Enhancing Livelihoods and Food Security from Agroforestry and Community Forestry Systems in Nepal: Current Status, Trends, and Future Directions

This report presents the findings of background review studies conducted as part of a small collaborative research activity aimed at identifying research needs and priorities related to improving agroforestry and community forestry systems to enhance food security and livelihoods of rural people in the Middle Hills of Nepal. Key partner institutions in this endeavor were: the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF, Southeast Asia); the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and several local Nepalese organizations. Collaborative studies were carried out by partner institutions to explore selected themes identified through a scoping study and focus group discussions, which were subsequently discussed during a project planning workshop held in Kathmandu from June 11 to 13, 2012. They assessed emerging issues in the community forestry and agroforestry sector and provided recommendations for improving livelihoods and food security of the rural poor within ongoing programs and practices. The themes covered included: the policy and regulatory framework and institutional landscape for community forestry and agroforestry; drivers and dynamics of agrarian change; the contribution of community forestry and agroforestry to livelihoods and food security in the Middle Hills; and constraints and gaps in this sector.

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