Livelihood

In Emergency and recovery phase Food Security and Livelihoods theme helps families meet their basic needs and protect their livelihoods. This approach help families create an economically stable and food secure home.

In an emergency, food security and livelihood programs are critical in saving people’s lives and livelihoods. Immediately following a crisis, SSICDC provides vulnerable families resources to meet their immediate needs, including food, fuel, staple items, and items needed to restart livelihoods. The livelihood of the majority of the rural community in Gorkha relies on agriculture. Due to severe damage to the CIs due to earthquake the livelihoods of the community were under serious threat. The CIs are relatively simple but its function benefits and services are often central to the survival and economic sustainability of the community .It is therefore outmost important to reconstruct the damaged CIs to maintain and foster the livelihood and enhance socio-economic recovery of the affected communities in the district.

SSICDC works with community to generate temporary employment opportunities through cash-for-work or food-for-work projects that result in strengthening community assets. Temporary employment projects have multiple benefits, first by providing financial resources necessary for vulnerable families to meet their basic needs, and secondly, by establishing public works projects that benefit the community.

In Partnership with CRS following progresses were observed in fiscal year 2017/18 in the sector of livelihood:

• 470 m of Gandaki Ma.Vi. To Devithan Foot trail Construction at Thumi
• 255 m of Mithing Khola Irrigation Canal Construction at Thumi
• 440 m of Litkhola Aaprik Irrigation Canal Construction at Aaruarbang
• 888 m of Lambesi khola to Phalpu Danda foot trail Construction at Aaruarbang
• 1077 m of Simara to Dhadswara Foot trail Construction
• 1021 m of Rage chaur to Kubine Road maintenance (Retaining Wall) at Tandrang
• Construction of a scheme of water protection at Simara Water intake at Tandrang
• 795 m of Dondre Khola Irrigation Canal Construction at Manbu
• 635 m of Puchhar Gau to Harsang Gau Foot trail construction at Lapu
• Budichaur water collection pond
• 12 Breeding Bucks support out of targeted 18 to farmers group
• 286 sessions of Farmers field School conduction on various topics of agriculture
• 16 farmers received training on lead Farmer
• 1153 improved Goat Shelter Construction
• A rustic house construction at Lapu
• Rice Day Celebration in coordination with District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) at Aarughat RM
• Similarly, Gorkha Food Security and Livelihood Enhancement Support Project in coordination with CARE Nepal targeted 1800 HH of Poor, vulnerable, and socially excluded populations who are affected by earthquakes. The objectives of the project were:
• To meet the immediate and medium-term food security and livelihood needs of the most vulnerable earthquake HH.
• To Enhance Food Security and Livelihoods of the earthquake-affected peoples particularly women, poor, marginalized, and socially excluded of 1800 Hhs.

The project covered erstwhile Harmi, Chhoprak, Khoplang, Barpak, Muchchok, and Gankhu VDCs of Gorkha district. The achievements of the project are as follows:

• Inception meetings at all VDC level and district levels
• 900 farmers were given training on the home garden concept
• 905 farmers supported with diversity kits related to agriculture
• 52 Organic fertilizer promotion shed improvement support
• A home garden concept training to staffs
• 600 farmers were oriented and  trained on LIP preparation
• 35 farmers were taken to an exposure visit
• 30 Farmers Groups and Cooperatives were supported with labor-saving machine and agriculture equipment
• 19 schemes of small water irrigation construction completed
• Upgrade and Construction of a collection center
• 600 farmers were trained on semi-commercial farming and 604 farmers were supported to startup the semi-commercial farming
• 127 individuals were supported with off-farm support according to the selected business plan.
• 6 Cooperatives were supported with capacity enhancement events like PGA, account & management training
• Conducted 2 event training on network and communication
• Conducted training on semi-commercial production and training on business plan preparation to staffs

Similarly SUPPER (Sustainably Uplifting CVFP Prosperity through Entrepreneurship Realization) supported farmers of erstwhile Laprak, Gumda, Kashigaun, Karauja and Uhiya VDC’s of Gorkha district. The major achievements from this project in the fiscal year 2017/18 are:

• Power mapping/ poverty pocket identification and production pocket identification
• Wellbeing ranking (PVSE identification)
• Local service provider (development)
• Group and cooperative profiling, mobilization, activity planning
• Cooperative mobilization for credit support to implement LIP and BP, input supply and  output marketing
• Cooperative, Group, Market and institution networking and mobilization
• Cooperative training on post-harvest handling, commodity pricing, haat bazaar/ collection center management  & Financial management
• Cooperative business plan preparation ( incorporates production plan of cooperative and group)
• Joint monitoring visit, Coordination / day celebration/ review reflection
• Exposure visit
• Advocacy event  ( Governance assessment of  Agri-cooperatives)
• PWBR status of 3055 Hhs identified.
• 6 LSP were trained and mobilized.
• Profiling of 6 agri-cooperatives and 20 groups done.
• Five informal networks of farmers groups and agri-cooperatives established, in addition, guidelines prepared have been implemented.
• 2 events of postharvest management training, collection center, and marketing were conducted.
• Potato day celebration conducted at Laprak and Gumda.
• 4 days of farmers group and agro-cooperative’s exposure visit conducted.
• Internal advocacy to agro-cooperative’s shareholders and executive, regarding its law, act and guidelines, for the regular operation of the organization 
• Optimum use of agri-machineries( mini-tiller and millet thresher)
• Wool extracting machine, comb and scissor has been used for preparing radi,pakhi and bakkhnu
• Semi-commercial production of 155 Hhs,
• Good initiation for pig and poultry farming (short term rate of return),
• Optimum use of rustic store for potato seed storage,
• Systemized and well-managed record keeping of financial statements by the agri-cooperatives.
• Active participation of women at agri-cooperatives and farmers groups, and even on decision-making positions
• 14 females have started their business on handmade paper, after getting 60 days of training.
• Nettle powder production is getting regularity, however, the intermittent power supply is drawing back the full functioning of the enterprise.
• The irrigation channel structure has promoted productivity.