Spring water plays a crucial role in sustaining life in the Himalayas. Yet these vital water sources are drying as a result of natural and anthropogenic factors. In July and August 2020, we conducted phone interviews with leaders from 300 local government units across Nepal to identify the status of...

Millets are one of the Future Smart Foods (FSFs), indigenous to Nepal. Millets are rich in micronutrients, more resilient to water and heat stresses and can be cultivated in marginal lands and at different altitudes ranging from plain terai to high hills. They can contribute to the overall sustainability of...

Non-extractive and power-equalising research involves different knowledge holders (e.g. researchers and farmers) in a process of close cooperative engagement, jointly producing new knowledge, with mutual learning. As such, this form of cooperative enquiry is a significant reversal from dominant roles, locations, and ways of knowing. I offer some examples and reflections on...

A voice comes through the radio. It is Ramkali Mahato’s favourite show. She turns up the volume to hear local women talking with elected officials about empowerment issues and traditional social norms. Inspired by the show, Ramkali now strives to do the same in her daily life, speaking up against...

Dilemma It had been a year since I completed my bachelor’s degree in agriculture, but the dilemma of what to do next still continued. “Should I find a job or get a master’s degree? If I am going for a master’s degree, which subject should I choose, what is my field...

This report provides a collection and analysis of six case studies which introduce trailblazing shared label initiatives by smallholder organisations across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Each case study explores the motivation for collective marketing action, the choice of claims to make through a shared label, the control over the...

Small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries face vastly different realities, which translate into diverse challenges and opportunities. Some businesses, governments and development agencies have been promoting smallholder inclusion in global value chains and smallholder commercialisation as an essential part of addressing challenges and creating opportunities. This is happening against a backdrop of growing corporate concentration in agri-food...

An organized cooperative can enable women to access government services and support. The women farmers from the indigenous groups and “so-called”, lower caste, in Kailali District in Nepal have been discriminated against for a long time. They were unable to access support because they live on government lands with no land...

It was a good day. Sun and cloud were playing hide and seek creating a komorebi (sunbeam)effect in the forest near Syaubaari, Jhumlawang, where my dad and I were looking for edible wild mushrooms. It had rained the night before, so the ground was damp and squishy, giving leeches a chance to...

This 61st edition of Tropical Forest Issues (formerly ETFRN News) includes a collation of 25 articles from a total of more than 100 contributors. There are more than 20 case studies from across tropical America, Asia and Africa, with others that explain the importance of the ecology, management and concepts related to fire...

A study was conducted to find out interlink, assessing the implementation status, challenges and opportunities in mainstreaming the nexus of agro biodiversity, food and nutrition and climate change in policies and programs. An online survey tool (mwater) was used to deploy the pretested questionnaire to different professionals of Nepal. Out...

SIANI’s Expert Group in Nepal, led by Oxfam Novib and the Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), has produced an infographic to highlight ten agro-biodiversity components in the farming system that contribute to secure food and nutritional needs. Smallholder farmers and agrobiodiversity are critical and directly linked with agricultural production. However, there is...

Small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries face vastly different realities, which translate into diverse challenges and opportunities. Some businesses, governments and development agencies have been promoting smallholder inclusion in global value chains and smallholder commercialisation as an essential part of addressing challenges and creating opportunities. This is happening against...

Rekhadevi Bohora serves as the secretary of the Kalika Land Right Agriculture Cooperative, an essential role in her community. Inspired by her cooperative's support, she embarked on an entrepreneurial journey by securing a loan. With these funds, she established her own shop, a testament to her determination and the cooperative's...

Anita Kumari Chaudhary is a dedicated member of the Kalika Land Rights Agriculture Cooperative in Nepal. Through her affiliation with the cooperative, she gained essential tailoring skills and ventured into entrepreneurship with a cooperative-backed loan. Today, she not only manages her thriving business but has also created job opportunities by...

Shanta Neupane had a vision. From Panauti Municipality, in central Nepal, she could see how hard women in the rural forest and farming communities around her worked in their family smallholdings, helping to feed their households. But although, like Shanta herself, they were members of community forest user groups, these same...

Last 28 & 29 April, 2021 , high-level policy experts gathered at the digital event “Scaling up Agroecology in the Himalayas Together” to discuss and inspire key decision-makers on policies supporting agroecology and organic agriculture in the region. The Himalayas event was organised by IFOAM – Organics International and the...

Last 28 & 29 April, 2021, high-level policy experts gathered at the digital event “Scaling up Agroecology in the Himalayas Together” to discuss and inspire key decision-makers on policies supporting agroecology and organic agriculture in the region. The Himalayas event was organised by IFOAM – Organics International and the World...

The Sinja Valley in northwest Nepal is a breathtaking place with a rich history. Plunging mountainsides and rocky caves hide ruins of grand palaces and temples: remains of the capital city of the influential Western Malla kingdom that ruled the area between the 12th and 14th century. Nowadays, however, that city...

Small-scale farmers, and the resources they manage, provide food and incomes across value chains all over the world. They are fundamental to the livelihoods, health and nutrition of billions of people. They are also essential for improving agricultural biodiversity, food-system stability and adaptability to climate change. Integrating the perspective of...