Food Security Cluster, Chautara
Tara L Lama, FSC- Coordinator, Chautara
Background:
The recent appraisal “Agricultural Livelihood Impact Appraisal in Six Most Affected Districts”
Published by Nepal Food Security Cluster provides following key information to proceed on for humanitarian
assistance on relief and rehabilitation program in Sindhupalchok district.
Sindhupalchok holds 77% households engaged in agriculture counting total of 58995 HHs in the district. In the
past, the district is self-sufficiency in cereal food production and consumption with surplus of 21,325mt/year and
ranked 19 over 75 districts. The District contributed to national cereals production to 6.9% (21,019mt), 2.5%
(52,199mt), 0.7% (27,805mt) and 0.5% (8,592mt and 171mt) producing millet, maize, rice, wheat and barley
respectively1. Similarly per capita production of Potato, Spices, Milk and Meat in the district is higher than
national average, signifying the importance of the commodities both on-farm and off-farm economic activities
and livelihood support.
Agricultural activities form a key part of the Sindhupalchok population’s livelihood strategy. The top 3 livelihood
activities prior to the earthquake are related to the agricultural sector including casual agricultural labor, livestock
sales and agricultural sales
The appraisal confirms that agricultural livelihoods in Sindhupalchok suffered particularly high levels of damage,
and therefore support to livelihoods in these districts should be prioritized in agricultural recovery programs2.
The appraisal also indicates the Earthquake impacts on crops and Livestock sub-sector with key messages;
Crop sub-sector
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Impact on stored crops is very significant, particularly for rice maize and millet. 
Impact on standing crop is much lower, but can be expected to increase 
Impact on seed availability very significant for rice and millet, posing a real threat to household food
security from October onwards.
Livestock sub-sector

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

Livestock ownership is a major contribution to agricultural livelihoods and widespread with 80% of
households owning some animal but in limited numbers. 
Animal losses due to the earthquake are significant with 20% for cattle and 42% for poultry and
more injured and sick animals, and animal health is at risk due to lack of shelter and feed and limited
access to veterinary services. 
Production of animal products has been reduced due to stress syndromes, lack of feed and
deteriorated health conditions. This affects households both for own consumption and income
earning. 
Rural Farming
1
2
Annual progress report 2071/72, DADO Sindhupalchok
Nepal ALIA –Agricultural Livelihoods Impact Appraisal –June 2015
A diversity of crops is grown in Nepal, rice being the major staple in low altitude areas and maize, millet and
barley in high altitude areas. Potato is staples as well as cash crop grown in the high hills. Maize is planted during
April and millet planting starts in June. Farm households generally maintain a small kitchen garden in the
backyard. Farmers have cowsheds and pens for goat and poultry at home. A few livestock like buffaloes, cows,
bullocks, yak, goats, sheep and pigs are raised by most households depending on altitude and ethnicity. Yak, goat
and sheep are mainly reared in high altitude areas. The animals are generally fed with home-made feed and
fodder, sometimes also mixed with feed concentrates. Bullocks are the main source of draft power in hill areas.
Some poultry birds are reared at homestead. Livestock and poultry supplements not only household level food
security and nutrition, but also generates some cash for the families through sales of live animals, milk and meat
products, and use of them for ploughing and transportation in mountain areas.
Over the last decade due to increased outmigration of youth, agriculture sector has experienced severe shortage
of labor force, and has become increasingly dependent on women, and other vulnerable and older people which
increased burden of farming mostly to women. Due to this ever-increasing trend, 26% of rural households are
headed by women, who also take care of farm management in addition to all other household works. Moreover,
over 70% of agricultural labor contribution comes from women3.
Farmers store their farm produce and seed at home, generally at the top floor of their typically two-story mudwall houses. Most farmers use their home saved seeds stored in jute or polythene bags or earthen pots. Animal
feed is stored at home to protect against sun and rain. Hand tools normally used for farming are also generally
stored inside the house whereas other bigger farm implements and machineries are kept within the premises.
Nepal Earthquake Assessments:
There are number of post disaster assessments at local as well as national level. Nepal Food Security Cluster
announced following 2 point cluster strategies for food security, rehabilitate and protect livelihoods in the earth
quake affected districts4.
1. During summer season (June-August): Delivery of rice and vegetable seeds, animal feed and storage capacity.
2. During winter season (September to December): Delivery of cereal seeds, animal shelters, storage capacity
and infrastructure rehabilitation.
Summary of humanitarian assistance during early recovery and in transition to rehabilitation in Sindhupalchok:
Once FSC activated in Sindhupalchok, it managed to coordinate to provide initially standard food package to all
the households as blanket distribution covering entire district resulting no one went bed without food. It is
estimated that total of 2,092mt of food items was distributed till first week of June through 11 FSC humanitarian
agencies (as reported to the cluster).
To continue the seasonal crop production cluster partners assisted with ample distribution of production inputs
such as rice and vegetable seeds of recommended varieties emphasizing on specific traits meeting emergency
relief agenda covering majority of the VDCs in the district. Total of 158.48mt of rice and 4.21mt of vegetable seed
was distributed through cluster partners. Agencies are further planning for distribution of winter season crops
both cereals and vegetables in a much better planned way by the partners in their designated VDCs with close
coordination of DADO and FSC.
Save post disaster new harvest:
3
National Sample Census of Agriculture, CBS Nepal, 2011/12
4
Nepal Earthquake Bulletin #2, 15 June—15 July 2015 (a periodic publication of Nepal food security cluster)
It arises from the fact that freshly harvested agricultural produce is a living thing that breathes and undergoes
changes during post-harvest handling and storage. Improper postharvest handling and storage results either
damage or loss of the food stuffs. Damage restricts the use of a product, whereas loss makes its use impossible.
Early rice (Chaite Dhan): Harvest started on early June was most vulnerable to storage loss due to monsoon rain
and damaged store and if managed to store somehow are compelled to pile under inappropriate environmental
conditions and it is also true for the coming maize cobs ready to harvest. Considering this issue FSC partners
manage to provide 1-2 Hermetic Plastic bags/HHs to save grains 50- 100 kg at least to store seed for next season
planting. Lack of storage facilities and space, most of the harvest could go to market as fresh sell with minimum
quantity for storage than pre-earthquake. It is estimated that 6,876mt of early rice is harvested this season in
sindhupalchok5.
Maize: Maize covers highest cropped area (24907 ha.) in the district after rice across all agroecology. After the
earthquake most of the sheltering tents including livestock were built in the maize field. The long dry spell at
tasseling stage also contributed negatively on yield this year. It is estimated that production will be less by 36%
than last year with total production of 34,500mt. In general, farmer store about 60% of the produce for home
consumption meaning 20,700mt needs storage space after harvest.
Wheat: There will be likely no negative effect on wheat production provided normal climatic course and on the
current scenario of support from the humanitarian agencies in the district, production might not deviate
significantly compared to last year production of 7,920mt. There is no need of additional storage space for wheat
as it can be stored in the same storage space.
Rehabilitation of grain storage: Reduce vulnerability to food insecurity
Inappropriate storage practices or facilities may create a favorable environment for mould and pest proliferation
that are responsible for significant losses at household level. However, these losses can be mitigated and
reduced by appropriate post-harvest handling practices. Appropriate storage facilities also play an important role
in reducing seed and grain losses when hazard events occur. When small-scale farmers implement these
practices, they will be able to ensure safer grain and seed storage and reduce losses, therefore increasing their
resilience to natural hazards and their ability to rapidly recover after the shock. A significant economic benefit of
safe grain storage is that hazard-affected farmers will not be put under pressure to sell their produce resulting
low price or loss due to inappropriate storage. Most importantly, safe storage of harvest insures food and
nutrition security particularly in the current scenario of earthquake disaster in Sindhupalchok and neighboring
districts where storage space is becoming limiting as it was part of destroyed shelter.
Table1. Estimation of new harvest of major cereals in Sindhupalchok after earthquake
Production (mt)
SN
1
2
3
4
5
6
5
Crops
Harvesting
period
Early Rice
Main season Rice
Early July
Nov-Dec
Maize
Millet
Wheat
Potato (summer)
Aug-Sep-Oct
December
Aug, May
Jun-July
Total
Actual in
2014
Estimated in
2015*
6876.49
15302.00
6876.49
10099.25
54048.19
23184.00
7919.04
9060.00
116389.72
34500.00
20865.60
7919.04
9060.00
89320.38
Annual Progress Report- 2070/71, DADO Sindhupalchok
Estimated
storage
of
produce
(%)
60
60
75
50
Quantity
of harvest
to be
stored
6,060
20,700
15,648
4,530
46,938
*Source: Estimated from data reported by DADO
Above estimation indicates the dimension of the support to rehab the storage space on time to protect and save
the new harvest to reduce the vulnerability of food and nutrition insecurity in time to come and strengthen the
resilience and copping capacity of the affected population.
Although, FSC partners are putting best of their efforts to mitigate the issue by providing Hermetic Super Grain
Bags (50 kg capacity) but still there is need to protect and save the freshly harvested agriculture produce towards
securing food grown locally in humanitarian ground.
Photo-1
Grain outside under tarp
(Phatakshila VDC)
Photo-2
Alternative storage (polyvinyl drum)
(Bansbari VDC)
Photo-3
Maize cobs hanging on wall
(Hundrung Chautara-6)
Photo-4
All- in- One
(Hundrung Chautara-6)