Sustainable Infrastructure Development Foundation (SIDeF) was established as a civil engineering consultancy firm in 1994. It’s directors Hare Ram Shrestha and Govind Narayan Mallik were previously employed by GTZ as Team Members/Road Engineers in Dhading Development Project (DDP/GTZ) since May 1988. Each of them was responsible as a technical head looking after all the technical aspects of each individual road through advisory role.

Two roads in Dhading district supported by DDP/GTZ adopted the following basic principles:

·                              low-cost

·                              environment-friendly

·                              participatory

·                              labour-based construction techniques

The roads constructed in Dhading district were later popularly named as "Green Roads" and the approach of construction by following the aforementioned principles was named as the "Green Road Concept". This approach of road construction received wide recognition and reputation. Many donors and INGOs found it appropriate for Nepal and other places having similar mountainous topography. Among many of its important features, bioengineering and low-cost labour-based construction technique is one of the major components to make this approach a successful programme. With increasing popularity of the approach, it was felt to diversify the experience gained in the DDP. With this view, SIDeF was established in 1994. Since 1994 SIDeF is actively working as infrastructure consultant for various organizations.

SIDeF is involved in replication of this participatory, environment-friendly, labour-based road building approach in Makwanpur district of Nepal with the assistance of PLAN International and in Gorkha and Sankhuwasabha districts with the assistance of GTZ. It has also executed labour-based community infrastructure development projects (comprising rural roads, trails, community based irrigation schemes, river training & agro - forestry) in Parbat, Baglung, Surkhet, Dailekh, Pyuthan, Mugu and Kalikot districts under the Rural Community Infrastructure Works (RCIW) Programme (WFP/GTZ/HMG). SIDeF is also involved in training activities on slope stabilisation, bioengineering techniques and low-cost rural road construction and maintenance for various projects in Nepal as well as for the participants from abroad. SIDeF has also been engaged in the planning and formulation of rural road development programme with similar approach in Gulmi Arghakhanchi Rural Development Project (GARDP), Nepal, with the assistance of European Community (EC), Access Infrastructure Planning of Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha districts (Three Years Interim Planning for GTZ), preparation of Three Year RCIW Action Plan of Parbat & Baglung districts and preparation of District Transport Master Plan (DTMP) for Palpa, Achham, Dailekh and Sankhuwasabha districts with assistance from SDC/HELVETAS, Nepal and GTZ. Besides that, SIDeF’s senior professional is engaged as Training Co-ordinator for the Bioengineering Training provided to the engineers and overseers of the DoR, Consultants and Contractors working in bio–engineering sector, especially for the GEU with the assistance of DFID. SIDeF professionals have successfully carried out project assessment of several projects including roads and bridges being constructed under Upper Sagarmatha Agricultural Development Project under the direct assignment of Asian Development Bank.

SIDeF has established a Geographic Information System (GIS) unit to provide the services in the field of preparation, digitisation, analysis and interpretation of maps and is planned to establish the GPS (Global Positioning System) based survey unit. SIDeF has completed the digitization of 3 layers (land use, land system and land capability) of 20 PDDP districts. Work was assigned by PDDP/NPC. Recently, SIDeF prepared the digital database of both biophysical and socio-economic layer of selected pocket area of 10 VDCs of Sindhupalchowk district. Work was assigned by Melamchi Diversion Scheme Environmental Impact Assessment (MDSEIA/IUCN). Now GIS Division of SIDeF is involved for the digitization of data of eight districts for LGP/UNDP, in which 14 layers of biographical data will be digitised.