre-fabricated modular bamboo housing.
• Forest Carbon Business Services: Facilitating a nation wide adoption of a pro-poor carbon trading system through a reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) framework.