Annual Report 2009/10

HEAD OFFICE Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development Bourton on Dunsmore Rugby, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1926 634400 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 634401 E-mail: practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk BANGLADESH Practical Action House 12/B, Road 4 Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205 GPO Box 3881, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh Telephone: +880 2 865 0439, 967 5236 E-mail: bangladesh@practicalaction.org.bd

KENYA Practical Action P.O. Box 39493, Nairobi AAYMCA Building (Second Floor) Along State House Crescent Off State House Avenue Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 20 271 9313, 271 9413 Fax: +254 20 2710083 E-mail: kenya@practicalaction.or.ke

PERU Practical Action (Soluciones Practicas) Casilla Postal 18-0620, Lima 18 Av. Jorge Chavez 275 Miraflores, Lima 18 Telephone: +511 446 7324, 444 7055 Fax: +511 446-6621 E-mail: info@solucionespracticas.org.pe

SRI LANKA Practical Action 5 Lionel Edirisinghe Mawatha Kirulapone Colombo 5, Sri Lanka Telephone: +94 11 2829 412 (413, 414, 415) Fax: +94 11 2856188 E-mail: SriLanka@practicalaction.org.lk

SUDAN Practical Action P.O. Box 4172 Khartoum, Sudan # 4 Street 49 off Pio Yukwan Road Khartoum W Adjacent to and north of Khartoum 3 Sports Club Telephone: +249 83 578 821, 578 827 Fax: +249 11 472002 E-mail: sudan@practicalaction.org.sd, ZIMBABWE Practical Action P O Box 1744, Harare Number 4 Ludlow Road (off Enterprise Road) Newlands, Harare, Zimbabwe Telephone: +263 4 776 107, 776 631 Fax: +263 4 788157 E-mail: practicalaction@practicalactionzw.org

Practical Action Nepal OfficeHouse No. 750 Pandol Marg, LazimpatP.O.Box : 15135Kathmandu, NepalTel : 977-1-4446015/4434482Fax : 977-1-4445995E-mail : info@practicalaction.org.npWeb : www.practicalaction.org/nepal

PRACtICAL ACtION WORLDWIDE

A group of women benificiary. A. de la Vega

© Practical Action, 2010No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose

without prior permission of the copyright holder.

Text and production coordination: Upendra Shrestha and Shradha Giri

Photo: Practical Action, unless stated otherwise

Cover page photo: Farmer taking rest after ploughing. A. de la Vega

Designed & Processed @ Wordscape, 977-1-5526699Printed in Kathmandu, Nepal

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The country is going through an important transition period, unstable political circumstances and negative economic trends are aggravating the situation to worst. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reported decreasing trend on Nepal’s GDP growth from 5.3 per cent to 4.7 per cent in the last fiscal year. The GDP growth is well below than required rate of 6 per cent in reducing Nepal’s high levels of poverty, especially while average annual population growth is increasing rapidly at the rate of 2.3 per cent over the past decade.

Due to high inflation (13.2 per cent in 2009), and declining remittances, exports and reserves, Practical Action realises the urgency to concentrate its focus in more remote areas, where over 80 per cent of the economically active population live and depend upon subsistence agriculture.

Despite the challenging situation in the country, we believe that Practical Action has made impacts in its working areas. In line with its three major thematic areas, (i) reducing vulnerability, (ii) markets and livelihoods and (iii) access to services, Practical Action through the local partners helped the communities to overcome various barriers to improve their lives.

We are particularly proud for being able to help the communities in building resilience to fight against different natural and manmade adversities, such as food insecurity, disaster risks and negative impacts of climate change. In selected VDCs of Doti, Surkhet, Kailali, Banke, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi Districts, we provided support to the socially excluded and disadvantaged communities to fight against food insecurity using land leasehold approach, on and off farm skill building and market linkages. We are convinced that the land leasehold concept can address immediate need of the communities and ensures long term access to land from the earnings. Based on our lessons on food security issues, we launched HELP Food Security Project in January 2010 with financial support of the European Union’s Food Facility Programme. Likewise, early warning systems together with preparedness for possible disasters, and diversification of livelihood options for communities provided through our SEWIN and DRR Projects have saved lives and assets, and brought positive impacts on poor people’s lives in Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Banke and Bardia Districts.

We feel satisfied with the ways we have been able to help the conflict affected poor communities in building their confidence and entering into the local economic activities by gaining knowledge and skills on off seasonal vegetable farming and markets linkage. SABAL Project has brought about a positive

Message froM the Country DireCtor

Achyut Luitel Country Director

impact in 26 VDCs of Achham, Doti and Kailali Districts. These positive changes have been possible due to introduction and application of different kinds of technologies, such as multiuse of water systems for enhancing productivity, notice board services for market price information of different commodities and so on.

There have been significant works on improving poor people’s infrastructures during this reporting period. The communities of selected VDCs in Gorkha, Tanahu, Achham and Kalikot now have better access to nearby market facilities with the installation of six new gravity goods ropeway systems. Similarly, five improved tuins in these districts have helped the scattered communities to significantly reduce their travel time to the markets and service centres. We expanded our Renewable Energy Village concept in other wards of Bhumlichowk VDC in Gorkha and Devchuli VDC in Nawalparasi District targeting to the poor and marginalised communities. The infrastructure support has been extended not only to scattered rural communities but also to the urban poor. During this reporting period, communities in Bharatpur, Butwal, Gulariya and Tikapur Municipalities, and other emerging towns were supported for safer drinking water and sanitation facilities and improving indoor air quality leading to better health.

Last year, we piloted a new concept on creating local technical contents and disseminating those using MP4 devices. The trained Local Resource Persons are using this concept to provide knowledge about different technologies to the local communities. These kinds of innovative ideas have been integrated with other projects to ensure sustainability of the initiatives.

Besides implementing the regular projects, we worked closely with central government institutions, notably, the Ministry of Environment in preparing National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) and Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR) in developing technical guidelines for Gravity Goods Ropeways to standardise and scale up the technology.

I express my gratitude to all the funders who believed on us and supported our project work. Likewise, I thank all our partner organisations for their continued support in field delivery of our work and closely working with the communities to make them understand about the approach we wanted to put forward. Similarly, I would like to thank the government institutions both at local and national level for encouraging us and supporting our approach. Last but not the least, I would like to thank the people in the communities who saw hope for the future in us.

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Vision MissionA sustainable world free of poverty and injustice in which technology is used to the benefit of all.

nbuilding the capabilities of poor people,nimproving their access to technical options and knowledge, andnworking with them to influence social, economic and institutional

systems for innovation and the use of technology

to use technology to challenge poverty by:

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Contents

Core nPutting people firstn Working in partnershipnA concern for future generationnRespect for diversity

PrinCiPles

Acknowledgements

Acronyms

Practical Action in Nepal

aiM 1 Reducing Vulnerability

aiM 2 Markets and Livelihoods

aiM 3 Promoting Infrastructure for the Poor

aiM 4 Responding to New Technologies

Practical Answers

Knowledge Products

Finance at a Glance

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Children observing bio-gas inputs mixture in Hururedanda,

Nawalparasi

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Audio Partnership plcBodyshop FoundationBritish High CommissionChurches together Bookham EffinghamDanish Government – RISODelves Charitable TrustDepartment for International Development (DFID) Diocese of BlackburnEuropean Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO)European UnionEvan Cornish FoundationFarrer-Brown TrustFood and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)George and Margaret TaylorGlacier TrustGovernment of NepalH C D Memorial FundHodgson Charitable TrustInternational Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)J H F Green TrustJose Entrecanales Ibarra Foundation, Spain L D Rope Third Charitable TrustPersula FoundationPJK Charitable TrustRotary Club of St. HelenSouter TrustSutasoma TrustTanner TrustTriodos FoundationUKAidUnited Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN HABITAT)USAIDUSEPA/PCIA Waterloo Foundation Zepher Charitable Trust

Practical action sincerely acknowledges the financial and moral support provided by individuals, organisations and trusts from europe and elsewhere. We would like to thank following organisations and individuals for supporting us in our mission:

aCknoWleDgeMents

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BloP Better Life Option Programme

Caa Community Agriculture Assistant

CCoDer Centre for Community Development and Research

CeDPa Centre for Development and Population Activities

Cla Community Livestock Assistant

CPC Community Peace Centres

CsDr Centre for Social Development and Research

DaDo District Agriculture Development Office

DDC District Development Committee

DfiD UK Department for International Development

Dgis Netherlands Directorate-General of Development Cooperation

Dh&M Department of Hydrology and Meteorology

DiPeCho Disaster Preparedness European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection

DoliDar Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads

Dlso District Livestock Service Office

Drr Disaster Risk Reduction

DWo Dalit Welfare Organisation

eC European Commission

eCho European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection

eig Education for Income Generation

enPho Environment and Public Health Organisation

eu The European Union

eWs Early Warning System

fChV Female Community Health Volunteers

gtZ/Pasra Poverty Alleviation in Selected Rural Areas in Nepal

hh Household

helP fs Helping to Enhance Local Productivity for Food Security

aCronyMs

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iaP Indoor Air Pollution

ilissCon Improving Livelihood Security of Socially Excluded Communities in Nepal

isWM Integrated Solid Waste Management

iuD Integrated Urban Development

kCCi Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industries

kirDarC Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre

leD Light Emitting Diode

liBirD Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Research and Development

MPis Market Price Information System

Muan Municipal Association of Nepal

Mus Multiuse Water System

ngo Non Government Organisation

nPr Nepalese Rupees

oDf Open Defecation Free

PCia Partnership for Clean Indoor Air

rkJs Radhakrishna Tharu Janasewa Kendra

reV Renewable Energy Village

saBal Sustainable Agriculture with Bazaar for Advancing the Livelihoods of conflict affected poor people

sCore Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity

seBaC Social Empowerment and Building Accessibility Centre - Nepal

siMi Smallholder Irrigation Market Initiative

slts School Led Total Sanitation

sWashtha Strengthening Water, Air, Sanitation and Hygiene Treasuring Health

usaiD United States Agency for International Development

usePa United States Environment Protection Agency

VDC Village Development Committee

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The renowned economist Dr. E.F. Schumacher established Practical Action in 1966 to prove that his philosophy of ‘Small is Beautiful’ could bring real and sustainable improvements to poor people’s lives in developing countries. With its Head Office in the UK, Practical Action works through its country and regional offices in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Practical Action is committed to reduce poverty. It supports the efforts of poor women and men to improve their livelihoods by providing appropriate technology options, associated information, knowledge, and skills, and the capacity to organise and use all these to get more control over their lives and livelihoods. The people centred unique and innovative approach of Practical Action incorporates local knowledge and skills, which ensure their wider adoption and replication respecting sustainability, basic human rights, and strategic partnership.

To help achieve its mission and respond to the changing global development scenario, Practical Action’s programme objectives are based on the following four Aims:

aim 1 – Reducing vulnerability – by strengthening the ability of poor people to use technology to cope with threats from natural disasters, environmental degradation and civil conflict.

aim 2 – Markets and Livelihoods - by enabling poor people to use technologies to build secured livelihoods, through improved systems of production, processing and marketing.

aim 3 – Promoting infrastructure for the poor - by improving access of poor women and men to locally manage services, by developing and disseminating technologies related to water and sanitation, housing, shelter and secure tenure, modern clean and sustainable energy, transport, solid waste management and communications.

aim 4 – Responding to new technologies – by enabling poor people to assess and respond to the challenges of new technologies and to develop and adopt applications that improve their livelihoods.

Practical Action Nepal Office is currently working according to its Strategic Plan 2007-12 primarily focusing on three international programmes Aims: (i) Reducing vulnerability, (ii) Markets and livelihoods, and (iii) Promoting infrastructure for the poor. These themes are further categorised into six broad focal areas – 1) securing food for the poor, 2) reducing risk from disaster and climate change, 3) minimising impacts of conflict, 4) increasing rural productivity, 5) sustainable urban environment and 6) healthy homes.

PraCtiCal aCtion in nePal

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Irrigation canal in Rakam, Karnali, Dailekh

Wind energy plant installation in Hurhuredanda, Nawalparasi

Off farm support to a beneficiary

Stakeholders and community members visiting upstream site in Rajaiya, Chitwan

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1. number of beneficiaries

gliMPses of groWth

3. financial resources

2. human resources

In 1979, Practical Action started its work in Nepal, initially concentrating on the development and transfers of microhydro technologies, building the capacities of local manufacturers and rural entrepreneurs, and advocating for appropriate policies and institutions in the microhydro sector. After establishment of the Country Office in 1998, Practical Action diversified its activities

into other forms of renewable energy, expanding into agro processing, rural transport and disaster management. Since 2003, Practical Action Nepal Office is directed by four International Programme Aims: Reducing vulnerability; Markets and livelihoods; Promoting infrastructure for the poor; and Responding to new technologies.

PraCtiCal aCtion in nePal

No

of b

enifi

ciar

yNo

of e

mpl

oyee

sGBP

amou

nt (‘£

000)

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

750,000

35,616

104,723

258,560

313,183

1,075,0001,300,000

1,700,000

2,800,000

350,000

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11

37 38

2421

6258

52

34

48

32

42

28

32

22

10

1614

18

ProgrammeSupport

Total

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aiM 1

Smallholder farmers preparing nursery bed

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reducing vulnerability programme helps the poorer communities to build their resilience towards all the adversities. it strengthens the ability of the poor to cope with disasters - man made or natural including impacts of climate change. the programme ensures food security of the poor to reduce their vulnerability; provides support to overcome environmental degradation and put into practice the methods to adapt to climate change. this aim covers two thematic areas: enhancing food security, and Disaster risk reduction and climate change.

Projects under enhancing food security

ILISSCON - Improving Livelihood Security of Socially Excluded Communities in NepalThe main objective of the ILISSCON project was to enhance the livelihood security and socioeconomic

reDuCing VulneraBility

status of vulnerable and socially excluded communities in conflict affected areas of western Nepal. The project areas were selected Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Banke, Doti, Kailali, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Surkhet Districts. The targeted direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project were 8000 and 12,000 HHs respectively. Key components of the project included leasehold farming, semi commercial vegetable production, river bed farming, mushroom production, capacity building for women, dalits and minorities, and strengthen market linkages through infrastructure and capacity development. The project was co-funded (75 per cent) by the European Union, and implemented through local partners - Dalit Welfare Organisation (DWO) and Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LIBIRD). The project ended on 31 March 2010.

Shallow tube well installation

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Due to poverty and discrimination at school, Hridaya Ram Harijan a dalit in Gonaha VDC, Rupandehi District had to quit school at grade nine and migrated to India in search of a job. Difficult life in India brought him back to Nepal. After returning back he worked with a local informal sector on a daily wage basis for 15 years. His income and situation did not improve and with old age he was no longer able to work as a labour. He then decided to grow traditional crops.

“With just one kattha of land sustaining year round income was very

difficult,” he states.

Hridaya learnt about ILISSCON Project’s intervention in his VDC through his neighbours and started participating in community meetings and training on vegetable production.

“During the training i learned about the leasehold process and better ways to grow vegetables, nursery raising and marketing techniques. i joined one of the existing farmer groups and in no time i am now the

leader of my group as i can read and write,” he further adds.

a Dalit BeCoMes ChairPerson of the teMPle ManageMent CoMMittee

With gained knowledge, patience and hard work Hridaya is growing vegetables and has leased 2 more katthas

1 of land. “i grow three

harvests per year and i make nPr 40,000 to 60,000 (£351-526) annually,” he states.

The project paid partial cost for the land leased by the farmers and supported them with quality seeds and fertilisers to raise confidence for sustainable income. Today the farmers no longer require monetary support from the project.

Hridaya recently became a member of the Dalit Welfare Organisation, one of the implementing partners of Practical Action. Soon after, he was elected as the new Chairperson of Prakateshwor Mahadev Temple Management Committee despite initial opposition from the upper caste people.

“i am a dalit and i am the Chairperson of the temple. Do you know what this means. Before we were not even allowed to enter the temple premise, look at what we have achieved?” he questions with a smile.

Hridaya Ram Harijan in front of the temple

s u C C e s s s t o r y i l i s s C o n P r o J e C t

-one kattha equals to 333.33 square metre1

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HELP – Food Security Practical Action launched a 22 month HELP – Food Security (Helping to Enhance Local Productivity for Food Security) project in January 2010. The project is co-funded (90 per cent) by the European Union’s Food Facility Pro-gramme. The overall objective of the project is to secure year round daily food requirements for 10,000 small-holders HHs in far and mid western regions of Nepal particularly in Doti, Dailekh and Kalikot Districts. Local implementing partners of the project are Social Aware-ness Centre (SAC) in Dailekh, Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC) in Kalikot and Equality Development Centre (EDC) in Doti.

Projects under Disaster risk reduction and Climate Change

Mainstreaming Livelihood Centred Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)Practical Action is implementing DRR project in Peru, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. In Nepal, the project started in January 2007. The objective of the project is to build on the resilience capacities of the local communities to reduce the risks of disasters through improvement in livelihoods, preparedness for effective rescue and relief measures, and mitigate the impacts of disasters through physical infrastructures. The project areas are selected VDCs of Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts and it is working closely with respective District Development Committees (DDCs) and VDCs. Local implementing partners of the project are SAHAMATI in Nawalparasi and Multidimensional Agriculture and Development (MADE) Nepal in Chitwan. This international project is funded by the UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID) and will continue until December 2010.

Scaling up Early Warning System in Nepal (SEWIN) With learning from DIPECHO I, III and IV projects on people centred Early Warning Systems (EWS) and experiences from real time evaluations, Practical Action is implementing SEWIN project in vulnerable VDCs along the major rivers of Banke, Bardiya, Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts. The project is co-funded (85 per cent) by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO) under the fifth DIPECHO action plan for South Asia. The objective of the project is to reduce disaster risk of most vulnerable communities in flood prone districts of Nepal through early warning. The implementing local partners are Centre for Social Development and Research (CSDR) in Banke, Radhakrishna Tharu Janasewa Kendra (RKJS) in Bardiya and SAHAMATI in Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts. The project ends on December 2010.

A flood resistant house in Chitwan

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highlights of the year

Enhancing food security Practical Action provided skill and material support to 9213 HHs in Banke, Doti, Kailali, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Surkhet Districts to increase the food security status of the households. Around 7,613 HHs increased income by 49.2 per cent that helped them secure food for additional six month in average i.e. HHs only having three months food now have food for six months. On an average the beneficiaries’ land holding has increased to 7 katthas from 4.7 initially. Additionally, 163 HHs affiliated with the leasehold farmer groups have purchased an average of 3.7 katthas of land from income through commercial vegetable production.

Better irrigation facilities mainly introduction of treadle pumps, water harvest ponds and sprinklers have increased the vegetable production by 90.07 per cent and cereal and rice production by 21.6. The improved harvest is also credited to farmers’ exposure to improved seeds and efforts to link farmers with agro vets and government service providing offices. Participation of women in saving groups has increased to 84.9 per cent compared to baseline (2007) of 9.8 per cent. Social activities, community institutions and networking for other services have increased to 79.8, 58.1 and 70.8 per cent compared to baseline of 8.9, 5.1 and 4.2 per cent respectively. Women’s participation in decision making for health and medicine, education and purchase of land has increased to 19.68, 17.52 and 8.9 per cent compared to baseline of 14.6, 12.5 and 5.2 per cent respectively.

• 44percentofthetotalILISSCONProjectbeneficiariesarenow living in corrugated sheet roofed houses

• OnanaverageeachHHsavesNPR4,225(£37)annuallyfrom commercial vegetable production

• 2,540womenareactivelyinvolvedinagricultureandofffarm income generating activities

• 739HHswhowerelandlessarenowownersofatleast1kattha of land

With increased income and job opportunities created through land leasehold, river bed farming and goat raising, mushroom production and off farm skill development training the seasonal migration to India has decreased to 26.7 per cent compared to 42.8 per cent from the baseline (2007).

As an exit strategy, the ILISSCON Project helped to develop capacities of 74 Local Resource Persons (LRPs). These LRPs are registered in the respective project district’s DADO and are in alliance to exchange

Beneficiary ready to sell his carrots

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knowledge and learning. The LRPs are trained and supported with MP4 device and a technical manual. They are using the MP4 device to record the local technical content mainly related with agriculture in local language and are disseminating the content during farmers gathering using the player followed by interaction session.

Practical Action facilitated 110 farmer groups to register with DADO and District Livestock Service Office (DLSO) to access the inputs and services from these government line agencies. In Rupandehi, the DADO provided a pump set to a farmer group for irrigation. Similarly, three water user groups are also registered with Divisional Irrigation Office in Nawalparasi District.

Practical Action together with VDCs, DADO, GTZ-PASRA Surkhet, Nepal SIMI and USAID/EIG Programme supported to establish eight market centres in Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Banke, Surkhet, Kailali and Doti Districts. These market centres are serving as market place cum information centre and are managed by the local marketing committees. Small producers of the areas are benefiting with easy access to market information, commodity price and reach to the buyers ultimately helping them to get good price for their produce. The beneficiaries are also supported with complementary means of transport such as tuins (cable river crosing), gravity goods ropeway, bicycle/rickshaw trailer, and push carts to transport their produce to the local markets on time. Two hundred and forty four families are using bicycle trailers to transport their produce to the market. Installation of a tuin each in Doti and Surkhet Districts has benefited around 8,000 persons and a gravity goods ropeway in Surkhet has benefited at least 135 HHs from neighbouring villages of the upper station.

Disaster risk reduction and climate change

A series of awareness campaigns such as street dramas, song competitions, school led elocution competitions, radio jingles aired from the local FM stations, rallies, community mock drills and exhibitions helped to increase knowledge on issues causing flood disaster and reduce the vulnerability of the communities. Two hundred and sixty six local community volunteers

and District Management Committee (DMC) members attended the basic first aid training, and training on disability, gender and social inclusion in Banke, Bardiya, Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts. Small scale mitigation activities were conducted along with infrastructures support such as construction of dykes and spurs using bioengineering technologies, culverts and small bridges (including renovations), machans and, emergency shelters. These supports have minimised the risks from flood to 43,700 beneficiaries.

Livelihood centred approaches for DRR benefited over 9,000 people from 1,500 families vulnerable to recurring flood and drought in Chitwan and Nawalparasi. This integrated approach included improvement of irrigation facilities, riverbank protection, training and input on crops and livestock, income through on and off farm activities, saving and credit schemes, and institutional development for managing infrastructure like shallow tube wells and irrigation canals. Similarly, project supported wildlife proof fencing helped over 2,465 farmers save their crops and reduce stress.

Integrated DRR approaches introduced by Practical Action have proved to be appropriate for sustainable coping of multiple stresses which require linking different sectors and stakeholders for devising and addressing development priorities along with EWS and DRR. Formation of DMC at the VDC level and access of emergency fund within local governments, preparation of disaster management plans at district and VDC level in leadership of local government institutions,

A bee keeper with honey comb

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Som Bahadur Kumal (41) lives with his wife and three children at Laukhuri village in Meghauli VDC, Chitwan. He owns 0.25 hectare of land where he grows traditional crops and sells buffalo milk for extra income. Besides poverty, wildlife intrusion is one of his biggest problems. Som has lost crop every year sometimes up to 75 per cent due to wildlife intrusion.

“Wild animals destroyed my crops. rhinos and deer kept entering in my property and leopards snatched our newborn calves,” says som. “My wife and i had to guard our crops and spent many sleepless nights.”

In this situation, Som and his wife had to work as daily wages labour to support their family. Today Som’s situation has changed for the better. Practical Action’s DRR Project helped erect a low voltage three strand electric fence around the village with the community’s labour contribution to prevent wildlife intrusion. A shallow tube well was also installed to irrigate the smallholder farmer’s land during the dry season.

integrateD aPProaChes to Drr CoMBat PoVerty By seCuring liVelihooDs for the Poor

Knowledge and skills were other constraints that prevented Som to gain optimum benefits out of their efforts. “i did not have ideas on different varieties and quality seeds and whatever i bought would go bad by the time i harvested the seeds,” explains Som.

Som received training on seasonal and off seasonal vegetable farming and cereal crops of different varieties. With the new knowledge Som initiated vegetable farming and with surplus water from the shallow tube well and no danger of animal intrusion his production has brought him good income.

“i sell vegetables in the village market centres. My income has increased three times; my children are well fed and go to school regularly,” smiles Som. “it is a nice feeling when people ask me for advice because they regard me as a model farmer.”

Today Som and his wife sleep sound at night as wildlife intrusion is a story from the past.

Som in his farm

s u C C e s s s t o r y D r r P r o J e C t

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preparedness for seasonal hazards and promotion of watershed conservation are some of the major initiatives of the DRR approach. For the sustainability, effective coordination between service providing institutions and utilisation of functional mechanisms such as DMCs, community groups, cooperatives and inter linkages within and outside the community is a must.

InChitwanandNawalparasi2473HHshaveimprovedaccess to irrigation facilities and enhanced knowledge on better agricultural and livestock rearing practices

A sustainable DRR approach also requires integrating climate change adaptation. Incorporating DRR and climate change adaptation is a challenge in itself but it is important to integrate both these components to find an effective coping mechanisms. Practical Action recently conducted a two year extensive field survey to understand the community’s perception on climate change and its impacts. The information was collected from 14 districts representing mountains, hills and tarai. Based on the information collected, a report “Impacts of Climate Change: Voices of the People” was produced to highlight the community’s perception on climate change and its impacts. The report concludes that climate change has a significant impact on the communities locally. Therefore, localised actions for adaptation are necessary as the impacts varies in different locations and a general recommendation for adaptation does not work for all places and all types of impact.

influencing

• TheNationalPlanningCommission(NPC)reflectedleasehold farming as a strategy to enhance the production

of agriculture for the poor people in the new 3 years National Plan document (2010 – 2012)

• Basedonourlearningstakeholdersarescalingupleasehold farming approach

• Socialacceptanceofdalits in different roles by the communities is a milestone conquered where dalits are selling their dairy products to non dalit members and one such dalit member is the Chair of the Temple Management Committee in Rupandehi

• WeadvocatedfortheneedofNationalEarlyWarningstrategy, as a result, a Management Committee and Advisory Committee were formed in agreement between Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Environment. Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) is drafting a National Early Warning Strategy with technical support of Practical Action

• Localgovernmentincorporatedlivelihoodcentredapproaches for disaster management in the development plans in Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts

• StakeholdersworkingintheDRRfieldhaveinitiatedtheintegrated approaches in the planning

• SeventeenVDCsinChitwanand26VDCsinNawalparasiDistricts have DMC and disaster management plan for at least three potential hazards in top priority. Similar plans were developed for 59 VDCs and one municipality in Chitwan and Nawalparasi Districts

• VDCsareinitiatingcommunityleddisasterplanningand implementation, incorporating it into development planning. DRR initiatives for development work are replicated in 31 VDCs and one municipality in Chitwan and 28 VDCs in Nawalparasi through VDC level disaster management plans.

• Basedonourlearningandtechnicalassistance,stakeholders are promoting EWS through their project and programmes

• FiveVDCs,twoDDCsandstakeholdershaverecognisedand supported the livelihood centred approaches to DRR integrating this approach in their disaster management and development plan, and setting up DMCs

iMPaCt in nuMBers

9,213 HHs enhanced their food security 2,500 HHs benefited from DRR and climate change activities

13,357 HHs benefited from community based early warning activities

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MUS beneficiary watering pumpkin

plantation

aiM 2

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Markets anD liVelihooDs

aim 2 works with smallholder farmers to increase their access to established markets. the programme supports poor communities by making market work for them. it explores a participatory and systemic market development approach to reduce vulnerability and secure livelihoods of smallholder farmers by applying technology for better production and networking skills to engage effectively in fairer markets. this aim focuses its work in a single thematic area in nepal - Minimising impacts of conflict.

Projects under Minimising impacts of Conflict

SABALSABAL Project started in January 2008 with 90 per cent co-funding support of the European Union.

SABAL applies two pronged approach – starting with “confidence building activities” and leading to “quick return complementary livelihoods activities”. The project supports to increase the livelihoods of conflict affected people by exploring a participatory and systemic market development approach to reduce vulnerability and secure their livelihoods. Target beneficiaries of the project are 9,565 conflict affected poor people. The project components are building confidence, creating livelihood opportunities locally, improving access to business and improving market chain linkages.The project is implemented in partnership with Social Empowerment and Building Accessibility Centre (SEBAC-Nepal) in 26 VDCs of Achham, Doti and Kailali Districts of the Far Western Development Region.

Market centre in Kailali

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During the Participatory Market Mapping process, lack of market information was identified as a major hurdle in accessing fairer prices for the rural and remote farmers. For the first time in Nepal, in 2009 the notice board service for on demand Market Price Information System (MPIS) through a mobile phone application was introduced by Practical Action in collaboration with Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI). This 30 second to 1 minute long pre recorded price information is available on demand to farmers. The information was collected and uploaded by KCCI and cross promoted through a free local FM broadcast for the past 9 months. Preliminary assessment suggests that over 60 per cent of SABAL project beneficiaries are aware of the service and more than 42 per cent use this service regularly once a week as the service cost is low and it is user friendly.

Market inforMation systeM: alternatiVe inforMation for farMers

In addition to this more than 60 per cent of the regular users have reported that the service has provided them valuable information to make informed decision on selling prices. These results are being shared with interested advertisers in order to include “paid for” advertising as a revenue generating model for the service making it sustainable and market led.

Practical Action is hopeful that in the long term KCCI will be able to continue providing the market information in Kailali by attracting more sponsors and advertisers based on their reach and audience. This is critical in ensuring that rural and remote farmers with limited mobility can still get fair prices for their agriculture commodities.

Women checking vegetable prices through MIS

s u C C e s s s t o r y s a B a l P r o J e C t

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A BLOP class in session

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highlights of the year

Minimising Impacts of ConflictBuilding the confidence of conflict affected people to revive their livelihoods includes fundamental shifts not only in the structure of governance and access to economic opportunities but also in the underlying hierarchical norms, values and behaviours that govern social interaction.

Irrigationinputsbenefitedover1,930HHsinAchham,Doti and kailali District

Practical Action facilitated to establish 19 Community Peace Centres (CPCs) in Achham, Doti and Kailali. These CPCs are self selected and self governed local bodies which are providing counseling services, mediating local conflict and coordinating mechanisms to help aid agencies provide relief to the conflict affected HHs. CPCs also led implementation of a variety of activities including Behaviour Change Communication (BCC), such as psycho social counseling, street theatres, community awareness programmes, and construction of communal infrastructures such as irrigation canals and collection centres. As an important confidence building initiative for the out of school and most at risk youth, Practical Action assisted 2,062 youths through Better Life Option Programme (BLOP). This programme helped youth to regain their confidence and participate in productive activities.

With the government of nepal (gon) emphasising the support to local communities in peace building, Practical action assisted local line agencies to adopt and adapt its promising practices like the CPCs for sustainable peace building in nepal

With a focus on ensuring better incomes and food security, over 5,000 smallholder farmers were provided with agriculture inputs, technical training and access to service providers. This has led to better HH nutrition, reduced drudgery for women and children and increased enrollment in schools. Landless victims of conflict were supported through group enterprises such as community leasehold, fish and riverbank farming, and off farm enterprises. Transformations in these communities are visible. Better income has translated into increased food security, better access to critical services and increased confidence to take charge of their own lives. All these initiatives resulted in an average increase of more than 80 per cent in their incomes.

More than 200 landless victims now have a more secured and dignified life with alternative livelihood options such as carpentry, small retail stores and tailoring in kailali

Small holder farmer in Doti

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Partnership developed among smallholder farmers, private and public sector service providers including input suppliers, Community Livestock Assistants (CLAs), Community Agriculture Assistants (CAAs), LRPs and public extension services helped to build the capacity of target beneficiaries and improve marketing skills to increase incomes. In the project districts, 192 farmer groups are registered with respective local DADO increasing smallholder farmer’s ability to acquire pay for and use much needed inputs and services effectively and sustainably.

Four collection centres and 12 collection points were constructed with support from the DADO and VDCs as necessary platform for the local farmers to sell their produces in Achham, Doti and Kailali. These facilities combined with various innovative services including development of market information system using

notice board service of mobile phone platform helped smallholder farmers to become more competitive and earn substantial incomes. For the sustainability of the market information service Practical Action is working in partnership with KCCI. Moreover, 108 farmers were provided training and cross learning visit opportunities for effective operation of the communal infrastructures such as collection centres and collection points.

on demand market price information via mobile phones reaches more than 50,000 farmers in kailali making this service now commercially viable

other initiatives

Starting from September 2007, the Aim 2 programme in Nepal initiated an intensive programme development action research with the objective to understand the

Smallholder farmers meeting in Kailali

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context of the conflict’s impact in the markets and livelihood situation of poor smallholder producers in rural and remote areas of the country. Based on extensive researches and studies conducted through situation and policy analysis, sub sector analysis, scoping studies and Participatory Market Mapping workshops within a period of one year, the Aim 2 programme team have prioritised dairy sector as a strategically important sector.

In 2010, UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID) assured GBP one million to implement the dairy component of the Market Access for Smallholder Dairy Farmers (MASF) project in Nepal. The Goal of MASF Project is to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable increase in income of 10,000 smallholder dairy farmers in Nepal. The project will be launched in June 2010 and builds on the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach which harnesses the power of markets to channel benefits to the poor.

influencing

• CPCsarebeingusedasmodelsforLocalPeaceCentres(LPCs) and are receiving support from local government line agencies. Local line agencies have agreed to support CPCs for managing local level disputes and conflict. DDC and VDC members, representatives of political parties and police station representative suggested continuing implementation of CPCs activities at VDC level

• PracticalActionandKCCIhavejointlydevelopedandpiloted a mobile phone based MPIS. The new MPIS uses Nepal Telecom’s notice board service to inform farmers on daily vegetable prices of Attaria and Dhangadhi markets by dialing 1618091521237 at a very low cost. Based on the success of this system, KCCI has developed similar kind of services for transportation sector and other commodities

• Partnershipindevelopingcollectioncentreswithlocal government line agencies in Achham, Doti and Kailali have helped the beneficiaries receive much needed support and the local bodies have agreed to replicate the concept of collection centres and collection points in other districts as well. The VDC also co-funded construction of the collection centre at Joshipur

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iMPaCt in nuMBers

1,613 HHs have access to proper irrigation facilities329 HHs have access to clean drinking water

8,779 beneficiaries involved in agriculture production 786 beneficiaries involved in community fish farming

123 beneficiaries involved in off farm activities

Leader farmer preparing nursery bed

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Local woman using Ghatta

aiM 3

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ProMoting infrastruCture for the Poor

aim 3 strives to increase poor people’s access to, control over, and choice of appropriate and sustainable infrastructure services. it promotes partnerships between marginalised people, the public and the private sector, to plan, deliver and sustain infrastructure services. the aim facilitates these actors to demonstrate innovative models of service delivery with a positive impact on poor people’s livelihoods. Based on learning, this aim helps uptake good models for attaining impact at scale by influencing concerned authorities for pro poor policy changes. aim 3 focuses its work in three broad thematic areas – increasing rural productivity; attaining sustainable urban environment; and Creating healthy homes.

Projects under increasing rural Productivity Access for Opportunities

This project is implemented in Achham, Gorkha,

Kalikot and Tanahu Districts since 2007 with financial support of the European Union, Jose Entrecanales Ibarra Foundation, Spain, Rotary Club of St. Helen and the UK trust funds. The local implementing partners are Centre for Community Development and Research (CCODER) in Gorkha, Social Empowerment and Building Accessibility Centre (SEBAC – Nepal) in Achham, Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC) in Kalikot and NGO Network in Tanahu.

The project aims to improve the socio economic condition of the poor and marginalised people by supporting the poor farmers to increase their agricultural productivity and delivering complementary means of transport facilities – gravity goods ropeways for agricultural produces/goods transport and improved tuins for river crossing.

Women using the improved tuin

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During an official visit to Mansangkot VDC in Syangja District two years back I noticed tomatoes lying all over the path and wondered where the tomatoes had come from? Further up I saw two boys in their school uniform crying. When I inquired, I learned that their families had sent them with loads of tomatoes to sell in the market and they had slipped spilling tomatoes all over. The path to Mansangkot is a two hours steep walk and the monsoon rain had made the earthen path slippery and dangerous.

An instant thought came to my mind, what if the villagers could send their produce filled in a plastic bag with a rope attached from the up hill to the down hill? I knew this was not the solution and the quest for an answer to solve the transportation of vegetables from uphill to the main highway haunted me in a positive way. I enquired lots of organisations working in the agriculture sector

aCCess ProJeCt influenCes loCal goVernMent BoDies

regarding the availability of such technologies where the local producers can easily transport their produces to the local market without any difficulties. At last I came to know about Practical Action’s work on gravity goods ropeway. Today when I look back I realise if people have genuine interest to solve problems it does eventually get solved - Birendra Hamal, Regional Agriculture Director, DADO, Pokhara.

In 2009, the DADO successfully installed a gravity goods ropeway in Syangja District with technical support from Practical Action and labour support from the local people and cooperatives.

To date, Practical Action has installed 17 gravity goods ropeway in Achham, Gorkha, Tanahu, Kalikot, Dhading, Mustang and Syangja Districts directly benefiting 3162 HHs.

Tomatoes transported using gravity ropeway selling at a

Cooperative in Dhading

s u C C e s s s t o r y a C C e s s P r o J e C t

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Renewable Energy Village (REV)REV Project is funded by the UK trust funds, Livelihoods and Forestry Programme (LFP) of DFID and individual supporters. The local implementing partner is CCODER and the project is closely working with the VDC. Initially REV Project started in 2006 in few wards of Bhumlichowk VDC, Gorkha District which has now been expanded to newer wards in Bhumlichowk and Devchuli VDC in Nawalparasi. REV aims to provide practical solutions and demonstrate various low cost and community managed renewable energy options – solar power, wind power, biogas along side increasing energy efficiency through promotion of improved cook stoves and Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity (SCORE) stoves. Target beneficiaries of the project are the disadvantaged communities including Chepangs, Magars and Bishwokarmas (dalits).

Projects under Creating healthy homes

SWASHTHA – Strengthening Water, Air, Sanitation and Hygiene Treasuring Health SWASHTHA is a four year (2009-2012) project implemented in seven municipalities– Bharatpur, Butwal, Gulariya,Tikapur, Siddharthanagar, Ramgram and Ratnanagar and three small towns – Sunawal, Bardaghat and Kawasoti with financial support of the European Union, UN-Habitat’s Water for Asian Cities programme and ISLE of Man Government. The implementing partners are Environment and Public Health Organisation (ENPHO) and Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN). The project aims to develop and promote integrated approaches of safe drinking water, improved sanitation facilities, safe hygiene practices and reduced indoor air pollution (IAP) to address major environmental health risks and to create healthy homes benefiting 30,000 women and children.

Scaling up of indoor smoke alleviating technologiesThe project is implemented in Gorkha and Dhading Districts since March 2008 with financial support from USEPA’s Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) and DGIS. The local implementing partners are GORETO in Gorkha and Prayatnasheel Community Development Society (Prayas Nepal) in Dhading. The project aims to reduce major health risks of women and children from IAP, particularly kitchen smoke. Sustainable market promotion of indoor air alleviating products such as smoke hoods and stove improvement techniques, capacitating manufacturers and suppliers and providing credit facilities through revolving fund mechanism are key elements of the project.

Community members installing solar panels in Hurhuredanda, Nawalparasi

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highlights of the year

Increasing rural productivityThis thematic programme aims to increase productivity of rural people and their access to other basic services and markets through use of complementary means of transport services and small decentralised renewable energy systems. Interventions include scaling up of technologies such as, cable river crossing tuins, gravity goods ropeways, decentralised renewable energy technologies focusing on the development of wind and solar energy systems and strengthening their manufacturing bases as well as their operation and maintenance for sustainability.

This year installation of six gravity goods ropeways and five improved tuins has benefited 1,668 and 1,096 HHs respectively in Achham, Gorkha, Kalikot and Tanahu. Farmers are saving 50 to 70 per cent transportation cost compared to the past and their produces are being transported to the road head within 2-3 minutes depending on the load and span of the ropeways. Through newly installed five improved tuins, 1,096 poor HHs have easy access to road heads, markets and different service centres like VDCs, schools and health posts. The attendance rate of school going children has significantly increased based on the anecdotes from the locals. They spend less time traveling and can cross the river safely even during the monsoon. It is reported that the beneficiaries save at least 75 per cent of their travel time when using tuins.

Easy access to services and markets has encouraged the beneficiaries to enhance their agriculture production as their incomes have started to increase. Support of small irrigation technologies (36 plastic ponds, 53 sprinkles and 5 drips), agro inputs including different vegetable seeds to 625 HHs and introduction of 5 new and diversified crops has further strengthened the earning capacity of the beneficiaries. The combination and introduction of new technologies such as cost effective method of transportation, micro irrigation infrastructure and improved knowledge on better crop production has paved a new and meaningful future ahead for the residents, particularly in Gorkha and Tanahu.

Further, to enhance the production and secure a market platform for the small scale producers six Resource cum Collection Centres are established in all six gravity ropeway sites. These centres are expected to provide a

Small scale wind plant in Phakhel, Makawanpur

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sustainable platform to farmers to sell their produces based on a fair market price. Sixteen village level farmer producers and marketing groups and 40 community users groups were formed and their institutional capacities enhanced. These groups are now capable of operating and maintaining tuins and gravity ropeways on their own in Achham, Gorkha, Kalikot and Tanahu Districts.

24 VDCs are benefiting with installation of gravity goods ropeways and tuins Five 150W wind turbines together with eight solar panels of 43Wp were integrated forming wind solar hybrid energy system to power community charging station in Hurhuredanda, Nawalparasi. The community charging centre is now providing power to 95 units of rechargeable Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps. The 46 HHs of Hurhuredanda village have now lighting facility during the night, this has brought various benefits to the HHs. The children can complete their homework every day and women are cooking their evening meals in ample light and they finish their cleaning on time which gives them spare time for other productive or recreation activities. Moreover, the charging station proved to be very effective in enhancing communication services of communities in Hurhuredanda. The numbers of HHs using mobile phones increased significantly after the charging station started to generate energy. More than 25 numbers of new mobile phone users added only in Hurhuredanda village within one and half months due to availability of mobile phone charging facility.

The energy produced from wind solar hybrid systems is further linked to income generating activities through collection of service cost for charging LED lamps and mobile phones. As decided by the community, single charging cost for a LED lamp is NPR 5. The collected funds are spent on repair and maintenance and to pay the monthly salary of a technical staff.

Similarly, more than 266 units of solar power LED lamps were supported in Bhumlichowk VDC, Gorkha benefiting 266 HHs. One local cooperative in Bhumlichowk is established to run as a financial intermediary which can fund the capital investment for energy services such as microhydro project and solar

or wind chargeable lights to the member HHs. The fund has already accumulated a total loan investment exceeding NPR 3.7 million (£ 336,37). As a result the local people now have easy access to finance their energy need.

sixty two improved Cook stoves (iCs) and 80 latrines were built during the last fiscal year in gorkha and nawalparasi

Attaining sustainable urban environmentLearning from our engagement in urban sector in the past three years through our projects - Integrated Urban Development (IUD) and Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) has established that poor people can make informed decisions when they are involved in the overall planning processes at various levels. Hence, Practical Action is in the process to generate evidence on appropriate technology choices for services that give urban poor ample opportunities to live in healthy environment and generate incomes and employment.

Creating healthy homesFour thousand HHs are now aware of the negative impacts of Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) including HH energy use and safer alternative source of energy. Awareness raising campaigns were organised for behaviour change of the beneficiaries. These campaigns helped them to make informed decisions on switching to cleaner fuels and stoves, improving ventilation in the kitchen, improving on site sanitation, water treatment and storage at point of use and help create local demand for such services. Mass rallies, song, essay, speech and quiz competitions were organised in four municipalities to raise awareness on water, sanitation and good hygiene practices. To observe the Global Hand Washing day, demonstration on hand washing practice was organised in these municipalities. More than 800 people benefited from these activities.

Promotion of School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) was implemented in 35 schools. Six schools out of 10 in 2 VDCs of Chitwan are declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). In these schools, teachers and students were trained on environmental sanitation concept and low cost sanitation facilities. 300 water seal and 80 regular toilets completed and are in operation

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One hundred and ninety eight Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) were trained in water quality, better sanitation, hygiene and IAP. FCHVs were also trained to develop and strengthen coordination with local health service providers for effective service delivery. A training manual for FCHVs on “Indoor Smoke and Health” was developed and produced to assist the FCHVs as well as to undertake indoor air quality monitoring under “National Living Standard Survey, 2009”. Moreover, groups/cooperatives and revolving funds were established to provide technical support to monitor the quality of the smoke hood installation and to financially support the poor HHs for smoke hood installation.

influencing

• DoLIDARendorsed“TechnicalGuidelinesforGravityGoods Ropeway” and committed to install 10 gravity ropeways in the coming year

• DepartmentofAgriculture/GoNandKaadorieFoundationinstalled one gravity ropeway each in Syangja and Dhading Districts

• Sharing our experiences on small wind system has convinced government, private sectors, academic institution and other relevant stakeholders in the usefulness of small wind energy system as an important and potential source of rural energy

• ISWMapproachisintroducedinthreenewmunicipalities(Butwal, Sidharthanagar, Ramgram) and 3 small towns (Kawasoti, Bardaghat and Sunawal in Nawalparasi District) followed by the promotion of HH separation of wastes, introduction of door to door collection of wastes and youth awareness campaigns

• AlocalclubinKawasotiandBusinessManagementCommittee in Bardaghat, Nawalparasi is promoting HH waste separation and decentralised waste management approaches

• TheGoNendorsed,gazettedandpublishedthe‘IndoorAirQuality Standards and Implementation Guidelines, 2009’

• GulariyaMunicipalitysupportedSurajpurcommunitytobuilda school after increased awareness of the community and raising their voice following SWASHTHA project facilitation

• GulariyaMunicipalityallocatedfundstoimplementatleast 200 toilets in poor communities influenced by the SWASHTHA project activities

iMPaCt in nuMBers

2764 HHs benefited from the installation of complementary means of transport75 per cent reduction in travel time after the installation of tuins

625 HHs have agro inputs access to enhance their production and earning capacity406 HHs have access to clean energy

4000 HHs are aware on proper sanitation, IAP, safe means of energy and good hygiene practice

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Nandalal BK (58), one of the residents of Thimura, has recently built a Sulav toilet with the help of SWASHTHA Project. Thimura is amongst the three settlements selected by SWASHTHA in Bharatpur Municipality, where lack of proper sanitation is a major issue. Nandalal has four members in his family and they had one temporary toilet covered with jute sack in their paddy field.

”the jute sack covered toilet was difficult to use during the monsoon. We would be drenched during monsoon and it was difficult during the night time. We were also scared of the snakes,” says Nandalal.

Nandalal found out about the subsidy provided by SWASHTHA Project during one of the community meetings in Thimura. Nandalal

ProMoting sulaV toilet

provisioned locally available raw materials like bamboo, straw, sand, stone and aggregate for the toilet. In order to save cost Nandalal and his family members constructed the toilet on their own. The project assisted Nandalal with four rings, a cover and fitting materials, which is about 35 per cent of the total cost of his new toilet.

“now we do not have to worry about rain and snake. We have a permanent toilet,” says Nandalal with a smile in his face. “the toilet has made our life so much easier especially when some one is sick or when one suffers from diarrhea,” he further explains. Due to the construction of the toilets the neighbouring areas has become cleaner and safer. “toilet construction has given me moral support as well. now i can proudly tell my neighbours to build toilet in their house too.”

Nandalal in front of his Sulav toilet

s u C C e s s s t o r y s W a s h t h a P r o J e C t

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1

Upper station ropeway operator

uploading produce

3

Lower station operator receiving the produce

6

Small scale local producer selling fresh vegetables in the market centre

5

Local suppliers and buyers segregating

produces

2

Ropeway operator signaling the lower station before sending the produce

4

Local small producer checking the goods

roPes of hoPe

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knowledge products published last year

• CommunityBasedDisasterManagementPlanforChitwan• FCHVtrainingmanualonIndoorAirPollutionanditshealth

effects ISBN 978-9937-8135-4-9• ImpactsofClimateChange:VoicesofthePeople

ISBN 978-9937-8135-3-2• PromotingAdaptationtoClimateChange–Helpingthe

Poorest to Survive • SABAL-BuildingbackbetterISBN978-9937-8135-5-6• ShallowTubewellGuidelines• TechnicalGuidelinesforGravityGoodsRopeway

ISBN 978-9937-2-2246-4• TemporalandSpatialVariabilityofClimateChangeover

Nepal (1976-2005) ISBN 978-9937-8135-2-5• TechnicalBrief:MultiuseWaterSystem(MUS)

ISBN 978-9937-8135-6-3

resPonDing to neW teChnologiesaim 4 has a vision, “a world where science led new technologies deliver products which fulfill human needs rather than consumer wants”. nepal office startedpilotingthisAimsince2007byconductingascoping study to explore issues and opportunities. Based on the study and the vision, this aim has streamlined its work in two broad areas: technical content in local voices and nanotechnology and water.

highlights of the year

Technical content in local voicesPractical Action initiated works on technical content in local voice by integrating with ongoing projects using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Practical Action produced technical content in local language on vegetable production. The content was

recorded in a MP4 player in local language using the Practical Action LRPs. The LRPs were trained on the use of the MP4 player to deliver the contents to the farmers. The contents include information on 19 commodities of vegetable and fish farming. The LRPs are now using it as an effective tool during the farmers’ gathering to deliver the demanded contents followed by interaction.

Nanotechnology and WaterPractical Action is planning to work in this sector in collaboration with Universities in the Europe. It has already organised a workshop in collaboration with Cambridge University on “Arsenic removal and sensing technologies” involving different stakeholders - water users, scientists, academiaand development activists. The main purpose of the workshop was to develop an effective solution to locally identified needs.

aiM 4

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PraCtiCalansWersPractical Answers is a free service run by Practical Action. It aims to increase access to knowledge resources gathered during the implementation of various projects and programmes. The objective is to help individuals, small producers, small entrepreneurs, and organisations to improve their access to technical information.

The major goal of Practical Answers is to supply information of direct relevance to the enquirer’s circumstances and take into account the non technical factors that might contribute on the use of technology. It also serves as a permanent solution to provide

Multiuse Water System (MUS)

Technical brief

ROPEWAY GOODS

Technical Guidelines for

Ministry of Local Development Department of Local Infrastructure

Development and Agricultural Roads(DoLIDAR)

GRAVITYGRAVITY

technological knowledge and information on project’s various components even after its completion.

To do so, Practical Answers comprises of:nTechnical enquiry servicenInformation resourcesnPartnership with different knowledge nodes

We believe knowledge generated must be shared. So come share your knowledge resources by partnering with Practical Answers.

Contact: practicalanswers@practicalaction.org.np

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financial statement for the period covering April2009toMarch2010

sources of income restricted unrestricted total

£ £ £Government Grants 1,124,410 1,124,410Other Grants 208,848 208,848Donations 40,972 40,972Other Income 21 21Sales of Publications 131 131Income from Services 56,136 56,136Bank Interest 5,782 874 6,656Total income 1,380,013 57,161 1,437,174

expenditure areas

Marketing and Fundraising 29,676 29,676 Reducing Vulnerability 492,235 52,896 545,131 Markets and Livelihoods 386,561 2,565 389,126 Promoting Infrastructure for the Poor 532,414 12,684 545,098 Responding to New Technologies 1,900 1,900 Directorate 2,000 214,227 216,227Total expenditure 1,415,110 312,046 1,727,157

Note: A consolidated financial statement was signed at organisational level in the UK. The figures provided are part of the report which are related only to Nepal Office.

finanCe at a glanCe

A group of women benificiary. A. de la Vega

© Practical Action, 2010No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose

without prior permission of the copyright holder.

Text and production coordination: Upendra Shrestha and Shradha Giri

Photo: Practical Action, unless stated otherwise

Cover page photo: Farmer taking rest after ploughing. A. de la Vega

Designed & Processed @ Wordscape, 977-1-5526699Printed in Kathmandu, Nepal

Annual Report 2009/10

HEAD OFFICE Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development Bourton on Dunsmore Rugby, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1926 634400 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 634401 E-mail: practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk BANGLADESH Practical Action House 12/B, Road 4 Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205 GPO Box 3881, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh Telephone: +880 2 865 0439, 967 5236 E-mail: bangladesh@practicalaction.org.bd

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