ABSTRACT
Programme is now the leading organization supporting rural development, through catalysing, strengthening and linking together village organizations and ensuring their bargaining power is strong in relation to government, NGOs and private service providers. Resource user groups can also play an important role. For example, in Nepal, over the past 40 years, some 9000 forest user groups have assumed responsibility from government for the sustainable management of parcels of national forests and play an important role in sustainable development in remote villages.
