Unsustainable business models and profit maximization at the expense of natural resource depletion has presented alarming signs of environmental catastrophe globally. The need for a responsible investment practice – a longer-term financing mechanism with landscape & biodiversity conservation built into investment decisions – has never been more urgent. Karnali River Basin Area, in the western part of Nepal, is endowed with ecological treasures. Karnali river – the longest river in the country – originates from the snow-capped Himalayas in the north and reaches the ‘flora and fauna rich’ dense forests in the south. The untapped potential of the resources, with hydro resources at the core, in a historically marginalized and poverty-stricken region presents a range of opportunities for socioeconomic development.

Creating an environment conducive to a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem in the region requires collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders: all levels of government, civil society, development partners, and an innovative private sector with an ability to mobilize financing and access wider markets. Karnali River Basin Conservation Fund (KRBCF, an impact investment fund) and Karnali Basin Conservation Foundation (a non-profit distribution entity) are twin entities institutionalized by DSV Advisors with the financial support from DAI’s seed grant (through the USAID-funded ‘Paani’ Program) to drive the needed multi-stakeholder collaboration.