Integrated Population, Health, and Environment (PHE) approaches to development in regions of high human population and biodiversity rates, has proven to be efficient, yield better results than a single sector approach, and be in tune with rural areas and community based development. USAID work in Nepal through the Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) and other federations, tries to take an efficient PHE approach that will produce the best results in multiple sectors. This approach strives to improve human and ecosystem health and generate impact on post-conflict building outcomes. USAIDs assistance to CFUG maintains to strengthen forest management in a democratic way, and expand access and control over resources for the poor. This effort also builds CFUG’s capacity to disseminate reproductive health and alternative energy sources, in tandem with other sustainable livelihood approaches (SLAs). As seen from the previous USAID funded project in Nepal, Strengthening Actions for Governance in Utilization of Natural Resources (SAGUN), community forest (CF) conservation can be successful in regions experiencing violence, when programs are provided directly affecting people’s livelihoods.

With over 14,000 CFUGs and federations nationwide, opportunities are large for PHE scale-up in the country. CFUG has remained to be one of the most important and pervasive civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nepal. CFUG has now grown to include one third of the nation’s population. CFUG concerns itself with forest space given over by the nation’s Department of Forestry, but is still raising issues beyond just forest management to include education, health services, and young people’s involvement in CF conservation. CFUG has found that the more SLAs they incorporate into their management plans, the greater community participation they receive in forest management.

USAID commissioned a team to review the SAGUN project and PHE in Nepal. Through techniques of monitoring and evaluation they identified gaps, opportunities, lessons, and practices specific to the PHE approach. The team gathered with CFUG the Ministry of Health, and various national and international NGOs to discuss these findings in an effort to create a PHE project that would best fit the needs of communities. This report builds off these findings and focuses on the PHE recommendations made for Nepal.