LI-BIRD is implementing a project entitled ‘Strengthening Capacity of Smallholder Farmers for Resilient Livelihoods (SAKSHAM)’, funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland through FELM Nepal, in Kanchanpur and Doti districts of Nepal. The SAKSHAM Project aims to improve livelihoods and well-being of marginal and climate vulnerable families in Kanchanpur and Doti districts of Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal through organizing and capacitating beneficiaries, providing skills, resources and collaborating with local governments and other key stakeholders to create an environment to access support and services. The project also expects to improve and diversify food and nutrition security and create income opportunities for the targeted communities and improve climate change adaptation and disaster risk management capacities of communities in these two districts. The Project works with resource poor, marginal and landless, Freed Kamaiya, People with Disabilities (PwD), returnee migrant, single women and smallholder farming households primarily living below the poverty line. Among them, people with disabilities are one of the important target beneficiaries of this project. Out of a total 3673 beneficiary HHs, the project has identified 297 HHs having PwDs.

Most of the PwDs identified in the project area have poor nutritional status, food insecurity, poverty, and less economic participation than people without disabilities. In addition, the person with disabilities are experiencing barriers in access to quality basic food and opportunities for livelihood related services. Agriculture operation is difficult for them, and there is a lack of other income generation opportunities in rural areas. So, inclusion of disabilities in food security, climate change and disaster risk reduction, and livelihood related programmes is very crucial to improve their intra-household status as well as economic empowerment. Undoubtedly, Food Security, CCA/DRR and Agricultural Livelihood Programmes provide an opportunity to meet the nutritional needs of persons with disabilities and improve their access to agricultural produce and productivity by improving the skills, capacity, ability, assets and resources required to make a living surviving from agriculture activities. To meet their dietary diversity and food preferences for an active and healthy life, there is the need for availability of nutritious and safe food at all times.