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Crafting A Way – Nepal
The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal has many attractions for tourists and spiritual seekers. The income generated by visitors is vital to the country’s economy. The majority of Nepalese who live in rural areas, however, have seen little of this income, as it is concentrated in the capital city. By updating their traditional skills, villagers are now drawing in tourists to these areas, bringing much-needed foreign cash and development to the countryside.
Rural Co-operation
Traditional handicrafts using centuries old techniques are a major export earner in Nepal. But for the indigenous tribal people, turning these skills into cash is not easy. For some, a lack of quality control results in poor sales, while for others a lack of knowledge of the tourist market make it difficult for them to develop appropriate enterprises.
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| Tourists are drawn to Nepal because of its stunning scenery, the culture and wildlife diversity. Credit: Practical Action/ Janet Bell |
The Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP) is a joint initiative of His Majesty's Government, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation, managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with additional financial support from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and technical assistance from the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV). The programme, started in 2001, aims to encourage tourism in the poorer rural areas by promoting cultural a range of community tourism products and services focusing on the country’s natural and cultural heritage, including heritage and crafts.
The programme covers six rural districts of Nepal that include 48 Village Development Committees (VDCs) with over 28,000 households, potentially affecting over 160,000 people. These districts were chosen as pilot areas based on their existing and perceived potential for tourism development, and the extent to which they were in need of support.
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| Map showing the districts where the Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP) is operating |
There is a strong social element within the programme, which tries to ensure that all the stakeholders, ranging from the community level, local government and the national tourism board, work closely together towards common goals.
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| Tamang girls from Langtang Tamang Heritage Trail, Rasuwa, carrying jars of local wine, welcome visitors during Langtang Festival. Tamang culture and tradition is one of the attractions of the area. Credit: TRPAP |
At local level community organisations (COs) have been formed, while at VDC level sustainable tourism development committees (STDCs) co-ordinate with COs linking them to the district level. The programme demonstrates sustainable tourism development models, helps in the design of tourism policies and seeks to integrate them into wider conservation activities.
Tourist Activities
Tourists are offered opportunities to have a home-stay experience, participate in village life, go on cultural and historical tours and pilgrimages, and follow nature trails through the hills and mountains. Some of the activities on offer include:
- Chitwan Chepang Hill Trail - Chepangs are an ancient, but poor tribe of Nepal
- Dolpa Experience Circuit
- Home-stay tours in Rasuwa experiencing village life with a Tamang family
- Tamang Heritage Trail
- Lumbini Buddhist Circuit Tour
- Sherpa Cultural Trek of Solukhumbu
- Everest Trail in Khumbu
- Pathibhara Pilgrimage of Taplejung
- Limbu Cultural Trek combining a nature trail with experience of Limbu culture
- Eco-trek in Phortse of Sagarmatha National Park
To support all these activities a network of small-scale enterprises has developed. Local villagers provide a range of accommodation, run small tea houses and food stalls, play folk music and arrange local cultural performances, act as tour guides and porters, organise transport, grow and sell local organic produce, such as honey, fruit and vegetables, and make and sell local souvenirs and handicrafts.
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Tourists in local lodge having breakfast in
Dudhkunda Pike trail in Solukhumbu. Credit: TRPAP |
Promoting local skills and handicrafts is a key component of the programme. This provides an opportunity for poor people, including women, in the area to make these goods, and training is offered to develop skills and knowledge of the markets. Each area concentrates on particular handicrafts – for example, Lumbini, in the southern plains, has a rich heritage as the birthplace of Buddha. This attracts pilgrims and tourists alike – and provides a hugh potential market. Villagers started a small scale pottery industry, and with additional training now make a range of Buddha statues.
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| A woman from Bhagawanpur Village, Lumbini, designs a clay sculpture of Pancha Buddha after a training course. This is now her family business. |
Local artisans from Bhagawanpur village near by Lumbini are trained in design and finishing of clay sculptures. Photos Credit: TRPAP
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These are sold in local shops to tourists who want to take back souvenirs of their trip, and they are also exported to traders in India. Other villages concentrate on different crafts – for example, in Langtang Rasuwa it is woollen wear with hand knitted products such as bags, hats, jumpers, and local costumes reflecting Tamang culture; Chitwan concentrates on pine wood, bamboo, rattan and natural fibre-based handicrafts plus local organic products such as bee honey, oil, ghee, spices, vegetables and fruits, poultry; Solukhumbu produces hand-made paper crafts, wooden items such as plates and bowls, and stone carvings reflecting Sherpa culture.
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Offering natural fibre-baskets as a gift to a bride is traditional in Madhei culture, but now hundreds of women in the villages of Lumbini have diversified the design and products, and sell them in local shops as well as craft outlets in Kathmandu. Credit: TRPAP
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While some crafts are still made in the home, for volume production and quality control a number of craft workshops have been set up. These themselves have been promoted as tourist attractions, where visitors can see the craftwork being carried out. Items are suitably branded to confirm their authenticity and emphasis their links with local cultural heritage. Efforts have been taken to develop attractive packaging and to establish stronger commercial links between producers and traders, particularly those in the Kathmandu valley.
To support all these enterprises TRPAP provides training and counselling on business skills, such as planning, administration and accounting. The organisation runs training courses on handicraft skills, new product development and design diversification, and coaching on packaging and product presentation. These are undertaken in close collaboration with craft marketing and design companies such as Fair Trade Group Nepal, Nepal Knot Craft Centre, Saving and Credit Cooperative of Entrepreneurs (SCOPE). Local communities are encouraged to share possible business ideas. Information is provided to entrepreneurs about micro-credit and 'soft loans', with affordable repayment rates, are available as seed money to start up new businesses.
The craft activities are being promoted locally, nationally and recently internationally. In March 2005, the New Tourism Products developed by TRPAP were formally launched at the International Tourism Exchange Fair in Berlin, Germany.
TRPAP along with Nepal Tourism Board and 11 private companies successfully participated in this fair, where there was much interest in community-based tourism. Brochures have been distributed to hotels, handicraft outlets, fair trade groups, tour operators and tourist information centres. Plans are under way to expand this promotion through the Nepal Tourist Board website and in guidebooks.
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| Local baskets produced by Terain women displayed in exhibition organised during Buddha Purnima – a local festival in Lumbini. Credit: TRPAP |
Impact
The programme has carried out an evaluation on the impact of its work to date:
- 17,492 households benefited economically.
- 629 micro enterprises had received soft loan totalling NRs.12,870,000 (approx £103,000).
- 2516 direct employment opportunities had been generated.
- 155 local tour and trekking guides were trained and most of them are self-employed.
- 8178 local people in the community had received vocational and entrepreneurship training.
- 7 handicraft sales outlets were established in six districts.
- Commercial linkages established between producers and craft marketing companies.
- More than 100 producers benefited in Lumbini through commercial linkages with Nepal Knot Craft Centre, Nepal.
- More than 100 producers of Langtang, Rasuwa, benefited from commercial linkages established with Sana hastakala, a Fair Trade Group organisation.
- Visitor Information centres were established and functional in all districts.
Benefits are felt all round – the tourists have unforgettable experiences with a more intimate view of the cultures, lifestyles and traditions in these areas; and local tribal people now have an incentive to retain their original arts, crafts, customs and cultural identity, and to protect the environment and heritage sites.
Acknowledgements
Hands On would like to thank Jamuna Ulak, Enterprise Development and tourism advisor of SNV Nepal and TRPAP, for help in putting together this case study.
Further Information
Participating Organisations
Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP)
P.O. Box 107
Tourist Service Centre
Bhrikuti Mandap
Kathmandu
Nepal
Tel: +977 1 4256 909 (ext. 139), 4269 768
Fax: +977 1 4269 770
E-mail: info_trpap@ntb.org.np
Website: www.welcomenepal.com/trpap
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
One United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
USA
Tel: +1 (212) 906-5000, +1 (212) 906-5317 (general enquiries)
Fax: +1 (212) 906-5364
Website: http://www.undp.org/
Department for International Development (DFID)
1 Palace Street
London SW1E 5HE
UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7023 0000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7023 0019
Website: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/
The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV)
P.O. Box: 1966, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977 15523444
Fax: +977 1 5523155
E-mail: julak@snv.org.np
Website: www.snvworld.org
Nepal Tourism Board
P.O. Box 11018
Tourist Service Center
Bhrikuti Mandap
Kathmandu
Nepal
Tel: +977 1 4256909, 4256229
Fax: +977 1 4256910
E-mail: info@ntb.org.np
Website: http://www.welcomenepal.com/
Sustainable Tourism Network (STN)
Website: http://www.welcomenepal.com/stn/default.asp
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