Fiscal year 2010/11 - Poverty Alleviation Fund, Nepal

agriculture trade including Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs),
commercial farming of vegetables, among others. Also, the poor
farmers will be informed about the appropriate technology related to the
commercial farming of vegetables and processing of NTFPs-- Medicinal
and Aromatic Plants.
5. MoUs with Heifer, Practical Action and
LFLP
On 29 July 2011, The Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF-Nepal) joined forces
with two international non-governmental organizations and one national
programme aiming to establish synergies in poverty alleviation efforts
at the grass roots and ensure increased opportunities for the poor and
disadvantaged people.
PAF signed three separate memorandums of understanding (MoUs)
with Practical Action Nepal, Heifer International Nepal and Department
of Forest, Leasehold Forestry and Livestock Programme (LFLP) to work
together on fighting poverty in common working districts.
As part of the understanding with LFLP, PAF supported community
organizations would have easy access of leasehold forestry while
leasehold forestry users groups would be facilitated and encouraged to
enter in community organizations formed under the aegis of PAF. Also,
both the programmes have agreed not to form separate community
organizations in the new working areas. “PAF would also acknowledge
the leasehold forestry user’s groups if the members qualify PAF’s
poverty ranking criteria”, reads the MoU. Both the programme would
ensure the participation and leadership of Women, Dalit, Janajatis and
members of the marginalized groups in community groups. A 7-member
Central Coordination Committee has been formed under the leadership
of PAF Vice Chairperson while a 12-member district level coordination
committee would be headed by the District Development Committee
(DDC) Chairperson.
Under the MoU with Practical Action, PAF and Practical Action would
work together to improve communities’ access to services by supporting
them to choose and adopt the mode of transport that better serve them.
Also both the institutions would work to improve the agricultural income
by enhancing the production through pocket area development and
providing the agricultural products easy access to market outlets through
developing Gravity Goods Ropeways and other pro-poor technologies.
The alliance with Heifer entails joint planning to identify poverty ridden
clusters, feasible production clusters, seek support from the related
government ministries and achieve national priorities. “As PAF intends
to support in activities like income generation activities and rural
infrastructure building as per the demand from the community, Heifer
would complement in income generation, improving nutrition, improving
environment as well as in social mobilization activities, “ states the MoU,
“Periodic reviews of the partnership would be made as appropriate for
highest synergy from expertise of the parties.”
6. MoU with Helvetas
On 7 February 2011, Helvetas Nepal and the Poverty Alleviation Fund
(PAF-Nepal) joined forces forming a strategic alliance to enhance the
livelihoods of the rural poor. The alliance, to begin from Bardiya district
with possible expansion to other districts, entails joint activities to reduce
the vulnerability and increase resilience of the disadvantaged people and
increase agricultural productivity.
Both the institutions have agreed to work together to facilitate access
to common land resources for land-poor and landless and disseminate
appropriate technologies for the promotion of commercial farming of
vegetables particularly in riverbeds, but later also on rain-fed agricultural
land and other suitable areas. Also, they have agreed to establish
synergies to support poor farmers on market linkages of agricultural
products provide access to irrigation and drinking water and facilitate
local level planning at ward and village development committee (VDC)
level.
7. MoU with FNCCI to work Jointly to
Promote Agri-business
On 21 November 2010, Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF-Nepal) and
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI)
have joined hands to promote agriculture related business including
livestock and Non Timber Forests Products(NTFPs) aimed at alleviating
poverty and economic development.
The MoU entails both the institutions engagement on capacitating the
Community Organizations (COs) to carry out agriculture and livestock
related business and establishing small processing enterprises
producing high value products. The MoU also paves ways for involving
COs in profitable and market oriented production and improved access
to market through the provision of technology and information service as
well as critical public infrastructure for promoting agribusiness, states a
joint statement issued after the signing of the agreement.
To be implemented in 40 PAF programme districts, the agreement is
also expected to create and strengthen industry-wide partnerships along
the value chain and thus forging linkage between producers, traders,
processors and other stakeholders.
8. Other MoUs
Besides the different MoUs reached during the reporting year, PAF is
continuing different MoUs with different institutions and programme,
signed before the reporting year including the MoU with Alternative
Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC).
30 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT (2010/2011)