Tree in a cup

caffe

The livelihoods of farmers in Nepal depend on agriculture, forestry and livestock. In total, 66% of people in Nepal are still engaged in agriculture. Agroforestry systems, with several kinds used on a large scale, help protect agricultural lands from floods, landslides, droughts and the effects of climate change.

WHY


Traditional agroforestry practices in the Rasuwa district play an important role in the livelihood of farmers because agricultural productivity is decreasing and traditional forest resources are unable to meet the growing demand for food, fodder and wood. Furthermore, environmental deterioration is becoming a new problem in Nepal and in the project areas. Therefore, agro-forestry is one of the best ways to deal with this situation and indigenous knowledge in agro-forestry, educational and developmental practices is essential to improve this practice.

 

PROJECT’S OBJECTIVES


This project promotes economic growth in the Rasuwa district – increasing productivity and profit of the cultivation of coffee, fruit and multi-purpose trees.

In terms of concrete actions, the project directly responds to the expectations of the community:
• Increase the forest area to reduce marginal desertification of lands in the buffer zones of the Langtang Park in the Rasuwa district.
• Improve production and income opportunities through the expansion of plantation areas.
• Registration of farmer groups in primary cooperatives and in the district cooperative and support to be members of the Rasuwa District Cooperative Union.
• Training on organic farming practices, proper animal nutrition and fair trade principles.
• Strengthen the institutional capacity of the Union of farmers’ cooperatives in managing the value chain of coffee, fruit, fodder and multipurpose products for national and international markets by increasing their negotiating capacity and quality assessment.
• Encourage productivity improvements through the operational management of different trees and species and avoid the incidence of diseases through daily care and organic pesticides.

 

MAIN ACTIVITIES


In 2017, around 10,000 Arabica coffee trees and 2500 “shade” trees (macadamia and jackfruit) were planted in the Saramthali and Yarsa areas. 100 farmers were trained in preparing the land for planting and caring for the trees, they received training on the principles of fair trade and organic agriculture.

In 2019, another 100 farmer families planted 4000 saplings of Arabica coffee and 2000 “shade” trees (guava – Psidium guajava, kimbu – Morus alba, khanyu – Ficus semicordata and lapsi – Choeronspondias axillaris) which, in addition to protecting coffee saplings , can be used for fruit consumption, such as biomass, for medical use, for animal nutrition and soil fertilization.

100 farmers attended the training sessions on soil preparation, planting and tree care, organic agriculture, marketing, reforestation and animal nourishment.

In 2020, 2 nurseries were created in which 17,000 Arabica coffee seeds (collected from saplings planted in 2017), 5,000 lime seeds (Citrus aurantifolia) and 8,000 Ipil Ipil seeds (Leucaena leucocephala) were sown.

 

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC?


Despite the restrictions due to the spread of Covid-19, the 30,000 coffee saplings and “shadow” plants were distributed to other 321 farming families in the Saramthali, Bhorle and Kalikhastan area who planted the saplings to start the production of coffee , trade in fruit and use the Ipil Ipil species for various purposes: biomass, wood, vegetable fibers, animal nutrition.

In 2021, another 2 nurseries will be created in the municipality of Uttargaya, in the Rasuwa district, where 10,000 coffee seeds and 5,000 lime seeds (Citrus aurantifolia) will be planted. 10,000 banana plants, 3,000 plants of Badahar (Artocarpus Lakoocha), 6,000 plants of Nimaro (Ficus rosenbergii) and 6,000 of Khanyu (Ficus semicordata) will also be distributed. These trees, in addition to being useful for the fruit and coffee trade, are very useful for animal nutrition and can be used as biomass.

About 300 farmers will be the protagonists of training sessions on organic agriculture, soil preparation, plant care, harvesting, pruning, marketing of products and management of groups of farmers.

All the saplings planted are georeferenced and photographed.
The planting of coffee, fruit and multi-purpose trees is expected until 2022.

 

The news in June 2021

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BENEFICIARIES


Total direct beneficiaries are 800 peasant families (about 4000 people) in the rural municipalities of Naukunda, Kalika and Uttargaya, in the Rasuwa district.

They will benefit indirectly the distribution, planting and agro-forestry production 29,500 people living the rural municipalities involved.