Rural Urban Partnership Programme (NEP/03/003)

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Activities

Research Activities

Introduction | Activities

Introduction

Research is a very important component of the Programme for deriving policy implication as well as successful implementation and smooth continuation of its activities. Information generated by research is essential for activities before and after their implementation. The information system together with the research output supports the implementation of activities in the market zones and also helps to derive at national level policy directives. The Programme conducts research at three levels viz. Central Level, Market Region and Market Zone to explore social and economic opportunities and disseminate the information outcome to all concerned stakeholders. Central level research mainly include those which could verify the Programme results and thus be translated to a policy and which are also applicable to all twelve partner municipalities, whereas the research activity at the regional level are directed toward supporting the establishment of regional market linkage by the enterprises. The major research activities at the market level have been the action oriented research for community enterprise establishments, preparation of tole, ward, rural market centre and municipality profiles, success case stories, collection of base line information of community enterprises.

Researches conducted at all the levels of the Programme are the backbone of the Programme implementation. The findings from the research at varying levels of the Programme have helped reach at policy decisions and streamline the activities for making best possible output through strengthening rural urban linkage. The market zone delineation, rural market delineation carried out at the initial phase of the Programme implementation are the basis to determine the hinterland of the market zones and rural market centres respectively in terms of the flow of goods, services and people. Findings of these studies have helped tremendously to implement the Programme activities in potential market centres of rural area in respective market region and zone.

Many action and feasibility studies undertaken by the partner municipalities are another useful researches for successful implementation of the Programme activities. Most of the Programme support packages for socio-economic infrastructure and linkage enterprises development are supported through the action research carried out at the municipality level. Under collaborative research students from national and international academic institutions carry out research and internship. Their research findings are taken as a guideline for undertaking that particular activity.

Activities

At PMU Level | Collaborative Research | At the Regional Level | At the Market Zone Level

i) At PMU Level

A study on interest rate of RUPP credit completed.
RUPP conducted a study on Far Western Regional Market Linkage.
RUPP engages in periodic impact evaluation exercises based upon its in-house reporting and monitoring systems as well as through studies carried out by independant consultants. In this respect Green Valley Consult (GVC) were commissioned to carry out the impact assessment study of RUPP.
A talk programme on "Rural -Urban Linkage in the Context of Nepal' Urban Transition was organised on July 20, 2001 at the Institute of Engineering Pulchowk, Laitpur. The Programme featued a sole presentation by Dr. Micheal Douglass, Professor of Hawaii University, USA.

Collaborative Research

The Programme has continued its collaborated research work with the Universities, Campuses and Institutes. The Programme both facilitated many research students doing research on RUPP related area and activities from the PMU as well as from the SO offices.

Ms. Jyoti Sapkota, a candidate of Masters Degree in Rural Development from Padma Kanya Campus of Tribhuwan University completed her thesis work on "Pressure of IDPs due to Natural Disaster". The research work carried out in Bharatpur municipality.
Ms. Sushma Sharma, a candidate of Masters Degree in Rural Development from Padma Kanya Campus of Tribhuwan University completed her thesis work on "Women Empowerment through Rural Urban Partnership Programme". She did her research work in Biratnagar municipality.
Ms. Sudha Shakya, a candidate of Bachelor Degree in Management from ACE School of Management completed her Internship on "Management Strategy of RUPP".
Ms. Aparajita Acharya, a graduate in Sociology from the University of Sydney completed her volunteer work.
Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Shah of Atlantic College, Bar Harbor, USA is doing his internship on an impact assessment of the Rural Labor Linkage (RLL) component of the Programme including the roles of credit in poverty reduction. He has successfully presented his research works at the Programme Management Unit (PMU) to the NPD, NPM, Programme Officer of UNDP, and the other advisors of RUPP.
Mr. Rajendra Adhikari of Tribhuwan University has completed his thesis work on Social Mobilization for Local Development: A case study of Rural Urban Partnership Programme in Bharatpur Municipality. In February 2005, he presented his final work at PMU. He was provided some research assistance to conduct his study.
Ms. Apekchhya Karki, a computer engineer from Nepal Engineering College completed her internship on ICT activities of the Programme. Her internship started from the end of November for a period of four months. During her internship, she had visited Inaruwa, Itahari and Nepalgunj. She also presented her final report in March 2005 at the PMU.
With some support from the Programme, Mr. Bhoj Raj Ojha has been doing a research work for his PhD in Rural Urban Economic Opportunities.
Ms. Sumitra Koirala, a graduate completed a research work on Library Management of RUPP.
Ms. Jessica Murray, a Candidate for Masters degree from School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University; has been doing a research as an intern in collaboration with the Programme. The research is focused on assessing the impacts of the Programme enterprise development activities on poverty reduction. The research aims to determine the magnitude of poverty reduction including the degree of poverty reduction on the beneficiaries of the Programme. Apart from that the research will help to develop a template that can be used to assess impacts on poverty reduction. The research is expected to finish by the end of August 2003.
Ms. Raji Dhital, a Candidate for Masters degree from Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies has been engaged in a collaborative research of the Programme. The research aims to relate urban food demand to different changes it creates in the livelihood of farmers. Data collection part of the research will be completed by the end of August 2003.
Ms. Lilabati Kanskar, a final year MBA student from Pokhara University learnt about the Financial and Administration System of RUPP. She worked as an intern during the period of September 3, 2002 to September 23, 2002.
Ms. Ekta Bhattarai, a 3rd year undergraduate student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, successfully completed her one-month assessment on “RUPP Micro Enterprises of Pokhara Sub- Metropolitan Corporation” . She presented the assessment report on July 24, 2002 before a gathering of representatives from UN Programme, Government offices and other guests.
Mr. Gaurav Satyal, a final year undergraduate student from Tribhuvan University learnt about the Secretarial and Administration System of RUPP as an intern for the period of 6 months.
Ms. Anita Neupane from Makwanpur Multiple campus completed a case study of RUPP on "Efforts of RUPP for Poverty Alleviation at Hetauda Market Zone" as a partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Business Science. Mr. Milan Shrestha, a BBS level student from the same campus completed a study on "Savings Mobilization of Community at Hetauda Market Zone".
A collaborative research work completed by Ms. Leena Adhikari, a student of Gender and Development Studies of the Asian Institute of Technology.

ii) At the Regional Level

Bharatpur completed the research work on marketing of poultry products at the regional level with support from other SO offices in the Bharatpur Market Region. To disseminate the findings of the research and facilitate interactions between the producers and traders at regional level, an interaction workshop was also conducted.
Nepalgunj carried out a research on "Regional Marketing of Poultry Products (eggs) in Nepalgunj Market Region" and "Marketing of Cash Crops (ginger and other spices) with a view to help sustain the enterprises supported by the Programme by facilitating their linkage at the regional level.

iii) At Market Zone Level

The major research at the market zone level consisted of different action oriented research for community enterprise establishments, preparation of Tole, Ward and municipality profiles, preparation, preparation of success case stories, collection of baseline information of client community enterprises and partner rural market centres. Some important research activities undertaken at the market zone level this year are as follows:

Byas completed the collection of the base line information of the members of partner community enterprises from all concerned TLOs of respective wards. Preparations of a Tole profile is being used as a reference for Tole development and enterprise development activities.
Pokhara carried out action research on waste management in Krishna TLO and feasibility study on shed making for education for poor children of the locality. The So also assisted Pokhara SMC for the Impact Assessment of RUPP activities in Pokhara. The decision was taken by the municipal board to assess the impacts of the Programme.
Dhankuta carried out various action researches on Tkunala link road, Sidhuwa Bazaar drain construction, Dewantar link road and Kaileni Irrigation Projects.
Tulsipur carried out an action research on daily consumption of meat and vegetables in Tulsipur and on number of vehicles and passengers moving each day in and out from Tulsipur. The action research resulted in the establishment of a vegetable and meat market in Tulsipur.