Social Impact Assessment On proposed project Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal

The Social Impact Assessment (SIA) evaluates a proposed sustainable land management project in Nepal's Churia Range, focusing on four districts: Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, and Makwanpur. While the project is technically sound, the SIA identifies significant gaps in gender and social inclusion (GESI), noting that the design lacks quantified targets for the participation of women, Dalits, and Janajatis. Key risks identified include potential 'elite capture' of community grants and water resources, and the possible displacement of the poorest households during the identification of disaster-prone areas or strategic forest conservation sites. The report recommends ensuring at least 50% representation of marginalized groups in user committees and training, and implementing pro-poor criteria for the distribution of grants and alternative energy sources.

• The project design is primarily technical and lacks specific, quantified targets for the inclusion of marginalized groups, such as women, Dalits, and Janajatis, in its activities and outputs.
• There is a high risk of 'elite capture' regarding the distribution of community grants, the management of water collection and storage points, and the designation of grazing pastures, as local elites often exert greater control over these resources.
• Proposed conservation and land-use planning activities may lead to the displacement of the poorest households or restrict their access to essential forest resources.
• The introduction of sustainable agricultural technologies, such as Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) and mixed cropping, faces adoption challenges among poor and illiterate residents in remote areas.
• Alternative energy sources, specifically biogas, may be inaccessible to the hardest-poor families due to space constraints and a lack of pro-poor financial institutions.
• The project's monitoring and evaluation framework is currently technical and lacks qualitative indicators to track gender and social inclusion (GESI) progress.

APA

WWF International (2013). Social Impact Assessment On proposed project Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/zku43vmbl_SIA_Final_Report_GEF_LD_Nepal_22062013.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Social Impact Assessment On proposed project Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal. 2013. https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/zku43vmbl_SIA_Final_Report_GEF_LD_Nepal_22062013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Social Impact Assessment On proposed project Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal |date=28 June 2013 |url=https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/zku43vmbl_SIA_Final_Report_GEF_LD_Nepal_22062013.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2013social, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Social Impact Assessment On proposed project Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/zku43vmbl_SIA_Final_Report_GEF_LD_Nepal_22062013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }