Reinforcing the Ecosystem

Sustainable Agriculture: LEAD Nepal with the support of WWF Nepal assisted in a baseline survey of illegal wildlife trade in Mustang Valley and is currently involved in another project in Upper Mustang. The work scope involves promoting farmers to grow organic seeds and grains; empower them holistically in organic way of life; acquire organic certificates; establish an industry and market their product in the attempt to secure a healthy and comfortable life as well as mitigate climate change in a sustainable manner. The entire project is gender sensitive and inclusive in nature. LEAD Nepal is in partnership with TOV and the project is funded by WWF, Nepal.

LEAD Nepal to promote the right of education particularly for girl children successfully developed Suntol VDC, Sankhu Palubari, Bishambhara village into an Agro-Eco Village (going organic from school to home). LEAD Nepal trained the villagers on organic farming, water shed management and organic way of living and the surplus income generated from their products were used to run their village school and community programmes. This programmed became a success with the full support of District Agriculture Development Organization (DADO) and the community of Sankhu village.

Lead Nepal with its specialization on organic farming has worked as consultant all over Nepal and with its techniques of organic growth promoters, organic composting and organic pest management have build the capacity of numerous farmers.

14bOrganic Coffee: Lead Nepal, build the capacity of about 220 farmers on organic coffee plantation in six districts namely Illam, Kaski, Sankhuwasabha, Parbat, Lamjung and Nuwakot. The production capacity in these districts is about 100 tons of green beans per annum but currently only 15 tons are being produced. LEAD Nepal is exploring recourses to expand the training to 300 more farmers and acquire organic certification for the full utilization of the land available and uplift the living standards of the farmers.

Wetland Project: LEAD-Nepal jointly with TOV empowered 100 women in Tapuksohi, Nepal on macramé knot craft. Products such as bamboo baskets, mats and natural fiber products were designed and marketed in Nepal. The aim was to ensure maintenance and enhancement of wetland biodiversity and environmental goods and services for improved local livelihood in Nepal. The project objective was to strengthen national and local capacity in ecosystem management and sustainable use of wetland biodiversity in the Koshi Tappu wild life reserve area.

Untitled-1Mitigating Soil Erosion: LEAD-Nepal, with the local community and forest users group participated in planting tree, shrubs, bamboos in areas prone to land slide in the urban and rural areas of Nepal. In some areas Terrace farming was promoted in order manipulates the water flow preventing from gathering speed and washing soil from farmlands. Contour farming was also implemented since crops planted parallel to the land slow the flow of water that prevents soil erosion, in open land trees and shrubs were planted as windbreakers which prevent soil erosion by slowing the force of the wind over open ground. Wetlands were also restored which is one of the most effective ways to prevent soil erosion. Wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing rainwater and preventing it from carrying the soil away. They also provide a habitat for birds and other wildlife and help prevent water pollution. We also planted mixture of grasses, shrubs and trees as buffer strips along stream banks which helped hold stream banks intact during times of flooding. They also prevent runoff from entering waterways. The re-establishment of forest cover provides an extensive, tree-root network that offers a long-term solution to soil erosion. It can function both as a windbreak and a means to anchor soils in place.