Project Background

• Action Against Hunger | Action Contre la Faim (ACF) in coordination with Sahara Nepal has initiated implementation of Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) activities in wards 4 and 8 ofBelaka municipality for the period of January 2023- June2024. The main objective of the project is to ensure disaster resilient livelihood and enhance food security (improved Household Dietary Diversity) among the most vulnerable households of Udayapur district through innovative Value Chain development of bamboo, mushroom and Neglected and Underutilised Crop Species (NUCS).
• The programme specifically aims to achieve the following results:
• 100HHshave improved their knowledge and practices on the use of bamboo for livelihood and resilience to climate change impacts has been improved among the community
• 15 farmers’ groups (from 300 HH farmers (50% women), 50 lead farmers (50% women), 10 vendors have an improved physical and financial access to micronutrient-rich food through NUCS/Mushroom Value chain network establishment
• Community awareness campaign are organised toward the general community media and other multipliers to promote the consumption use of NUCS particular in favour of women groups

Major Activities

Reactivation/ organisation / formation of bamboo farmers’ groups with at least 100 HHs (50% women)

Training of farmers (all 100 HHs) on bamboo promotion and nursery development and management

Development of 1 or more bamboo nursery of 5,000 saplings in farmers’ group members’ own land or the public land legally acquired by the group for the nursery with input support, and its management

Plantation of bamboo saplings in at least 2 hectares of most vulnerable areas

Bamboo product diversification and skill enhancement training

Bamboo weaving training

Community consultation (at least 4 meetings), coordination, preparation and dissemination of Disaster Preparedness Plan (DPRP) and Local Disaster and Climate Resilience Plan (LDCRP)

Reactivation / organisation / formation of NUCS farmers’ groups with at least 300 HHs (50% women)

Basic level mushroom farming training to all 50 HHs with input support

Advance level mushroom farming training (1 batch) with input support targeting youth and women

Training on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for 300 HHs/farmers (nursery management, climate resilient cultivation, IPM) for local vegetables and NUCS with input support

Organisation of 2 batches of training on value addition / product diversification / post-harvest management of selected NUCS for selected members from the NUCS farmers’ groups

Business plan development and market access capacity enhancement training for 50 lead farmers (50% women)

Coordination meeting with women headed agriculture and / or enterprise cooperatives in the area for business linkage among beneficiaries

Coordination meeting through 1 workshop with input suppliers / value chain actors in leadership of nutrition and food security steering committee to promote farmers access to market (input and technical support, buy back agreement facilitation) (10 vendors and 20 lead farmers (women and DAG groups) in each event

Agro-fair among farmers (1)

Conditional grant support to 4 SMEs on NUCs, mushroom promotion

Development and publication of at least 2 types of IEC materials

Workshop (1) on nutritional intake promotion to FCHVs

Sensitisation on nutrition responsive vegetable consumption for local women groups through meetings and mass campaign.

Major Achievements

Selection of Farmers, registration if groups and disaggregation based on bamboo, NUCS and mushroom plantation is on verse to complete.

Two batch training for 89 farmers on bamboo promotion and nursery development and management has been completed

Development of two bamboo nursery sites with 6945 bamboo saplings in one land that is owned by farmers’ group members’ and other win the school area has been placed.

Preparation and dissemination of Disaster Preparedness Plan (DPRP) and Local Disaster and Climate Resilience Plan (LDCRP) for Belaka Municipality has been endorsed where has draft of the same for Udayapurgadhi has been in process to be endorsed.

Two batch training on Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for 70 HHs/farmers focusing on nursery management, climate resilient cultivation, IPM for local vegetables and NUCS with input support has been completed.

Coordination/Collaboration

Regular coordination and collaboration with ACF country team, Belaka Municipality, Farmers group, Sahara Head office, Sahara Regional office and other entities of Sahara is done as required

Major Lessons Learned

Planning need to be done based on the social dynamics and need

Climatic change factor untimely rain and wind has been hampering the project progress in which the length of project plan is to be at least 3 seasonal cycle to reflect the actual impact of the project.

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