Increase Income Nepal | learning-for-life

Increasing household incomes for

1,658 households

Nuwakot, Nepal

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We are pleased to announce that the Nuwakot Project in Nepal has successfully been implemented. The aim of the project was to increase household incomes for 1,658 impoverished households in the area by improving agricultural productivity, supporting micro-enterprise developments and improving access to local markets.

Most of the IGG (Income Generation Group) instigated new agricultural practices that are more profitable for them comparing the previous production. They previously could not get sell their crops after fulfilling the family needs. Nowadays, they are cultivating vegetables along with rice and maize that brings extra profit for the farmers, especially in the dry season. The cultivation of vegetables has increased commercially with the assistance of RSDC field staff.

All of the IGG of RSDC have now been included as an agricultural group under the government service centre. It will enable the farmers to receive new services from government such a trial seed, training and regular advice support..

Background

The poverty rate in Nepal had reduced significantly over the past decade; however, 2.7 million people (24% of the population) still live in abject poverty. Extreme poverty is unevenly distributed and high concentrations exist in rural areas. In our specific target area where 21% of the population lives on less than $1 a day and the prevalence of underweight children aged 6-59 months is 38%.

Project Partner

A key cause of this disparity in our target area is that 80% of the population earn their livelihoods through fragile subsistence farming, and the local economy is heavily dependent on remittances. Almost 90% of remittance income is used for daily consumption, and 7% for loan repayment, leaving less than 3% available for investment. Consequently the rural agricultural sector is rapidly deteriorating, with the worst effects felt by the subsistence farmers with limited land and low incomes, which make up the majority of our target group.

The absence of equality for women, particularly from rural areas (such as our target area) and of low caste, is exemplified by several phenomena, including high levels of domestic violence (according to UNCHR Nepal has the worst record of gender based violence in Asia), early marriage, sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), inadequate or non-existent health and education provision, and a lack of opportunities for income generation.

What We're Doing About It

Goal

The overall objective is to contribute to development and poverty reduction and the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 1 and 3 in Nuwakot, Nepal

Purpose

1,668 Target households in Nuwakot, Nepal, have increased household income and food security, with women empowered to exercise their rights to entitlements

VDC level Sensitization at Suryamati

Project Outputs

60 Income Generation Groups (IGGs) and 4 Self-Reliant Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SSCCs) are formed and functioning according to set guidelines.
Capacity of 1,658 target families is strengthened to enhance agricultural productivity and marketing.
Target beneficiaries have increased knowledge of how to exercise their rights and entitlements, the importance of education and child protection, alternative fuel sources, climate change issues and alternative source fuel sources and are taking steps to adapt to climate change and protect their livelihoods

Main activities

Facilitate formation and capacity building of 60 Income Generation Group; provide them training on accounts management, business planning, leadership development and constitutional rights.
Provide the groups with skills training on agriculture and poultry projects along with soft loans
Establish 4 collection centre near their village for store, processing and marketing
Facilitate these 60 Income Generation Groups to form 4 Self-Reliant Savings and Credit Cooperatives
Assist 60 Income Generation Groups in building working relation and network with government departments, local NGO and cooperatives and local & national markets.

Project Outcome

1,658 target families in Nuwakot, Nepal have increased household income and exercised their rights and entitlements. On top of this, 60 Income Generation Groups and 4 Self-Reliant Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SSCCs) are now functioning effectively and managed by members of the target community. The capacity of target beneficiaries is strengthened to enhance agricultural productivity and

marketing while, target beneficiaries have increased knowledge of how to exercise their rights and entitlements,

the importance of education and child protection, alternative fuel sources, climate change issues.

The results of the Vegetable Collection Centre

Group meeting