Growing communities
The problem
Kalikot, Mugu, Jumla, Bajura and Bahjang are some of the poorest districts of Nepal. Smallholder farmers here struggle to produce enough food to feed their families. Isolation, poor infrastructure and erratic rainfall make the situation worse. Many men migrate to India for work, leaving women to manage families and farms on their own.
Nearly half the population in these districts live below the poverty line and many are also from the most marginalised ethnic groups, including the Dalits and Janjatis. These are often left out at the periphery of decision-making and local development.
Most people in this region, where less than 2% of land is arable, are dependent on agriculture, collection of non-timber forest products, wage labour and remittances for their livelihoods.
Scummy mummies travel to Nepal
Instagram legends and award-winning podcasters The Scummy Mummies went to the far west of Nepal to find out more about how our work is helping women farmers get their produce to market.
Find out moreWhat we’re doing to help
Objective: To promote sustainable growth in agricultural communities and increase household incomes
Building Inclusive and sustainable growth capacity of CSOs in the Agriculture and Forest Sectors (BICAS)
Location: Nepal, Kalikot, Mugu, Jumla, Bajura and Bahjang in the far west of Nepal
Number of beneficiaries: 7,000 smallholder farmers (30% women,15% Dalit, 20% Janjati)
Project date: February 2016 - January 2019
Partners: Saipal Development Society, Human Resource Centre, Sustainable and Equitable Development Academy (SEDA) Nepal
Principal funders: European Union, Jersey Overseas Aid
Funding: €2 million
Through small infrastructure development, promotion of new agricultural technologies and market linkages the project is helping help 7,000 smallholder farmers increase their incomes.
Improved water supply and irrigation infrastructure
- Upgrading 20 water mills (with turbines) to extract water more efficiently for consumption, crops and livestock
- Reinforcing the water supply through the construction of 25 pond irrigation schemes, 10 community managed water systems and the pilot of a solar-water lifting pump
Improved knowledge and farming techniques
- An agro-vet network of 20 trained and licensed agro-vets
- 70 village animal health workers to serve 7,000 farmers and their 45 cooperatives with services, products and advisory support. This network will deliver over 300 demonstration sessions on micro-irrigation technologies such as drip irrigation, improved harvesting methods and climate-resilient crop selection; they will act as a ‘frontline’ helpdesk to answer farmers’ queries and preoccupations.
- Farming productivity will also be enhanced through improved crop storage, facilitation of access to market hubs through 5 new gravity ropeways and continuous capacity building through the ‘Farmers Business School’ and local resource centres.
Marketing and commercial value chains
- New gravity goods ropeways are helping to deliver link up the markets for agricultural products.
- Training for local cooperatives has developed the knowledge to map market opportunities, form agro-processing enterprises and develop entrepreneurship skills.
- Cooperatives are making links with financial institutions (banks, micro-finance organisations) to lobby for reasonably priced services and products for rural farmers, using their past experience such as self-run goat insurance schemes.
Look how far your money can go
“We now are starting to grow more vegetables – bitter gourd, pumpkins and tomatoes so we can eat more variety. I believe my daughter will have a healthier future..” – Suchana Mijar, Mana, Nepal
Gravity goods ropeway

Prem Saud from, Bajura is the proud operator of gravity goods ropeway. Before this project, the produce of Bajura district often used to go waste. Lack of transportation meant that very little produce used to reach the market.
Now following the installation of a gravity goods ropeway the community is reaping the benefits. Not only does agricultural produce reach the market fresh, but other goods can be easily transported back to the communities. Saud collects NRs 20 (15 pence) for every 10 kilograms of goods transported, this is used for the maintenance of the ropeway.
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