Why
It is a proven fact that organically managed soils can convert carbon from a greenhouse gas into a food-producing asset. It’s nothing new, and it’s already happening, but it’s not enough. Organic food is healthier, better for farmers’ livelihoods and does not destroy the ecological balance.
Rising temperatures, decreasing water availability and un-organic methods of agriculture in the long run reduce the yields particularly in developing countries where agriculture is vital for food security. Therefore, agriculture must also adapt to changes in climate in order to provide food security.[1]
How
Organic agriculture has considerate potential for reducing emission of greenhouse gas and generally requires less fossil fuel per hectare and kg of produce due to avoidance of synthetic fertilizers. Since 2004, Lead Nepal has relentlessly worked on promoting organic agriculture that aims at improving soil fertility and nitrogen supply by using crop rotation system. The enhanced soil fertility leads to stabilization of soil organic matter and in cases to a sequestration of carbon dioxide into the soil. This in turn increases the soil’s water retention capacity, thus contributing to better adaption of organic agriculture under unpredictable climatic conditions with higher temperatures and uncertain precipitation levels. Thus small and large organic farming is essential to restore our food, livelihood and health security while mitigating ecological balance.
Lead Nepal built the capacity of community mobilizers, CBO’s, forest users group, mothers and youth groups, students, media house and VDC on organic farming (TOT). This team was instrumental in creating awareness, conducting baseline surveys, monitoring, evaluation and inspiring the farmers community in understanding the ecosystem services link to organic agriculture. Consequently motivating them to protect, prevent and mitigate the ecosystem and its services by going organic. The output is to increase their yield by 25% and link the farmers to business supply chain explaining all the mathematical denomination on profit and loss scenarios.
Lead Nepal build the capacity of 3800 farmers, 10 mothers group, 8 forest users groups, 10 Cooperatives, 9 youth groups, 6 Community schools. Based on our finding sixty percent of the target groups are females from diverse ethnic groups and today many hold leading positions. By 2020, Lead Nepal plans to directly reach 36000 farmer HH’s covering an area of 9000-hector farmland between the elevations of 300 to 3700 meter.
[1] Organic Agriculture & Climate Change Mitigation, A Report of the round table on organic agriculture & climate change, FAO Natural Resources Management & Environment Department, Rome Dec 2011, p 1, 2 & 3.