Writing science for influencing policy: insights from Nepals forest sector

Hemant R Ojha Naya Sharma Paudel

Outline
1. Context
- Forest policy field in Nepal? - Role of research and science writing?

2. Concepts - policy?
- research? - research-policy link?

3. Reflections - what we did?

- how we did? - Insights / dilemmas?

Context

Key Policy Issues in Nepals Forest Sector

Is science writing contributing to the debate?

Roles? Tenure? Authority?

Conservation? Livelihoods? Employment?

More policy actors in forest governance than in the past, with diverse knowledge and power forms
Increasing space for policy writing?
Communities Communities Govern ment Donor Forest Forest Forest Forest Before 1957 nationalization of forest Between 1957 1978 until early forms of CF initiated through Panchayat Forestry Regulations Between 1957 - 1978 until early forms of CF initiated through Panchayat Forestry Regulations Between 1978 - 1995 when the new Forest Act was enforced After 1995 till now: diverse actors, complex field, diverse issues Governme nt Communities Donors Markets Governm ent

INGOs NGOs

Donors

NGOs

Local Communities governm et Forest Research

CFUG networks

Gover nment
Communities

Diverse policy actors in forest governance

Donors
Research institutions INGOs

Communicating research Who benefits from the research we write?

Ministry, Dept
Private sector

Parliamentary committee

Citizen networks

NGOs

Who makes policy decisions?

Parliament Sole decisions by the minister Public Pressure

Too diverse policy Processes

Does science/ Evidence have a role?

Bureaucratic wisdom
International influence/donor conditionality Instructions by prime minister National Planning Commission

It is the government who should talk about policy.I do not understand why you people outside of the government are talking about policy here in this meeting
(A retired senior bureaucrat in a policy debate forum organised by ForestAction Nepal and Nepal Foresters Association).

What drives forest policy change in Nepal?

Expert policy analysis with little community voice (e.g Master Plan for the Forestry Sector, Agriculture Perspective Plan )
Administrative imperative (Forest Policy 2000, Forest Inventory Directives 2000) Community movement (e.g withdrawal of recent amendment proposal of Forest Act 1993) Collaborative works between civil society and the government: e.g CF Guidelines 2008, Forest Inventory Directives 2005 Community resistance to top-down policy processes e.g Agriculture Development Strategy 2013 Policies pushed by political leaders parties, ministers, parliamentary committees Policies made by Judiciary and Constitutional Bodies (CIAA) Policies pushed by aid agencies and international processes - LAPA? If research has limited influence on forest policy, why should we talk about the role of writing in changing policy?

Informed by a rich pool of knowledge, experience, and deliberation e.g Forest Act 1993, Rules 1995

Knowledge

Politics

Policy

In the current state of political transition, the role of research in policy is even less significant.

Muscles and violent resistance

Political negotiations Politicized identity of researchers loss of epistemic authority

Political leaders are not really interested to do any new things. So as an expert what can you do? (ex NPC vice-chair person)

Concept s

So how can we become effective science writers to influence policy?

We need to better understand why research / writing is not working as expected.

Policy dilemma: burden or means of empowerment?

Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. -Rousseau

Lots of works on how research can and should contribute to policy

Ojha and Shrestha 2013

Techne

Epistem e

Phrones is

Should science writing be done more at a particular stage of policy cycle than others?

Science and policy: clash of cultures?

Brownson 2006

The political field of forest policy process

Global Discourse and Policies

Cultural groups Bureaucracy

Policymaking as deliberative process and social learning Citizens Economic groups

Natural science

Science

Ideological groups Elected leaders Institutional forms

Social science

Local Contexts

How do we facilitate policy change?

(Start and Hovland 2004)

Reflections
from practice
13 years of research at Forest Action Nepal 3 years of research South Asia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS) 3 years of research networking at Nepal Policy Research Network (NPRN)

Which form of writing for which Policy making?

Letters

Posters
Journal of Forest and LIvelihoos Leaflet

Varieties of writing
Peer reviewed articles

Discussion Papper

Media blogs/editorials

Policy Briefs

Publications types policy relevance?

Which policy actors value which form of science writing? - Language? - Style? - Length of writing? - Presentations? - Evidence versus argument?

Research and science writing does influence policy processes and outcomes
Policy issues Special forest policy (for Terai) 2000 Level Policy Our contribution Action researches Dissertations Book Journal articles Special issue of Journal on Terai forest Actively participated in taskforce Analysis and papers focusing pro-poor and inclusive provisions Field study Discussion paper Policy roundtable Field study Policy roundtable Outcomes Cartelize terai forest governance debate

Community Forestry Guidelines Forest Act amendment Attempts New Conservation Area (2010-2011)

Guidelines

Pro-poor CF guidelines

Act

Government withdrew amendment bill Ensured community rights are respected

Regulations

inventory guidelines (2000)

Guidelines

Field study and report Review article in JFL

Simplified CF inventory guidelines

How does policy writing contribute to policy change? Timely, critical, strategic, rapid analysis can help

Media reports

Government proposal FECOFUN protest Amendment bill withdrawn

Policy round table

Discussion paper

Field research

Writing for influencing policy: several challenges

Diagnosis? Specific recommendations? Evidence driven? Theory driven? Attention to details? Too familiar contexts? Critical? Appreciative? Single case? Generalization?

Qualitative? Quantitative?

Engagement? Neutrality?

Identity? Limits of NGObased research?

Summary
Writing can make a lot of difference to policy, but only when done differently - time - relevance - quality - presentation / form - identity Policy writing is an engaged, political act not just a disengaged academic practice Writers need to manage their identity beyond NGOs, as wider community of engaged public intellectuals