In Search of Alternatives: Pro-Poor Entrepreneurship in Community Forestry

Community forestry is quite likely the most prominent form of development intervention in the present era. It has gained momentum since the 1970s, and now covers more than 25 per cent of the total forestlands globally. However, the introduction of commercialisation into community forestry, controlled by private capital, has not only undermined the livelihood requirements of poor people, but also swiftly deteriorated forest conditions. By unfolding the nature of commercialisation in community forestry in Nepal, this article argues that pro-poor entrepreneurship models of producing forest resources through a partnership between poor people and community groups could be an appropriate alternative to develop economic opportunities and forest conservation.