Planting Trees on Private Farmland in Nepal: The Equity Aspect

Abstract

"This paper discusses the equity aspects of private tree planting programs in Nepal. The discussion revolves around a review of the literature and includes analysis of data based on a preliminary survey and field observations in two field sites. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in planting trees on private land in Nepal, but a problem with this policy is that it mostly benefits land of wealthy people. As there is little absolute landlessness in Nepal it is possible that moving emphasis away from establishing private forests (on fairly large private plots) to planting on small pockets of non-agricultural marginal land (edges of fields, creek beds, etc.) may enable planting to benefit small farmers. However, analysis of field data suggests that the benefits to the poor are likely to be limited. It is possible, but remains to be proved, that private planting may lead to a reduction of the pressures on common forest resources and that this may increase access to these resources by the poorest farmers and landless people. It is argued that, whatever the value of private planting, it must be seen as a supplement, not an alternative, to planting common land."