Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project: creating new livelihood opportunities in rural Nepal (Story)

Published in October 2015, a new story on the Europe website prepared by the EU Delegation Nepal presents the Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project (ANEP).

Funded by the EU and implemented by partners including International Development Enterprises, Save the Children International, The International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement, World Fish, and The International Rice Research Institute, ANEP aimed to improve the food security and nutrition of some of the poorest and most vulnerable households across Nepal – with a particular focus on women and children. 

Awarded under the Technology Transfer for Food Security in Asia programme, this three year project (2012-14) sought to achieve the following results:

•Sustainably raise productivity through access to improved agricultural technologies

•Improve the nutritional status of poor rural and urban households

•Develop and nurture sustainable grassroots institutions to ensure lasting benefits.

The core activity behind ANEP was the development of smallholder commercial pockets established around rural community-managed collection centres. These commercial pockets increased isolated farmers’ access to markets, as well as equipment and training. Developed with community and government support, the collection centres created detailed crop calenders for members and provided access to a value-chain group including the private sector and government experts. They also created economies of scale in transportation and encouraged competition among traders to increase farmer returns. Volume is crucial for traders to bring their trucks to purchase smallholder produce, and in this aspect collectivisation has been vital in opening up new markets for local farmers.

As well as improved market linkages, the collection centres have played a catalytic role in enabling over 21,000 smallholder households to access a range of environmentally friendly, productivity-enhancing technologies such as micro-irrigation equipment, safe bio products for plant protection, and high quality seeds and fertiliser, close to their small farm communities.

Knock-on impacts have not only seen an increase in food security, but an improvement in local governance. Sustainability has been at the heart of the ANEP model – the project has developed the capacity of the collection centre management committees to advocate and access government services and represent smallholder communities to the private sector and development programs. It has become a national example of best practice, with aspects of ANEP included in the government’s new Agriculture Perspective Plan. Further, project partner iDE is leading a USAID climate change project in the ANEP districts through 2017, providing a continuity that will backstop and expand ANEP impacts.