Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCCC) and Dalit Janakalyan Yuba Club (DJKYC) are cooperating on an agriculture and livelihoods project in Bariyarpatti and Nawarajpur Rural Municipalities, in Siraha, Nepal.
These communities face significant challenges including food and nutrition insecurity, poor sanitation and hygiene, and gender inequality and social exclusion. The primary livelihoods in the area are agriculture and livestock, with many marginalized families relying on informal daily wage labour, often earning below the minimum wage. Farmers face challenges in accessing seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs due to affordability and market inefficiencies. Despite general food availability, market access remains a barrier, and poor sanitation and hygiene conditions persist, particularly in Dalit communities.
The primary goal of the project is to improve the food security and nutritional status among these communities by addressing systemic challenges in agriculture, market access, and nutrition. The project activities will include agricultural training and input support, income-generating activities, nutrition and hygiene awareness campaigns, and institutional capacity building. These efforts will lay the foundation for long-term sustainability and community resilience, improving women’s access to financial resources and decision-making processes, and promoting gender and social inclusion.
The project will reach 3,900 unique participants from 2,500 households, comprised of 12,550 members.