Background/Rationale

Agriculture is predominant in Nepal employing 65% of population and contributes 34% to GDP. Yet large sections of population still suffers from food deficit and poor nutrition. This is further aggravated by the detrimental effects of changing climate and weak seed sector that often limits the climate adapted varietal choices for farmers. Historically, farmers have used rich agro biodiversity by saving and exchanging local seeds which is now marginalized at an alarming rate. Despite the huge potential of local PGR for climate change adaptation, a majority of the climate resilient local crops continue to be underutilized as they are largely overlooked by formal seed research and extension. More than 95% of the variety development research in Nepal on rice, maize, wheat, potato, legumes, oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables are based on foreign genetic materials. 

Sowing Diversity, Harvesting Security (SD=HS) is a four year project funded by SIDA jointly implemented by LI-BIRD and OXFAM Nepal in four districts of Sudurpaschim Province. It aims to contribute in improving food and nutrition security and resilience by enhancing capacity of smallholders, women and indigenous farmers to access, develop and market seeds of climate-resilient crops and varieties along with policy advocacy for strengthening farmers’ seed systems and the implementation of Farmers’ Rights

Project goal

Indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers enjoy their Farmers’ Rights and have the capacity to access, develop and use plant genetic resources to improve their food and nutrition security under conditions of climate change.

Project expected outcomes

1. Resilient indigenous and farming communities are better able to access and sustainably use and maintain plant genetic resources for food and nutrition security, climate change adaptation and disaster management.
2. Indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers enhance their livelihoods, income and seed security though improved production and market access to high-quality seeds of diverse crops and varieties adapted to farmers’ needs and preferences
3. Strengthen coping strategies of communities by increasing the intake of nutritious food based on local biodiversity and improved management of neglected and underutilised species (NUS) 
4. Policy makers and other stakeholders support an enabling policy and institutional environment for farmers’ seed systems and the implementation of Farmers’ Rights.

Project sites

The project interventions are in four districts of Sudurpaschim Province in Nepal: Kailali, Kanchanpur, Doti and Dadeldhura. The province ranks high in terms of climatic risks as well as poverty and food security. The selected 4 districts are adjoining districts that fall under the corridor that links the flat land, the Terai, with the Churia hills, Mid-hills, and high mountains. Kailali and Kanchapur are the Terai (flat land) while Doti and Dadeldhura represent mid-hill and high-hill. The hills and mountain terrains are hit by frequent droughts in winter season while the lowland faces recurrent flood during rainy season. In Kailali, the project is implemented in Joshipur rural municipality, Kailari rural municipality and Gauriganga municipality. While in Kanchanpur, project activities will be implemented in Laljhadi rural municipality. Similarly, Ganyapdhura rural municipality in Dadeldhura district and Jorayal rural municipality in Doti.