Nepali women-led businesses aid wildlife conservation

In rural Nepal, small businesses run by women are helping reduce dangerous human-wildlife encounters while protecting forest ecosystems. By generating income through alternative ventures such as wool spinning and beekeeping, local residents rely less on harvesting timber and firewood from critical animal habitats.

The shift is particularly significant near Chitwan National Park, which shelters species including Bengal tigers, single-horned Asiatic rhinoceroses, and gharials. Residents of Naya Padampur were relocated outside the park boundaries in the 1990s, but gathering resources at the forest edge remained hazardous. According to research covering 2010 to 2024, wildlife attacks on women in Nepal carry a fatality rate exceeding 70 percent, compared to under 50 percent for men, largely because routine tasks like fetching water and firewood require venturing close to wild animals.

To avoid these hazardous treks, Naya Padampur resident Bin Maya Gurung gathered 25 local women in the early 2000s to learn wool spinning through the National Trust for Nature Conservation. Gurung previously ventured into wild areas daily to collect firewood for brewing traditional liquor. Today, the spinning enterprise mentored by Gurung and led by Buddhimaya Ghale employs 600 women locally and another 300 across Nepal. Participants earn between 8,000 and 40,000 Nepalese rupees ($52 to $263) per month.

Broader Ecological and Social Impact These microenterprises align with wider conservation strategies across Nepal. Under the 1993 Forest Act, community forest user groups now manage roughly one-third of the country's total forest cover. In addition to textiles, women-led operations produce items like bamboo baskets, soap, candles, and coffee. Studies by organizations such as the Climate and Development Knowledge Network show that planting crops like bamboo and coffee on fallow land supports soil preservation and prevents erosion.

Despite these achievements, female entrepreneurs still encounter significant hurdles. In rural Nepal, roughly 20 percent of women own land, making it difficult to secure bank loans due to collateral requirements. While Nepal's 2015 constitution established equal land ownership rights and financial institutions offer specialized subsidized loans, cultural obstacles and family reluctance continue to challenge women seeking economic independence.