Hari Dhungana, Senior Research Fellow

Dr. Hari Dhungana is the Senior Research Fellow of Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS). Dr. Dhungana has PhD in International Development within which his research was concerned with social justice in relation to natural resources governance. In addition to general management functions in SIAS, Hari leads a number of research projects on environment and development and provides oversight and input in others. He coordinates the fellowship and internship programs hosted by SIAS, manages short-courses on epistemology and research methods, scientific writing, evaluation, and climate change and development. He is also involved in a number of consulting assignments on climate change and development, knowledge management, and capacity building. Hari is also a member of Community of Evaluators Nepal (http://www.coe-nepal.org.np/) and manages its secretariat at SIAS.

Research projects with Hari’s lead/member roles include,

(1) Co-Investigator, “Conflict and cooperation over REDD+ in Mexico, Nepal and Vietnam” in collaboration with University of East Anglia (UEA), Centre for People and Forests (RECOFTC) Thailand, Winrock International (US), Institute of Cultural Studies (Vietnam) and Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (Mexico). It is funded by Department of International Development (UK) and managed by the Netherlands Research Organization (NWO) in the Hague.

(2) Co-Investigator, DFID-ESRC Frontiers of Development Research project, “Rethinking Environment and Development in the Era of Global Norms” in collaboration with University of East Anglia (UEA), University of Edinburgh, and Sudanese National Academy of Sciences.

(3) Senior Researcher on the research project “Climate Change and Rural Institutions” in collaboration with Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS), funded by DANIDA.

Hari’s other engagements include:

(1) Mentor to Research Fellows, SIAS-ASD Public Policy Fellowship program Batch I-III, Alliance for Social Dialogue,

(2) Lead Consultant “Knowledge Management in Multistakeholder Forestry Programme”.

In the recent past, Hari has served  as team leader in several projects. They include:

• Lead researcher, “the state of policy research in Nepal,” for Alliance for Social Dialogue, Kathmandu.
• Lead evaluator in the Mid-term evaluation of community-based forest management in the Himalayas (ComForM)—Danida supported project, Institute of Forestry, TU; Political economy of drivers of conflict and governance, DFID Nepal.
• Political economy of local governance, with special reference to delivery of public health and education, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation.
• Principal Investigator on “Climate change and child rights: Intervention Opportunities in Nepal”, CWIN/Save the Children Nepal.
• Nepal coordinator on “Research on agricultural innovations under climate change”, a SIAS-led South Asia research project, Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security of CGIAR system.
• Regional study team member of Ecosystem services for poverty alleviation, University of Edinburgh/ ForestAction.
• Lead member, on the study on Scoping for Accountability research in Nepal, for Niti Foundation.
• Team member, Diagnostic study of public policy process in Nepal, policy mapping on local governance and deepening democracy at local level, for Niti Foundation.

Published works 

Peer-reviewed article

1. Adhikari, J. and Dhungana, H. (2010) “The state and forest resources: an historical analysis of the policies affecting forest management in Nepalese Tarai,” Himalaya.

Book & book chapter

1. Dhungana, H.; Ghimire, S. And Adhikari, J. (2009) eds. ‘Biodiversity and Livelihoods’ [Nepali text] Kathmandu: Martin Chautari, and five chapters within the book.
2. Dhungana, H. and Logan, M. (2007) eds. Sustainable Development in Conflict Environments: Opportunities and Challenges. Proceedings of the International Conference; Kathmandu: CECI-Nepal.
3. Dhungana, H. (2007) ed. and trans. Sustainable Development in Conflict Environments: Opportunities and Challenges [Nepali text]. Proceedings of the International Conference. Kathmandu: CECI-Nepal.
4. Adhikari, J. N., Dhungana, H. P. and Dev, O. P. (2006) State and Forest: A historical analysis of policies affecting forest management in Nepal Tarai [Nepali Text]. IN Thapa, B. and Mainali, M. (eds.). Madhesh. Kathmandu: Himal Books

Policy Briefs and Policy reviews:

1. Ojha, H.; Sharma, N.; Dhungana, H. and Luitel, H. (2010) Research and policy linkage in South Asia. Kathmandu: ForestAction. [policy brief]
2. Dhungana, H. and Khanal, D. (2009) Concept paper on environmental rights and good (environmental) governance as a contribution to the new constitution of Nepal. Forum for Justice, Kathmandu. [contribution to the Constituent Assembly]
3. LFP, 2009 [contributor] “Climate change and forestry: Policy implications” (Nepali text). ForestAction and Livelihoods and Forestry Programme, Kathmandu. [policy brief]
4. Khanal, DR, Bhattarai, B & Dhungana, HP (2006) Review of Community Forestry Policies in Tarai Kathmandu: Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) [policy review]

Thesis and Dissertation

1. PhD Thesis, 2010: “Contested Hinterlands: The praxis of social justice in community forestry in Nepal” submitted to the School of International Development, University of East Anglia, UK [submitted April 2010].
2. MSc Dissertation. Dhungana, HP (2003) Trade of Non-Timber Forest Products in Nepal: Opportunities & Challenges Dissertation Submitted for the fulfillment of MSc Degree in Natural Resources Management, Pokhara University.
3. BSc project. Dhungana, H.P. (1999). Research Paper on the Prospects and Constraints for Agroforestry Interventions in the Morang-Sunsari Tarai of Eastern Nepal. Dissertation submitted to Institute of Forestry for fulfillment of B.Sc. Degree in Forestry. Pokhara: TU Institute of Forestry.

Proceedings and seminar synthesis

1. Paudel, NS and Dhungana, H. (2009) eds. “Linking Research and Policy in South Asia”. ForestAction, Kathmandu. [seminar synthesis]
2. RRN and CECI-Nepal (2007) ‘Development Strategies for a New Nepal: A National Debate’ Proceedings of the National Seminar. [seminar synthesis][editor, with Prof. David Seddon]
3. CECI (2006) Synthesis of seminar presentations and discussions during First National Trade Show and Seminar on Herbs, Herbal Products and Spices (12-14 November 2005) Kathmandu: Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) [editor]

Research Report

1. Dhungana, H.P. & Bhattarai, B. (2005). Community Forestry in Nepal Tarai: Status of Potential Community Forests in the Tarai, Inner Terai and Churia Kathmandu: Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) and ActionAid Nepal
2. Dhungana, H. P. & Dahal, S. P. (2004) Strengthening local capacity for non-timber forest products management and marketing: the need of policy reforms in community forestry in Nepal. Paper published at the Proceedings of the 4th Community forestry workshop, 4-6 Aug 2004 organized by the MFSC Department of Forests, Kathmandu.
3. Dhungana, H.P. (2000). Incorporating NTFP Management Programs under Community Forestry Management Systems in the Nepal Hills. IN Amatya, S. M. (ed.) Proceedings of South and East Asian Workshop on Community Based NTFP Management. Pokhara: Institute of Forestry.

Articles in periodicals, newspapers, or websites

1. Dhungana, H. P., Pain, A., Khatri, D., Gurung, N., Ojha, H. (2013) Climate Change and Rural Institutions in Nepal. DIIS Working Paper 2013:16, Danish Institute for International Studies, Copenhegen, Denmark.
2. Subedi, B.P. and Dhungana, H.P. (2001) An Innovative Partnership for NTFP Policy Agenda: Himali Jadibuti Sarokar Samuha, Himalayan Bioresources, December issue. ANSAB, Kathmandu.
3. Web country profile. Dhungana, H.P. (2000) (ed. Lisa Ambus) Community Forestry Country Profile of Nepal http://www.forestsandcommunities.org/Country_Profiles/Nepal.html.
4. Dhungana, H.P. (2000) Initiatives of FECOFUN in NTFP Sub-Sector of Nepal, INHimalayan Bioresources, Vol. 4., ANSAB, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Manual and guideline

1. ANSAB (Aug 2007) [with BP Subedi et al] Manual on Natural Products: Community organizing, natural resources management, enterprise development and integration into value chains. Kathmandu: ANSAB.

Editing contribution to publications

1. ANSAB and FAO (2009) Challenges and opportunities for Nepal’s small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs). Forest Connect Diagnostic Studies on Small and Medium-Sized Forest Enterprises, 3. Rome: FAO

Review and editing work

1. Editor/ reviewer for select issues of the Journal Forests and Livelihoods published by ForestAction Kathmandu, (select volumes, 2002-2009)
2. Reviewer/editor for select issues of the Journal Hamro Ban Sampada (Nepali text) published by ForestAction Kathmandu, (select volumes, 2008-09)
3. Editor (asst.): Lahara. Nepali bulletin of Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB). Worked on Vol. 1.
4. Editor (asst.): Himalayan Bioresources. English Newsletter of Nepal NTFP Network, published by ANSAB. Worked on Vol. 5.
5. Editor: User Group Forestry News. English Bulletin of Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (FECOFUN). Worked on Issue 1, 2001.