Introduction

People in southern Lalitpur mostly grow rice, maize and barley for both household and income-generating purposes. Lately, people started to adopt seasonal vegetable farming with some doing tunnel farming. Still, the major agricultural practices were traditional and rain-fed, resulting in low production and insufficient to provide food around the year. However, daily wage works and other alternatives were bridging the gap in food supply during the lean months and the low yield periods, with people using such income to buy additional food supplies. 

COVID-19 disrupted people’s reliance on additional income to supplement their food production. The  resultant lockdown villagers did not have enough food in reserve to last more than a few months, and markets were also showing signs of food shortage responding to border closures and halt mobility. Although the villagers received some food assistance it was only a  short-term solution. 

The CBOs were worried about the issue and felt the need for a sustainable solution to food insecurity, not only addressing short-term food shortages but also to assure food security and better livelihood in the post-pandemic period. They identified subsistence farming gradually leading to commercialization as the solution. But, the absence of capital investment, limited access to agricultural inputs and food processing ideas, skills, and market opportunities were keeping people from  achieving improved agricultural production and food security. Therefore, the ‘Diversified  Vegetable Production for Food Security and Income Project’ was developed which envisions increasing food production for both home and market  to make the community people financially capable and independent for their own survival, healthful living, and resilient against future food shortages.

This project resulted the following outcomes

• 69 tunnels built (PTG- 21, Sik-28, TN- 20) including one demo tunnel in each FPL+
• Seed grants provided to 96 members (Sik- 63, TN- 33)
• Continued vegetable production by the benefitted individuals in
  1. 69 tunnels
  2. 96 non-tunnels
• As per the evaluation study, between June 2021- Dec 2021, the total production of vegetables were 11960 kg among which 2261 kg were self-consumed by the farmers and rest of the 9523 kg were sold for income generation
• Total 66 loanee selected and agreement signed between each loanee and CBO in 2 cycles (PTG- 20, Sik- 36, TN- 19)
• Loan amount ranging from $41.66 to $333.33 distributed for 66 tunnels and 9 open farms
• Total $ 446 interest income and $ 4613 principal amount collected out of total loan investment amounting $9535 in different cycles.
• Total amount currently in loan flow is $4922
• Proper record of individual loan installments and interest income maintained
• Loan amount revolved in cycles in the 3 FPLs (PTG- 2 Loan Cycle, Sik- 2 Loan Cycle, TN- 2 Loan Cycle )
• 3 demo tunnels constructed in each FPL and learning sessions carried out
• 13 formal trainings provided related to tunnel farming, seasonal and off-seasonal vegetable farming, home gardening, geo-krishi app (PTG-5, Sik- 4, TN- 4)
• CBO leaders enhanced leadership and project management skill through their engagement in planning, implementation, monitoring & evaluation, reporting and documentation
• 8 leaders enhanced e-survey and logbook keeping skill
• CBO leaders and benefiting individuals enhanced knowledge related to data gathering and data verifying process from the project evaluation study
• 79.62% of the production were sold in the market through individual and collective efforts
• As per the evaluation study, 9% of the benefitted individuals have stated to use new marketing technique

  - Tunnel for vegetable production
  - Loan facility for agriculture inputs
  - Marketing system development
  - Capacity enhancement