Methods and Experiences from FSRP Nepal

Welcome to our second newsletter in 2008. The MethodFinder team wishes you Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year 2009! We would like to thank all contributors and supporters for the great cooperation.

MethodFinder has been very active within the last months by gathering additional material for this platform of methods and experiences of the German Technical Cooperation gtz project "Food Security and Rehabilitation Project (FSRP)" in Nepal. We are very happy to announce eight additional methods or examples, namely:

• Social inclusion, and its example: Social Inclusion in Development-Oriented Emergency Aid in Nepal
• Rural Road Construction Strategy, and its example: Construction of "Green Roads" through Community Based Organizations in Nepal,
• Conflict Sensitivity and Risk Management Strategy (method only),
• Agricultural Income Promotion in Food Insecure Remote Rural Areas in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Food For Work"),
• Contributing to Community Mobilisation through Learning Centers in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Certifying Community Mobilisation")
• Participatory and Conflict Sensitive Impact Monitoring in Nepal (as an example of Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA)).

New methods and application examples:

1. Social inclusion, and its example: Social Inclusion in Development-Oriented Emergency Aid in Nepal

Social inclusion requires a clear understanding where and how social exclusion exists. Social exclusion is generally defined as "the systematic and multidimensional deprivation (social, political, economical, and cultural) of certain groups within a society". These deprivations are typically interlocking and exist to some degree in all societies. Excluded groups lack access to opportunities, resources and services as well as voice and power to change their situations. As a social process deep rooted power relations as well as sociocultural institutions (understood as formal laws and policies, informal social norms, values, and beliefs) that enable or constrain human interaction lie at the core of social exclusion.

Social exclusion and its multidimensional facets can be addressed best through integrated approaches, consisting of a variety of activities and policies, as well as collaborations between different stakeholders, and making interventions at different levels. As such a crosscutting issue, social inclusion cannot be achieved by utilizing this method step by step. Rather it is achieved through awareness raising and a change of consciousness among, a) the practitioners to design, plan and implement activities more inclusively and b) among the beneficiaries to actively overcome barriers to social inclusion in the long-term. Since deep-rooted social norms and values can create barriers to inclusion it is difficult to bring expected social change in a short time span. Therefore, social exclusion requires a long-term strategic response on the part of all concerned stakeholders. They need to demonstrate a broad commitment to equality and human rights so that people's beliefs and values change for the better.

Link Method: Social Inclusion
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=84

Link Example: Social Inclusion in Development-Oriented Emergency Aid in Nepal
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=84&cat=example1

PDF downloads:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=75&cat=download

2. Rural Road Construction Strategy, and its example: Construction of "Green Roads" through Community Based Organizations in Nepal

Besides capital and technology intensive construction of rural roads with heavy equipment, environmentally sound labor intensive construction of rural roads is an alternative for many developing countries. In the context of post-conflict countries, the construction of roads also includes the rehabilitation of a productive community infrastructure in areas which lack assets, due to their remoteness and their natural adversity or conflict-affectedness.

These roads are ideally constructed in the agricultural low season, thus enabling target groups to be both available to work and for them to have access to additional off-farm income opportunities by

• Providing large scale employment during road construction and maintenance activities in the short-term, and
• Fostering socioeconomic development through better accessibility to target areas and populations in the medium and long-term.

The labor intensive method stems from the ongoing international discussions about large-scale and labor-intensive public works schemes especially in the context of integrated development and food security approaches, using Food-for-Work (FfW) and/or Cash-for-Work (CfW) opportunities. In this regard, the strategy is also linked to methodological and practical efforts of further linking relief, rehabilitation and development activities (LRRD). Such rural road construction approaches can also easily be adapted as job-creation measures for groups of demobilized combatants and other conflict-affected parts of the population, thus fitting into the context of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs (DDR). Generally, this method highlights the relevance and potential of large-scale and labor-intensive infrastructure schemes as the "backbone" of socioeconomic rehabilitation and development.

Link Method: Rural Road Construction Strategy
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=83

Link Example: Construction of "Green Roads" through Community Based Organizations in Nepal
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=83&cat=example1

PDF download:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=83&cat=download

3. Conflict Sensitivity and Risk Management Strategy (method only)

Development projects or programmes undertaken in conflict or post-conflict areas often face problems of exposure to the negative effects of the conflict and thus unintentionally get caught up in the disputes between the conflicting parties. These negative effects may include risks to the project personnel and beneficiaries, as well as the investments and achievements made towards the development objectives. In these contexts, risk management is a process that intends to:

• Identify and monitor the different risks and the anticipated impacts at different levels, making them more transparent and hence recognised and reflected upon by management and staff;
• Identify the necessary adjustments and measures (strategic, personnel and operational) to reduce the risks to an acceptable level through decreasing threats and vulnerabilities;
• Establish appropriate implementation structures for projects, ensuring the continuation of safe development practices which can contribute to the achievement of the envisaged objectives in the long-term.

Staff safety is a prerequisite for all projects working in conflict situations. Therefore, risk management takes into account the close linkage between staff safety, operational orientation and issues of conflict sensitivity; such as the unintended negative impacts, and the way the project and staff are perceived from in- and outside the programme/project.

This 'conflict sensitivity and risk management strategy' is intended to guide project staff in recognising, analysing and sensitively responding to the interface between the development interventions and the conflict. It is crucial, that all development activities are planned and carried out with the highest possible degree of detailed understanding of the causes and basic features of the conflict; the likely impacts of the development work, and its appearance at different levels.

Link Method: Conflict Sensitivity and Risk Management Strategy
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=85

PDF download:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=85&cat=download

4. New Example: Agricultural Income Promotion in Food Insecure Remote Rural Areas in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Food For Work")

One of the objectives of GTZ-FSRP was to promote food security and off-farm employment and income for the target groups in the short-term and the creation of additional livelihood assets and self-sufficiency of food in the long-term. FSRP primarily supported the large-scale and labor-intensive construction of rural roads through a combined approaches of food-for-work and cash-for-work (see references: "Rural Road Construction Strategy" and the associated example). However, to foster socio-economic development and food-security in the long-term FSRP designed the road construction scheme as a "backbone" project in the target area which was accompanied by complementary micro-projects. These were designed according to: the identified needs and priorities of the target groups; the available local resources and the potentials and constraints of the poor and conflict-affected people in accessing and making use of them. Taking this into account, the construction and rehabilitation of irrigation schemes as well the promotion of on and off-farm income activities, among others, were supported by FSRP in addition to the road construction measures. This combined strategy, focused on the promotion of agricultural income activities in the context of integrated food-for-work and cash-for-work schemes. Step 1 to 7 of the method "Food-for-Work - Integrated Food Security Programmes" were considered as general principles throughout all interventions of the FSRP, including the rural road construction as well as agricultural income promotion. These were: 1) objectives of activities, 2) definition of target groups, 3) ascertainment of the nutritional situation and the geographical area of intervention area, 4) selection of project measures and definition of criteria, 5) selection of participants for food-for-work and cash-for-work activities, 6) definition of payment rates and work norms, 7) supervision and monitoring.

The FRSP's support for income generation activities followed a set of well-defined guiding principles. The agricultural income promotion strategy supported new technologies and aimed to enable the target groups to:

1. utilise their indigenous skills and local resources more effectively, and
2. develop self-help capacities and ownership to manage the initiated income-generating activities on their own in the long-term in order to gain food self-sufficiency, improved nutrition, and increased income.

Link Example: Agricultural Income Promotion in Food Insecure Remote Rural Areas in Nepal
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=53&cat=example1

Associated Method: Food for Work
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=53

PDF download:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=53&cat=download

5. New Example: Contributing to Community Mobilisation through Learning Centers in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Certifying Community Mobilisation")

German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has been implementing a Food Security and Rehabilitation Project (FSRP) in Nepal from 2004-2008 in 31 selected communities (Village Development Committees, VDCs) in Rolpa and Rukum districts.

Overall, 1.300 targeted beneficiaries participated in 42 Learning Centers, technically and financially supported for three years by FSRP. The Project activities focused on disadvantaged and marginalized groups, with 85 % of the participants being women (with 50 % and 48 % share of population from Rolpa and Rukum districts respectively), 31 % were Dalits (18 % and 5 % of participants in Rolpa and Rukum districts respectively). In the case of women, where society still regards household reproductive activities as their domain, resulting in extremely high workloads, limited access to education because of the low awareness of the importance of women's education. Thus, women were previously widely discouraged from participating in any development and education activities outside their homes. This results in high illiteracy rates and early marriages. The ratio of literate female to literate male (in the 15 to 24 year age group) is only 43 % and 50 % across Rolpa and Rukum districts, and an average of 55 % and 44 % of the women in both districts are at the age of 15 to 19 years, already married. The learning center approach was aimed at tackling these disadvantages through the empowerment and capacity development of disadvantaged and marginalised groups through non-formal education and skills training, as well as mobilising them socially and economically, for self-reliant community development.

One component involved establishing learning centers (LCs) in selected VDCs, FSRP aimed to contribute to empowering the marginalised, particularly conflict affected groups both economically and socially through inclusive development activities.

Link Example: Contributing to Community Mobilisation through Learning Centers in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Certifying Community Mobilisation")
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=75&cat=example3

Associated Method: Certifying Community Mobilisation
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=75

PDF download:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=75&cat=download

6. New Example: Participatory and Conflict Sensitive Impact Monitoring in Nepal (as an example of Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA))

Against this background of a protracted conflict in Nepal, the implementation of the german funded Food Security and Rehabilitation Project continued amidst the escalation of the conflict in 2004. The project developed and successfully applied a participatory and conflict sensitive impact monitoring system (PCIA, see references) to measure and assess the project processes, impacts and factors affecting these. The approach aimed to enable staff to obtain some of the necessary information for effective project management and the smooth operation of associated development activities. This helped to determine and document the project results and impacts better.

Due to its participatory approach, the FRSP strategy promoted the empowerment and ownership by the beneficiaries while actively involving them in the process of project steering. The special requirements that led to the development of this participatory and conflict sensitive impact monitoring system were as follows:

• Working in and on conflict: The geographic location of the project, working in some of the most conflict affected districts in the country, and the project's objective to work on conflict. This made the regular monitoring of intended and unintended positive and negative impacts of project interventions on the conflict and vice versa indispensable and these were integrated into daily activities.
• Tense security situations in the project areas: Working in a protracted conflict situation requires stern risk management, to both; maintain the projects impartiality and to guarantee the security of its staff to the greatest extent possible. The impact monitoring approach of FSRP (also see Conflict Sensitivity and Risk Management Strategy), therefore also involved the monitoring of threats to the project, its staff and the beneficiaries in order to anticipate their vulnerabilities and capabilities and to respond accordingly
• Travel and other restrictions: Due to the restrictions imposed by the conflicting parties during the war, traditional methods of monitoring project activities were not feasible as outside consultants were not allowed to go to districts.
• An acceptable monitoring approach to the conflicting parties in order to maintain credibility and the transparency of the project with all sides. Additionally it underlined the inherent project orientation fully targeted towards improving the living conditions of the poor and conflict-affected populations. FSRP promoted the direct involvement of beneficiaries in project cycle management, including monitoring and evaluation activities.

Link Example: Contributing to Community Mobilisation through Learning Centers in Nepal (as an example of the approach "Certifying Community Mobilisation")
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=60&cat=example2

Associated Method: Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA)
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methods&methodID=60

PDF download:
http://www.methodfinder.net/index.php?page=methoddetail&methodID=60&cat=download

We keep you posted on additional methods which are currently under development.