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.