EnLiFT Model 1.0: A Livelihood and Food Security Model of a Forest-Farm System

This paper presents the concept, specification and calibration of a systems model for temporal simulation of a forest-farm livelihood system. The model has been developed to examine the level of food security of the forest-farm livelihood system in Nepal and to identify interventions to increase household income and food security. The model framework consists of five modules: annual crops, tree and understorey, livestock, community forest and Food Security Index. The household activities are categorized into the four aspects of food security: availability, access, use, and stability of supply. The model can be applied over 6 household types based on caste and wealth. This typology was derived from cluster analysis of data from a survey of 668 households in 6 villages in 2 mid-hill districts. An example is presented from simulation runs of one type of household – a capital-rich Janajati household for four selected agroforestry production scenarios. The simulation experiment reveals strong relative significance of the tree-understory module on household food security and the crucial importance of off-farm income and remittances from overseas.