Local Infrastructure for Livelihood Improvement (LILI)

A considerable gap exists in the provision of irrigation facilities in the hill areas of Nepal, where only about 27% of irrigable land is irrigated compared to about 70% overall, most of it in the Terai/plain area. In rural areas, the prevailing socio-economic exclusion and combined with discriminatory land tenant system deteriorate the livelihood conditions of marginalized and small farmers. Their ownership is mostly limited to fragile and marginal lands deprived of reliable irrigation facilities and agriculture services. Such a plight of marginalized and small farmers is acute in the hill districts including selected hill districts for Swiss interventions through LILI.

The Goal of LILI phase II is to contribute to “Improved food security of small farmers in the rural areas of Swiss cluster districts’’

The target groups for LILI include marginalized and small farmers having farming-land below 0.25 hectare

1. Small farmers and disadvantaged groups manage and maintain farmers- managed irrigation system and derive benefits in an equitable way,
2. DDC/VDCs, local service providers (agricultural/technical/ social/) and local resource persons respond to priority needs for farmers-managed irrigation system.

Results from previous phases:  

During the Phase I of LILI (Aug 2006 to July 2009) a total of 64 small irrigation schemes, 3 vegetable collection centres and 29 public-buildings were completed from which a total of 16’820 households benefited. The small irrigation was the main component of Phase I from which a total of 2’842 farmer-households have changed their cropping pattern using irrigation facilities. During the phase II (as of Dec. 2012) of LILI a total of 293 small irrigation schemes have been completed which provide all-year-round irrigation to 2’217 hectares of land owned by 14’475 households (of them 62% are from DAGs). The external review of LILI Phase II carried out in Nov. 2012 has confirmed that the communities are unanimously very positive about the direct and indirect benefits they draw from the irrigation schemes. Direct benefits mentioned are increased production and greater variety of crops. This helps people to increase the period of food sufficiency by 50 to 100%. Staple cereals are partly replaced by cash crops or by vegetables. The latter are used for a healthier diet. Depending on the location the increased production allows farmers to market part of the crop. The farmers reported considerable increments in income of 50 to 100 %. A study conducted by the project, shows that net incremental benefits for an average household are around NRs 11'000 against a baseline of NRS 5'000, i.e. an increase of more than 100%. Most farmers mention that the increase in income allows a better schooling of the children.

Phase 2 01.08.2009 - 31.07.2014   (Completed)