“Scaling Up Climate Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Livelihood of Smallholder Farmers in Nepal (CRA) Phase I and II” was implemented in Sindhupalchowk and Kaski districts of Nepal with funding support from Bread for the World (BftW), Germany. The project promoted an agroecological farming approach with an aim to contribute to sustainable livelihoods and build resilience of smallholder and women farmers in Nepal. This project completed its second phase in September 2024, making a remarkable impact on the ground level during the project tenure.

The objective of the project was to contribute to sustainable livelihoods and build resilience of smallholder and women farmers in Nepal by sustainably improving and diversifying food production and improving the economic situation of 3,300 women-led and smallholder households. The project was implemented in five municipalities of Sindhupalchowk and Kaski districts.

The key achievements of the project include:

(i) A total of 1,398 HHs deployed and popularised local and resilient crop varieties adapted to local climatic conditions through training and seed support.

(ii) Improved dietary diversity of 3,264 HHs through an integrated home garden and food-based nutrition benefiting land-poor and marginal HHs.

(iii) Increased the additional income of households by NPR 35,000 per year from vegetable farming, mushroom cultivation, livestock rearing, and seed production.

(iv) Understanding the drudgery on women due to the changing climate, this project also promoted women farmers’ responsive tools, especially the Finger Millet thresher, which was massively scaled up by the local government of Sindupalchowk district.

(v) Establishment of six Agro-ecological model villages (Maramche, Arba, Kafle, Petku, Antarpu, and Lisepani) to promote agro-ecological technologies at the landscape level

(vi) Registration of three local landraces (Hariyo Kauchin Dhan, Kalo Patle Dhan, and Madale Kakro) in the National Seed Board, further assisting in the commercialisation of the local seed system.

(vii) Three community seed banks (Pingdanda CSB, Annapurna CSB, and Namuna Prangarik CSB) have been established, strengthening community participation in the protection and cultivation of indigenous climate-resilient crop varieties. Moreover, 62 varieties of 20 crops were sent to the Gene Bank with passport data for ex-situ conservation.

(viii) This project has been advocating for the promotion of climate-resilient and agro-ecological farming at the local to federal levels of the Government of Nepal.

(ix) Integrated management of soil, water, disease, and pest has significantly reduced the dependency of beneficiaries upon external agricultural inputs and maintained good soil and plant health.

This project has thus contributed to LI-BIRD’s ‘climate action’ strategic programme for the safety and socio-economic security of climate-vulnerable communities. Building on its successful outcomes, the project has initiated the third phase (CRA Phase III) since October 2024 in Sindhupalchowk, Kaski, and Syangja districts.