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 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 • 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 • 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 Annual progress report 2071/72, DADO Sindhupalchok 2 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 mud- wall 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

Estimated Production (mt) Quantity storage Harvesting of harvest SN Crops of period Actual in Estimated in to be produce 2014 2015* stored (%) 1 Early Rice Early July 6876.49 6876.49 - - 2 Main season Rice Nov-Dec 15302.00 10099.25 60 6,060 3 Maize Aug-Sep-Oct 54048.19 34500.00 60 20,700 4 Millet December 23184.00 20865.60 75 15,648 5 Wheat Aug, May 7919.04 7919.04 - - 6 Potato (summer) Jun-July 9060.00 9060.00 50 4,530 Total 116389.72 89320.38 46,938

5 Annual Progress Report- 2070/71, DADO Sindhupalchok

*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 Photo-2 Photo-3 Photo-4

Grain outside under tarp Alternative storage (polyvinyl drum) Maize cobs hanging on wall All- in- One (Phatakshila VDC) ( VDC) (Hundrung Chautara-6) (Hundrung Chautara-6)