Supplementary written evidence submitted
by the Department for International Development
FOLLOW UP NOTES TO THE IDC EVIDENCE SESSION
ON 28 JANUARY 2010
1. DFID SUPPORT
TO THE
NAPA PROCESS AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
IN NEPAL
Nepal is preparing its National Adaptation Programme
of Action (NAPA) that will define priority areas for action to
increase its resilience to Climate Change. Our current funding
of £500,000 is supporting six thematic working groups
covering agriculture, forestry, health, infrastructure, water
and energy coordinated by the Ministry of Environment. Cross cutting
themes that each group are including in their analysis are, gender,
inclusion, governance, local development and tourism. By April
2010, this process will have identified short-term and long-term
priorities for climate change action in Nepal.
DFID has also committed to support the implementation
of these plans through a recently approved five year £10 million
programme of support. The new programme will consist of three
phases:
(I) Design—development of Nepal's climate
change strategies and piloting of implementation: year 1 (£800,000);
(II) Up-scaling —putting pilots into full-scale
action: years 2-3 (£4 million); and
(III) Implementation—with other adaptation
funds: years 4-5 (£5 million).
The design and piloting phase will begin in
early 2010 and last for a year. It will help develop Nepal's
climate change strategies and some early "Action pilots"
in nine "sentinel" districts this year. Pilot funding
will support activities such as disaster risk reduction, food
security, renewable energy and low carbon development.
The up scaling and implementation support will
be carried out through a joint multi donor trust fund where DFID
funds will be pooled with those from other donors and global adaptation
funds. This programme will support a broader range of activities
identified under the NAPA in the 6 thematic areas of agriculture,
forestry, health, infrastructure, water and energy.
Impacts
The primary impacts the programme is expected
to deliver are:
(i) Two million people with reduced climatic
vulnerability;
(ii) Green jobs (eg flood protection) for 50,000 highly
vulnerable people, more than 50% women;
(iii) Nepal accessing global climate change funds;
and
(iv) Nepal has a clear strategy and plan for
addressing climate adaptation and low carbon development.
2. GURKHA WELFARE
SCHEME PROJECTS
Background
The Rural Water & Sanitation Programme (RWSP)
that DFID supports is implemented by the Gurkha Welfare Trust
(UK). DFID has contributed more than £14 million to
this programme over 20 years improving water and sanitation
for over 200,000 people in the rural communities that traditionally
provide recruits for the Gurkha regiment.
Targeting
The GWS scheme works in remote rural areas in
Nepal, with high proportions of excluded ethnic groups and only
in communities lacking basic water and sanitation facilities.
The majority of beneficiaries are therefore poor, with 47% of
the beneficiaries coming from excluded ethnic groups and 12% from
the Dalit (lowest) caste. However as the schemes adopt a community
approach, and communities have wealthier members (often relatives
of or returned Gurkha soldiers), 19% of the beneficiaries are
from non-excluded ethnic groups and 22% from upper castes. These
percentages will improve in the next phase of the programme where,
due to DFID's involvement, the programme will focus only on the
Districts with the highest water and sanitation needs which in
general are the poorest. This will both increase the efficiency
of the programme, which was previously too scattered, and focus
support on the most deprived communities.
Within communities there are also specific measures
to ensure that women, excluded castes and ethnic groups, are included
in the planning, coverage and management of schemes. As a result
28% of water management committee members are women and 43% from
lower caste and excluded ethnic groups. However more can be done
and DFID has asked GWS to increase these percentages as a priority.
Impacts
In 2009 an impact study was undertaken
to provide quantitative data on the impacts of the construction
of 919 water supply schemes and associated sanitation, public
health and income generation activities carried out between 1999 and
2007. The findings demonstrated the effectiveness of the GWS interventions
and that women and girls benefited disproportionately. The key
findings are listed below;
— Waterborne disease rates dropped from
over 50% to under 5% per year.
— 3.5 hours per day time savings per
household for women and children collecting water. Saved time
used for income generating and social activities.
— Improved nutrition particularly for women
and children through improved health status and introduction of
Simple Drip Irrigation (SDI) allowing vegetable cultivation from
surplus water supply.
— Improved social status and influence
of disadvantaged groups in community decision making through acting
in key positions in water management committees.
— There have also been significant increases
in school attendance, particularly for girls. "If we have
not had the latrine at school, we would have probably been absent
in the classes in each menstrual time because we would have no
option but go back to home. But now we are happy that girls have
a separate latrine." Miss Hemkala B. K. from class six Kuwapani
Lower Secondary School, Kerabari VDC, W/N 3, Morang.
3. HEALTH USER
FEES
User fees have been abolished for all services
at facilities up to, but not including a district hospital. At
district hospital level, out-patient care is free for all, however
free in-patient and emergency care is "targeted" (ie
only for selected groups—six categories including elderly
and extreme poor). Delivery care is free for all nationwide at
government facilities and is gradually expanding into non profit
making non state hospitals and is intended to gradually expand
to all non state hospitals.
4. NEPAL'S
PROGRESS TOWARDS
THE EDUCATION
MDG
The committee is correct; MDG 2 for all
children to complete primary education is off-track in Nepal.
The current rate of completion (to grade 5) is 54%; the target
in the new sector plan is 84% by 2015. In the evidence submitted
we reported on track against enrolment. The target for enrolment
in primary is 99% by 2014-15, and 100% by 2015-16. In future,
DFID Nepal will report on the MDG goal (completion) as well as
the key indicator (enrolment).
5. DFID FUNDING
TO THE
WORLD FOOD
PROGRAMME
In December 2009, WFP was forced to start reducing
its support from 1.2 million to 600,000 highly food
insecure people due to lack of funds just as the winter hunger
period was starting. To fill the immediate gap DFID contributed
£5 million to allow WFP to continue operations. This
is complemented by £8 million from the United Nations
Central Emergency Response. This will enable more than 1.2 million
people in Nepal to receive vital food supplies for the next three
months (the £5 million from DFID will help feed 450,000 people).
This support is more than just handouts. Beneficiaries
receive food and increasingly cash in exchange for work on food
security projects, such as irrigation systems, small-scale plantations,
nurseries, micro-hydro projects and trail construction. These
types of projects are critically needed in Nepal to help impoverished
communities adapt their agricultural practices to the impacts
of climate change and give them evidence that the peace is bringing
increased support to the most needy.
DFID Nepal
February 2010
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