This research on the five community-based organisations (CBOs) located in Jhikhu-Khola watershed, Kavrepalanchok district of Nepal assessed their institutional capacity comprised of planning, management, financial, and linkages (partnership) aspects. As a context to the assessment, socio-economic background of the CBO member households; working environment of the CBOs; local participation and contribution in CBOs; and role of CBOs on sustainable management of natural resources were also reflected upon. The research employed descriptive-cum-exploratory design and data collection methods involved institutional survey of the CBOs; sample survey of the member households of the CBOs; key informant interviews; and personal observation of the CBO works and their member interaction.
The study concluded that the CBOs are functioning not very well as of the studied CBOs could register as having sufficient organisational capacity. While one of them portrayed overall ?capacity gap? the rest four managed to register ?fair capacity?. The capacity gaps were observed mainly in management, finances and linkages. Women, in these CBOs have shown commitment and contributed a lot despite of their proxy roles in the mixed CBOs where their spouses are the legal members.
The research presented the socio-economic findings in tables disaggregated by caste and ethnicity. The institutional capacity levels of the studied CBOs are logically interpreted and presented in comparative tables. Similarly, the study has come up with a set of recommendations for enhanced institutional capacity of the CBOs; suggested issues for further research; and brief institutional capacity profiles of the studied CBOs. Finally, the research could be viewed as a methodological contribution towards institutional capacity assessment of the CBOs in mountain watershed context.
