Nepal

This article evaluates the combined impact of school gardens linked to complementary lessons and promotional activities about gardening and nutrition. The impact is measured as the nutritional awareness, knowledge, perceptions, eating behaviour and nutritional status of 10- to 15-year-old schoolchildren in Nepal. »

This blog discusses stories of resilience, change and achievement emerging from the testimonies of women running their own households. A recent study shows that many of the “unattached” women in the sample rated themselves as strongly empowered by their experiences with running their households and with managing their own farms. »

This article assesses the impact of horticultural exports on food security in the exporting country. Horticultural produce is mostly destined for high-income countries and it contributes to food intake there, however it is unclear what their food security consequences are in the countries of origin. In this article, a variety of direct and indirect effects of horticultural exports on food security in these exporting countries are discussed. »

This series of fact sheets features Bioversity International case studies with local NGOs and partners. These case studies illustrate successful outcomes in gender and biodiversity through the use of gender-specific research methods. Three of these factsheets take place in forest and agroforestry landscapes and have interesting lessons for horticultural activities. »

This working paper describes recent initiatives in Bangladesh and Nepal to reverse declining soil fertility and promote sustainable agricultural practices by increasing the use of organic fertiliser – from both commercial and household sources. The authors state that to break the vicious cycle whereby intensive agriculture in both countries depletes soil organic matter and increases vulnerability to drought, an integrated approach is required which balances applications of organic and chemical fertilisers and promotes agronomic practices that enhance soil fertility. »

This briefing by IIED argues that there is a need to develop value chains to enable organic fertilisers and composts to supply much needed organic matter to depleted soils. Soils are the foundation of all terrestrial life on the planet and are essential for agricultural production. Yet intensive agriculture involving heavy inputs of chemical fertilisers is degrading soils across South Asia and many other parts of the world, threatening food security. »