1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

HELVETAS (Swiss Intercooperation)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

01/03/2013

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Riverbed farming provides landless and land-poor households with the possibility to earn an income from on-farm activities close to home

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Aims / objectives: At least 20% of the households in the Terai, the plains of southern Nepal, do not own land. In order to make a living, these households commonly rely on share cropping and work in low paid off-farm jobs. The approach described here allows these farmers to make the most of the large areas of fallow land near riverbeds which are normally unclaimed and not cultivated. Since the lands near riverbeds have alluvial soils and sufficient moisture, they are suitable for seasonal vegetable cultivation during the dry season. In order for these landless and land-poor households to be able to farm these riverbed areas, they need to have access to suitable plots and the necessary agricultural inputs and training.

Methods: Potential riverbed areas are identified using topographic maps; subsequently, field verification identifies whether the selected riverbed areas are indeed suitable for cultivating horticultural crops. During the field verification, target groups in the given riverbed area are identified and the land is assessed in consultation with them. The relevant stakeholders are the village development committee and the district agricultural development office. Local resource persons are selected from target groups, which typically consist of 20 to 25 households, and are given training so that they can provide the local technical support. Once the farmer target groups have been identified and the riverbed sites selected, the group is given the legal support needed to get a leasehold agreement with the land owner, often the state. The riverbed area is then parcelled out to landless and land-poor households based on fixed selection criteria. This approach works best when the riverbed land area is at least 3 ha because it means that every target household can cultivate at least 0.13 ha (4 kattha), the least amount of land which can provide a meaningful cash income.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.7 Type of Approach

• project/ programme based

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

The Approach focused mainly on SLM with other activities (income generation of poor and landless household)

Give landless and land-poor households access to riverbed land for cash crop cultivation so that they can increase their household income and their food security

The SLM Approach addressed the following problems: • A high number of landless and land-poor households subsist on share cropping and low paid off-farm work
• The number of landless and land-poor households is increasing because many farmers have lost their agricultural land due to floods, many hill farmers are migrating to the Terai, and an increasing population means that holdings are divided up into ever smaller plots
• Inadequate agricultural extension for riverbed farming
• There are no local level policies which allow landless and land-poor farmers access to marginal lands

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	Group meeting conducted with key members of a group, request for follow-up forwarded to supporting organization.
planning	interactive	The riverbed area is selected and the land is distributed to the members. The arrangements are agreed in consultation with both men and women of the producer group.
implementation	self-mobilization	Land preparation, sowing, irrigation, weeding, harvesting, and marketing. Both men and women are involved.
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	The process of requesting access to the riverbed land involves group level discussions between farmers and government officials or land owners. Key members of the group (e.g. chair person or secretary) are involved in monitoring and evaluating the success of the riverbed farming programme.
Research	interactive	Farmers pilot crop innovations based on the research design suggested by supporting organizations and they provide feedback on how successful the implementation was.

3.3 Flow chart (if available)

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• mainly land users, supported by SLM specialists

Explain:

Farm coordinators consult with the Elam Plus team, the District Agricultural Development Office, local resource persons, and producers groups to come up with a mutually agreed technology.

Decisions on the method of implementing the SLM Technology were made by mainly by land users supported by SLM specialists. Producers groups and local resource persons work in close collaboration with farm coordinators and the enterprise development officers of Elam Plus.

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• field staff/ advisers

Form of training:

• Technical training and extension services

Subjects covered:

The Regional Agricultural Training Centre of the Department of Agriculture trains the local resource persons. Once trained, they help to raise awareness among landless and land-poor farmers of the advantages of riverbed farming and they also give them technical training and extension services

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

Describe/ comments:

Name of method used for advisory service: Training; Key elements: The District Agricultural Development Office provides plant protection expertise and Elam Plus provides technical backstopping and field learning.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Specify type of support:

• capacity building/ training

Give further details:

Local resource persons form their own organizations and their capacity is strengthened.

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

technical aspects were monitored through measurements; indicators: In total, 35 local resource persons were trained and mobilized in Kailali and Kanchanpur Districts.

socio-cultural aspects were monitored through observations; indicators: Riverbed farming indirectly reduces outmigration and the need for farmers to seek off-farm employment like collecting and cutting fuelwood and other seasonal labour.

economic / production aspects were monitored through measurements; indicators: On average, households can earn USD 352 (NPR 25,000) in 6 months from 0.13 ha (4 katthas) of land.

area treated aspects were monitored through measurements; indicators: In 2011, a total area of 396 ha was under riverbed cultivation with support from Elam Plus in Kailali and Kanchanpur.

no. of land users involved aspects were monitored through measurements; indicators: In 2011, about 3,000 landless and land-poor households were involved in 122 riverbed farming areas. The number of households increased from 2000 in 2008 to 3165 in 2012.

management of Approach aspects were monitored through observations; indicators: Management of the riverbed farming programme is handled by Elam Plus. The riverbed farming management committee plays an active role in co-ordinating fund contributions from stakeholders for input purchases, organizing planning and review meetings, conducting joint field monitoring, and other relate

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

Yes

Specify topics:

• technology

Give further details and indicate who did the research:

Innovations, such as piloting new crops, selecting appropriate varieties, and trying out new cultivation techniques are activities supported by Elam Plus through regular communication with the local resource persons.

Research was carried out both on station and on-farm

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

Approach costs were met by the following donors: national non-government (Producer's Group): 40.0%; other: 60.0%

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Yes

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• agricultural

• other

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

Comments:

Labour is provided by the farmer groups themselves costing an equivalent of USD 213 (NPR 15,100) per hectare.

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

Yes

Specify conditions (interest rate, payback, etc.):

No credit was extended for riverbed farming, but the groups have initiated their own savings schemes. These group funds can be used for loans to purchase the required inputs.

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

The local stakeholders in the riverbed farming approach are committed to providing funds and to being actively involved in reviews, planning, and joint field monitoring. Riverbed farmers have gained basic know-how, and trained local resource persons are available to help at the local level if needed. The Micro Enterprise Development Fund now has a presence in the district and producers can access support from them for riverbed farming. Farmers' groups have already organized savings schemes that can be used to purchase the required agricultural inputs. The majority of farmers continued riverbed farming beyond the third crop and many made a significant income. Riverbed farming has a negligible negative impact on the environment. When all of these factors are considered, riverbed farming is indeed a sustainable activity.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Marketing facilitators have been developed in each group. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Capacity building of the marketing facilitators needs further attention.)
Local agrovets are available and they have the capacity to provide the right inputs. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Local agrovets need to be aware of the needs of this new type of farming in order to ensure timely inputs.)
Local government stakeholders are positive about riverbed farming and the current level of coordination from Elam Plus is appreciated. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: This needs a model so that it can be institutionalized and replicated in other areas.)
Trained resource persons who can provide extension services are available locally. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: The local resource persons need to be linked with the Micro Enterprise Development Fund and their services need to be diversified to include aspects all along the market chain.)
Groups have mobilized their savings funds to purchase inputs. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Encourage the formation of savings and credit groups.)
Riverbed farming increases household income. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Market-led production should be further promoted.)
Village development committees have to become involved in the land leasing process. (How to sustain/ enhance this strength: Develop policies related to land leasing.)

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Currently riverbed farming producer groups are scattered and their production is limited.	Production needs be market-led and farmers should have better links to markets.
Riverbed farming is supported on a case-to-case basis by line agencies and non-governmental organizations.	The Ministry of Local Development can develop a riverbed farming policy to ensure that landless and land-poor farmers have access to riverbed lands

7.1 Methods/ sources of information