The Inclusive Development of the Economy (INCLUDE) Programme, a cooperation project of the Government of Nepal and the Federal Republic of Germany, is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Industry (MoI) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, formerly the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ). The INCLUDE programme is intended to create jobs and income opportunities in selected regions of Nepal for a socially inclusive economic growth, which will help steer the country towards a more peaceful and prosperous future.

The purpose of the programme is to support the Government of Nepal’s objective to bring along change to the lives of the general public through the establishment of peace and reduction of unemployment, poverty and inequalities. INCLUDE supports stakeholders in creating an enabling environment for socially inclusive economic development and good governance through promotion of the private, public and civil society in rural areas of Nepal finally resulting to improvements in the employment and income for poor and disadvantaged persons.

Other major programme partners include the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Ministry of Local Development (MLD), the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC), the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and their respective regional CCIs, the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI), the Nepal Bankers’ Association, the District Development Committees (DDCs), cooperatives as well as banks and financial institutions.

The GIZ INCLUDE Central Steering Committee is headed by the MoI. Other members of the Steering Committee are the MoF, MLD, FNCCI, IEDI, Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries (FNCSI), and the Department of Cottage and Small Industries (DCSI). In addition, INCLUDE supports the communication and joint programme steering of the stakeholders in the districts, represented from the public, private and civil society sectors.

The German International Cooperation with Nepal concentrates on three priority areas: local self-governance and civil society, renewable energy, and health and family planning. INCLUDE is part of the priority area “Promotion of Local Self Governance and Civil Society.”

The programme term is from July 2008 to December 2011.