Multi dimensional Resource Centre Nepal (MRC/Nepal)

Hetauda, Nepal

An Overview Of Our Solution

The mountainous country like Nepal, the agriculture land in plain region is heavily affected from the recurrent river and floods from upstream to downstream. The productive land converted into river bed, left as such fallows for many years as a degraded land. The river left the track now and no more threatening from the river. The degraded land left as such for many years adversely affect environment and whole ecosystem. If suitable technologies and approach as an innovation introduced in the areas, the unproductive fallow land is brought into productive and play vital role for environment protection and natural resource conservation. Realizing these scenarios to cope up of the situation, river bed cultivation project entitled” efficient land management for socio economic enhancement in Southern Nepal” was designed by our organization MRC Nepal a national NGO

Who is this solution impacting?

Community Type

Rural

Organization type

Nirlaba

Ecosystem (select all that apply)

Forests

Grasslands

Population impacted

24,000

Size of agricultural area

1,550 ha

Production quantity

600,000kg

People employed

4,200

Describe your solution

The unemployed mass of the women who work as a daily wages labour are organized into group institutionally and act as a lead farmer capacitating various level of capacity building trainings. They also received seeds and materials as a production inputs and technologies for the methods of improved productions. So, that employment created by 100 percent. Previously in the areas were traditional type of farming with conventional package and practices which as a result production and productivity of land is very lowest. Also, the land holding of the people/farmers are smallest(below 0.3 hac). So that their food security falls below six month only. The unused fallow un productive land in the areas is the major tools and land resources for the production if improved technologies introduced in the areas. The intervention implemented in the areas is the proven fact and evidence of securing food all year round, increased income, increased employment, improved social harmony in the villages through reducing domestic conflicts, increased living standard and social dignity of the marginal women and people. The green vegetation and plantation with improved technologies protect the environment and whole eco system as the production methods were completely organic and uses of bio pesticides for plant protection. Uses of compost, green manures, Farm yard manure, vermicomposting and bio fertilizers were promoted. As a result, bio diversity is restoring and conservation.

Describe your implementation

Based on technical feasibility and social assessment of the marginal community and marginal land, major interventions are high value crops, fruit plantation, NTFP and tree plantation in the areas. In case of high value crops include fresh vegetable production, seed production, legumes, cereals and oil crops. The marginal beneficiaries own smallest land holding so that promotion of vegetable productions have prioritized in the production. These agricultural crops were promoted based on technical feasibility of production such as climate, soil, irrigation water and inputs availability. As a result production and productivity of per unit of land increased by 3 folds as of base line data. Because of the socio economic changes of the marginal women, we ensure the solution was adopted and promoted change in human activities. The activities are socially accepted and applied widely. Along with this for the intervention there is friendly environment and enabling environment and condition for scaling up and expansion in wider areas. Production level environment such as climate and soils, seasons, inputs/outputs, technologies all are favorable from production to marketing and or end users. The key success factors of the interventions are socially accepted/valued and favorable technical environment for production and marketing. Marketing is also important factor for agricultural products which should permits better price and enable environment of selling. Major obstacles in the interventions were mainly marketing of vegetable products because of monopoly of middle men involvement. But these problems were resolved by discouraging middle men and encouraging producers for marketing them selves and system established. Also some time price fluctuation in the market exist, however it was attempted for stabilized market and off season productions. At production level there was no any obstacles at all.

External connections

The key partners of the interventions are mainly the grass root level promoted functional groups, community Based Organization, cooperatives, local level microfinance institutions, agro vets, local market place actors, whole salers, government agencies, etc. These partners and stakeholders are closely associated with our organization and act in joint venture in possible cases wherever necessary. Possible collaboration with our activities and other stakeholders activities such as government have been prioritized and promoted. So that cost share exist and coverage have expanded. This also the best indicator of sustainability if collaboration exist in the intervention. Our effort of intervention are also linked with other sectors such as forestry, irrigation and policy lobbying. The forestry office also align activities and support of expansion. Similarly, irrigation is also important for agricultural production and support provided. Activities integration is important for coverage and long run sustainability. So our efforts always continued for integration. Policy advocacy on land management was also strengthened. Advocacy on women right were also carried out as the intervention cover 100 percent women beneficiaries/involvement. Because of the proven intervention financial lobbying for the resource generation have been continued.

What is the environmental or ecological challenge you are targeting with your solution?

The degraded and unproductive fallow land in the form of river bed left as such for many years adversely affect environment and whole ecosystem. Specially, during summer when windblown the soil and sand particles fly and pollute the community settlement and everywhere. The fallow land also degraded every year and created as a source of environment pollution and site for hazardous. During rainy season the fallow degraded land also boost for soil erosion through heavy run off. As a result the whole settlement of the marginal community are threatened every year. These scenario for the community is so serious and must come into solution and utmost needed to overcome the situation. In this regards, strategic implementation of the activities such as green vegetation and plantation of the degraded land is only the solution. So, promotion of high value crops cultivation such as vegetables, leguminous, oils crops, fruit plantation and NTFP plantation are the major intervention.

Describe the context in which you are operating

The community of the project interventions are marginal where women are also marginal in terms of right, capital reaching, education and health. They are dominated by men in many ways in Nepal. Considering these situation for these intervention, 100 percent women farmers are organized into groups and empowered institutionally and economically. Women came in front and able to search resources. Through these intervention the social and economic identity in the society is defined and upgraded. Because of the social development of the marginal women, their identity in the community is established. Previously, women work as a labor in the village and have food security below 6 month, under nutrition and malnutrition. After these interventions, now whole women farmers secure their food security all year round and nutrition status upgraded because of consumption of all year round fresh vegetables. Because of increased income of women farmers, the basic needs of water, education and health also improved. Because of the improved social and economic foundation, the long run sustainability of intervention exist and they are able to handle the activities in a long run sustainably but needs additional resources for scaling up and expansion. The strong base of institutional development is the foundation of sustainability.

How did you impact natural resource use and greenhouse gas emissions?

The degraded and deteriorated land has reclaimed and covered by green vegetation and heavy plantation which as a result impacted on short run and long run benefit for the conservation of environment and biodiversity. The crop and plant species planted in the fallow unproductive land converted into greenery which are the foundation of biodiversity conservation and environment conservation. The land is covered by different species of seasonal vegetable crops, agronomical crops, legumes, oil crops ,fruit trees/fruits. Non Tinber Forest Products(NTFP),tree species, etc. These wider ranges of plant species definitely support for wider ranges of biodiversity conservation and environment protection. The polluted environment previously really meant for so serious on land degradation and source for soil erosion every year. The losses of productive soils each year during rainy season had now been protected and as a result save the environment.

Language(s)

Nepali, Nepal Bhasa, English

Water

The intervention areas of river bed is close to the river and so need of water is fulfilled by pumping or canal construction/pipe installation. The river is the source of water and fulfill all year round. However, in dry or summer season scarce water may happen some times.In such cases low water requirement crops or dry land crops were adopted for the cultivation. The water requirement for the crops and human have resolved from the sources of river in the areas.

Food Security/Nutrition

Since the areas and people are marginal, they have food security below 6 month. Now they are capable of securing food for all year round from the intervention. Along with these, the marginal people were suffering from under nutrition and malnutrition. But after intervention of the activities, their nutrition status is improved drastically through increased income and consumption of all year round nutritious fres/green vegetable in their kitchen. Balance diet has fulfilled through increased incom

Economic/Sustainable Development

The intervention is commercially and economically viable. The technologies and approach applied here are under the capacity of local beneficiaries to be delivered in a long run. The increased income by 3 folds help them economically viable at a commercial stage. The intervention is sustainable in a long run because of institutional foundation, social foundation and economic foundation of the beneficiaries have been built up strongly. Not only these but also the technological empowerment through

Climate

There is favorable climatic condition for the production of intervention. As per the climatic situation the production calendar is designed and identify different seasons. With the diversified climate, diversified plant species in a wider range have been developed and brought into cultivation. Initially it was piloted in a small scale and based on its impact and performances then commercially expanded in a larger scale with the proven technologies. Sometime climate changes adversely and adapted

Sustainability

The solution is economically sustainable because of the proven technologies that generated substantial income at household level. The solution for covering these beneficiaries is economically sustainable but needs further support for expansion as the demand from adjoining areas have been coming up massively because of the positive impact, output and outcome at beneficiaries and all level. This does not rely on grant funding always but needs support if for scaling and expansion of the solution in a larger scale. The existing beneficiaries and areas also may need for smaller support for capacity building and marketing exposure. Initial subsidy is only for starter feed for technologies introduction as a piloting only.

Return on investment

The technologies, methods of delivery and the approach of implementation is cheapest and cost effective where community contribution is higher and external support is least. Initially for two years period per beneficiaries was calculated less than 200 US Dollar for capacity building and inputs support only. The solution was proved as cost effective because of the community contribution is higher where in some cases community contribution is up to 60%.While comparing with the investment it shows 1:25th scale for the initial 2 years and gradually decline investment in succeeding years and revenue much higher. Comparing investment, revenue is largest and in later stage even can not compare with negligible investment.

How could we successfully replicate this solution elsewhere?

This becomes pleasure to write here that the proven solution could be replicated elsewhere in the region but with limited resources it has replicated in a smaller scale but need and demand from the beneficiaries is much higher. For to meet the demand and scope needs funding support. The attempt for resource searching is continuing for wider scale replication of the solution once it has proven already the best technologies and approach for supporting improved livelihood of the marginal community, environmentally friendly, biodiversity conservation and social development of the marginal beneficiaries. The support for expansion and replication is needed for capacity building training, exposure, material, tools, seeds, irrigation, documentation and publication of the knowledge products. Based on the available resources, the no. of beneficiaries have covered but it should be cost effective. Community contribution is mandatory in our solution for the creation of ownership & sustainability

Overview