Rural women in Nepal have been forced to take full responsibility for farming while men seek to earn income elsewhere. This is causing large areas of farmland to be under-utilized and seriously impacting on food security.

In a presentation at the World Congress on Agroforestry, Sujata Tamang, outlined how 4 million Nepalese men now work overseas. Although families now have greater incomes through remittances, agricultural production is suffering with many of the current agricultural technologies not ‘friendly to women.

As outlined on ACIAR’s blog, Sujata is investigating ways to enhance the effectiveness of community forestry user groups. She is also looking at innovative approaches to productively manage the under-utilized agricultural land. Her efforts will help enhance people’s livelihoods and food security in rural Nepal.

Sujata, who works for Forest Action Nepal, was sponsored to attend the Congress by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The Congress gave Sujata the opportunity to present her work to a global audience and gain new knowledge of agroforestry research around the world.

Read the full story: Speaking out on feminisation of agriculture in Nepal