Every year, about 40-50 people lose their lives due to wildlife attacks in Nepal. Around National Parks areas, animal attack incidents have increased significantly. Wild animals are not only inside the national parks. With an increasing number of the wildlife, they have made habitat in the forest area outside the park as well.
Some Community Forests of Nepal have started bush clear campaigns in the community forest. A campaign reducing wildlife attack incidents, it has provided multiple benefits to the community and increased engagement of the community.
Jit Bahadur Biswokarma, aged 62, from Binayi Triveni Rural Municipality–1, used to work as a forest guard at the Binayi Community Forest Users Group in Nawalpur district, Gandaki Province. His family’s expenses were covered by his salary as a forest guard. On the morning of 28 Nov 2021, he had gone in the forest area for patrolling as always. He was killed in a tiger attack in the jungle.
The Southern Part of the Binayi Tirveni Rural Municipality touches the Chitwan National Park’s border. Wildlife of the Chitwan National Parks frequently enter the forest area, which received support as a habitat for wildlife after community effort in the conservation.
Balu Puri, chairperson of the Binayi Community Forest Users, said that it was very challenging to save the lives of those people by using roads along forest areas. “There was a boost, therefore, wild animals hidden in the boost and attacked humans,” She recalled “We decided to cut bush and clear forest in the initial phase.”
There had been other incidents where people lost their lives by attacking tigers. On 25 Dec 2023, Manadevi Paudel and her daughter in law were killed by a Tiger while going to collect fodder in the Jungle.
After that the Community took the decision to clear bush along the road side of the forest to save people’s lives from the wild animal. When they collected the bush, a new idea was to prepare organic fertilizer from the cut bush. After that the community began an initiative of 6,000 kilograms two years ago, according, Community Users Forest Groups. This year, the Community Forest sold 50 tone organic fertilizer. The Community Forest is selling fertilizer at Rs 25 per kg. “We could not have fulfilled the demand,” Mina Paudel, an Office Secretary of the Binayi Community Forest Users Groups, said. According to her, the fertilizer demands Chitwan, Pokhara and Kathmandu.
Multiple benefits
An initiative which one had started in the beginning phase to save the people’s lives from the wild animals however it has contributed multiple benefits within the Binayi Triveni.
Balu Puri, chairperson of the community forest said that local people, those who are marginalized and jobless, got Job opportunities in the community forest. One example is Jasmati Dhengamagar, 55 of Binayi Tirveni Rural Municipality before joining the community forest as a bush collector labor she used to work construction labor in the village, however it was not regular. “I have to manage all expenses in my house, I live with my the smallest son but he can not work due to his health, therefore all responsibility is in my hand,” she said “When I joined here as a labor, it has made easier in my life, I have no tension regarding all family expenses. Every month, on average I am earning from here about Rs 30,000-35,000.
Mina Paudel, an office secretary of the Binayi Community Forest Users Groups, said that about 20 women are getting regular jobs from the community forest such as Jasmati. “We are able to provide jobs for them for 12 months, we pay as per their work, if they work more they can earn more,” she said. The site of bush collection has not caught fire thus far.
Expansion plan
An experience of the initiative, the Community Forest Users Groups are excited about their work and have planned to expand it in the upcoming days. The Binayi Community Forest Users Group has collected bush in 10 other community forests. “If any community forest provides bush, we will collect it as raw material for the organic fertilizer,” Paudel said. Different NGOs have been supporting this initiative started by the Binayi Community Forest Users Groups.
The Forest and Farm Facility Program (FFF), which is conducted in Nepal by FAO, has supported community innovation. According to Balu Puri, chairperson of the Community Forest Users Groups, the FFF had provided technical support to enhance innovation to make mechanics. “We have been supported by them with different types of machines, tractors and other technical equipment," she said “After support by FAO we will increase our production next year, Our target is to produce about 125 tons of organic fertilizer.”
