It is estimated that around 3.5 million Nepalis are at risk of moderate
to severe food insecurity. Food security has a direct effect on health,
nutrition and overall productivity of human beings, women and children
in particular. Although there are numerous government, non-government
and private agencies helping poor farmers achieve food security, a
majority of the poor farmers do not own land.
In order to secure food for the poor, one of the best ways would be to adopt the leasehold approach. This approach may not address every aspect in the effort to secure food for the poor, but leasing land can work as one of the sustainable approaches. The lease land approach works best for landless farmers and those who own land but it is not arable, especially in the Tarai.
A humanitarian approach works to address the immediate needs of the poor at times of natural disasters and famine. However, if practiced for a long period, it makes the community dependent on external support, discourages local production and distorts the economic system, and undermines local values of food which contradict with the principles of food security.
Along with leasing land, different kinds of support such as providing high quality seeds, infrastructure support, training in farming and linkage with markets are necessary to build the capacity of poor farmers to increase their income that can ensure food security. Leasehold is ownership of a temporary right to a piece of land or property. It is the right to use the land or property for a fixed period of time at a set price without transferring its rights to the lessor. Leasehold farming approach is one of the strategies to help vulnerable and socially excluded communities access land. Besides providing improved seeds and training in effective sowing, use of fertilisers and proper methods to grow cash crops, a four-year model was devised in such a way that the project’s contributions gradually decreased while the beneficiaries’ contributions gradually increased over the years. A total of 651 farmers of Nawalparasi, Rupendehi, Banke, Surkhet, Kailali and Doti districts are farming on leased land — securing their food year round.
“Due to poverty, they cannot obtain land. An amicable alternative is thus lease holding. The farmers were trained to grow cash crops which fetched them good value for their produce, increasing their income considerably,” said Prakash Kafle, project manager of Practical Action.
Lack of land and appropriate farm inputs and poverty have forced many farmers to migrate to neighbouring India in search of better paying jobs. Many suffer and return home with communicable diseases. Santaram Harijan, 45, of Hatibangain VDC, Rupendehi district, migrated seasonally to India to work as a wage labourer for many years. Although he did not suffer from any disease, he failed to earn enough money for his family. He finally decided to settle down after he received financial support to lease land and participated in the agriculture training.
“In a year, I was selling my vegetables for a profit. I was supported to lease land and received training to grow cash crops. With the income, I have leased an additional two katthas (600 sq m) of land for Rs 2,000 where I grow cash crops along with rice and wheat. I will soon be able to buy my own land,” said Harijan.
There are encouraging results from the districts where leasehold farming has been adopted as a strategy for food access. An outcome assessment has revealed that this approach contributed to increasing the household income of targeted households by 49.2 per cent and reduced wage labour by 8.5 per cent and seasonal migration by 16.1 percent. It was also found that 163 households were able to purchase an average of 3.7 katthas of land from the income generated through vegetable production on leased land. An increase of 50 per cent in the incomes of Dalits, ethnic minorities and resource poor farmers was also recorded. “Last year alone, I earned Rs 50,000 from two katthas of leased land. With the money, I purchased a brand new computer for my husband who is now pursuing a diploma in computer science in Dhangadhi,” said Sushmita Choudhary, Beladevipur VDC, Kailali district.
Communities are heterogeneous. Different households are at different levels of food insecurity. Therefore, one solution does not fit all households. Along with leasing land, access to appropriate technology, agriculture infrastructure and market, service linkages, off-farm options and income generation activities are equally important for sustainable food security. Therefore, leasing land can become a viable option for the poor to grow cash crops and traditional crops to increase their income. Leasing land also serves as an alternative option for farmers to grow crops until they earn enough to buy their own land.
In order to secure food for the poor, one of the best ways would be to adopt the leasehold approach. This approach may not address every aspect in the effort to secure food for the poor, but leasing land can work as one of the sustainable approaches. The lease land approach works best for landless farmers and those who own land but it is not arable, especially in the Tarai.
A humanitarian approach works to address the immediate needs of the poor at times of natural disasters and famine. However, if practiced for a long period, it makes the community dependent on external support, discourages local production and distorts the economic system, and undermines local values of food which contradict with the principles of food security.
Along with leasing land, different kinds of support such as providing high quality seeds, infrastructure support, training in farming and linkage with markets are necessary to build the capacity of poor farmers to increase their income that can ensure food security. Leasehold is ownership of a temporary right to a piece of land or property. It is the right to use the land or property for a fixed period of time at a set price without transferring its rights to the lessor. Leasehold farming approach is one of the strategies to help vulnerable and socially excluded communities access land. Besides providing improved seeds and training in effective sowing, use of fertilisers and proper methods to grow cash crops, a four-year model was devised in such a way that the project’s contributions gradually decreased while the beneficiaries’ contributions gradually increased over the years. A total of 651 farmers of Nawalparasi, Rupendehi, Banke, Surkhet, Kailali and Doti districts are farming on leased land — securing their food year round.
“Due to poverty, they cannot obtain land. An amicable alternative is thus lease holding. The farmers were trained to grow cash crops which fetched them good value for their produce, increasing their income considerably,” said Prakash Kafle, project manager of Practical Action.
Lack of land and appropriate farm inputs and poverty have forced many farmers to migrate to neighbouring India in search of better paying jobs. Many suffer and return home with communicable diseases. Santaram Harijan, 45, of Hatibangain VDC, Rupendehi district, migrated seasonally to India to work as a wage labourer for many years. Although he did not suffer from any disease, he failed to earn enough money for his family. He finally decided to settle down after he received financial support to lease land and participated in the agriculture training.
“In a year, I was selling my vegetables for a profit. I was supported to lease land and received training to grow cash crops. With the income, I have leased an additional two katthas (600 sq m) of land for Rs 2,000 where I grow cash crops along with rice and wheat. I will soon be able to buy my own land,” said Harijan.
There are encouraging results from the districts where leasehold farming has been adopted as a strategy for food access. An outcome assessment has revealed that this approach contributed to increasing the household income of targeted households by 49.2 per cent and reduced wage labour by 8.5 per cent and seasonal migration by 16.1 percent. It was also found that 163 households were able to purchase an average of 3.7 katthas of land from the income generated through vegetable production on leased land. An increase of 50 per cent in the incomes of Dalits, ethnic minorities and resource poor farmers was also recorded. “Last year alone, I earned Rs 50,000 from two katthas of leased land. With the money, I purchased a brand new computer for my husband who is now pursuing a diploma in computer science in Dhangadhi,” said Sushmita Choudhary, Beladevipur VDC, Kailali district.
Communities are heterogeneous. Different households are at different levels of food insecurity. Therefore, one solution does not fit all households. Along with leasing land, access to appropriate technology, agriculture infrastructure and market, service linkages, off-farm options and income generation activities are equally important for sustainable food security. Therefore, leasing land can become a viable option for the poor to grow cash crops and traditional crops to increase their income. Leasing land also serves as an alternative option for farmers to grow crops until they earn enough to buy their own land.
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