Assessing Vulnerability of Food System in Rohini-Tinau-Banaganga (RTB) basins in Nepal, Tarai Nepal Water Conservation Foundation 2005, Kathmandu

North-Central IG plains

Physiography

Interdependent Water Systems

Administrative Map

Average Households Annual Income of SourceRohini Income (Rs)Per cent Agriculture14, Livestock6, Service28, Trade/Business2, Cottage Industry1, Others48, Total1,01,

ItemRohini NRs% Cereal22, Dal3, Vegetables Spices1, Kerosene Gas Electricity1, Communication Transportation3, Medicine5, Education4, Cloth4, Agriculture wage1, Other wages Festivals3, Others2, Total55, Annual Expenditure Pattern (Rs/HH/) Nepal

 Close to mountains. Variation in the IG plain  Drained by rivers that originate in the Chure hills  Flood and bank cutting, water shortage in winter Sites Selection

 Perceived breadbasket but food deficit  Many irrigation systems (large and small, old and new)  Major people’s movement route between Bhairahawa and Gorakhpur  Movement of people for employment, trade and pilgrim  New settlements, mixed population of both Tarai and hill origin

 Transition region between the lower IGP and hills  Physical intervention has changed hydrological character of eastern part. Conventional water management approach not effective  Clearing of forest for settlement and East-West introduced transformation  Local industries and new livelihood opportunities.

 Since 1995, NWCF involved in local water management and local adaptation study.  Outputs : Rethinking the mosaic, Fluid mosaic, and Livelihood resilience.

Average family size of the sample households: 7.5 number per family Average land holding size: 2.78 ha Average cereal cropped area: 3.47 ha per household Average cropping intensity in the study area: 1.25% (it is too low for Tarai district) Characteristics of Agricultural System of Nawalparasi District (an example)

Annual cereal food production: 7.35 metric ton per household Per capita food production: 982 kg (high compared to national average) Per capita agricultural income: Rs. 11, Sugarcane, banana and seasonal vegetables are major cash crops Dairy and goat farming is common and source of cash income for the majority of the farming households.

Wide variation in the productivity and production of major cereals and cash crops. Households along road heads sell milk, make good income.

Few practice commercial farming Annual income of the majority is low Rice is major staple food for majority

Food Self Sufficiency Status:  Disaggregated data for the district not available. Data for Western development region is as follows:  54 per cent households produce sufficient food for the families and remaining 46 per cent households produce foods as follows:

 22.5 per cent households produced food for >9 to<12 months  12.5 per cent households produced food for >6 to<9 months  8.8 per cent households produced food for >3 to<6 months  2.5 per cent households produced food for <3 months period.

Food insufficiency at household level: Determining Factors Reasons% households 1. Low productivity Small land holding size Lack of investment capital Cultivation of cash crops10.0

Means of fulfilling food deficiency Means% Households 1. Purchasing Borrowing10.0

From adaptive study: Another perspective Occupation Population on agriculture 36% Labor 16.3% Services and teaching 9.5%

Household income Agriculture about 14% Other sources 48% Service about 27%

Migration About 36% have lived for more than 20 years. About 64% has migrated in the recent past.

 High complexity and undergoing transformation (water regime, production, market, community, employment, migration, and tourism//  Date on food scanty (regional level data exists)  Disjuncture between regional and local levels data and understanding  Seasonal water Scarcity  Pollution  Arsenic is an emerging threat impact on food systems ?? Preliminary Scenario